How can I change the Windows 7 taskbar position (overriding GPO, Registry Editor, Admin. Rights)?

I run the computer center of my Faculty and the problem is that users manage to change the Windows 7 taskbar position. I don't really know how they do this as far as I have applied many group policies that are specific to the taskbar (like locking it). I have also disallowed users from entering new registry keys or executing the command prompt (or employing scripts). They have regular user rights and many Windows 7 tweaking programs need administrator rights to make changes to the GUI. So in other words, the taskbar is locked, there is a policy that sets its position to the lower part of the screen, users can't see the control panel, add registry keys, use the command prompt and don't have admin. rights.

How do they keep moving the taskbar position to the upper part of the screen?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

user196990

Posted 2013-02-09T16:45:24.230

Reputation:

Regarding the asking for a link for more information about the taskbar misbehavior, see this link: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2877985

– None – 2015-10-09T16:47:17.737

I have no idea how they do it, but why would you want to lock it? If someone prefer the bar on the top and sets it that way for that user only, why bother? – Hennes – 2013-02-09T16:52:05.050

The computers are for the use of the students. We like to keep all the desktops the same, I mean same backgrounds, themes, etc. so that's why we would like to have all the taskbars at the bottom of the screens. – None – 2013-02-09T22:05:48.547

Have you tried asking them how they changed the taskbar's position? – phw – 2013-02-10T09:10:43.860

Answers

I run a LAN cafe and I also have problems with the taskbar either going up or to the left. The account used by clients is locked down through group policy and registry edits so clients have very limited access. I am using Windows 7 x64. I think in my case this has something to do with some old (early 2000s) full screen applications (games) that do not support widescreen resolutions, or the culprit may be the lockscreen of the cafe management software that I use - or both. I have searched extensively for this before but found no answers.

My solution was to use a registry file with the correct taskbar settings. So every time the taskbar moves, I log out the client account, log in to the administrator account, load the registry hive of the client account, run the .reg file, then unload the client registry.

I found the registry settings here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1066-taskbar-move-location-desktop-screen.html.

This is for placing the taskbar at the bottom: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_USERS\client02\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StuckRects2] "Settings"=hex:28,00,00,00,ff,ff,ff,ff,02,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,3e,00,00,00,2e,\ 00,00,00,00,00,00,00,82,04,00,00,80,07,00,00,b0,04,00,00

Load/unload a registry hive: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732157.aspx Heed the warnings about editing the registry. Registry backup and restore: www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html

user269519

Posted 2013-02-09T16:45:24.230

Reputation: 21

Right-click the Task Bar, go to Start Task Manager. Click Options.

Brian

Posted 2013-02-09T16:45:24.230

Reputation: 1

You can't actually right click the taskbar, it is disallowed by GPO. And supposing you could, you would only have a bunch of grayed-out options. This is the reason why it puzzles me. – None – 2013-02-09T22:04:09.733

its a known bug I found it on the Microsoft web site, right click a running application from the taskbar when you have the contextual menu open left click and drag the taskbar and it jumps to the top of the screen, there is a hot fix for it but they say its not fully tested so install at your own risk. they only true way to restore it is to remove the gpo or move the user out of that group, unlock the taskbar and put it back then reverse your gpo changes.

Ste

Posted 2013-02-09T16:45:24.230

Reputation: 9

1could you please also add some links to your answer, that would make it even more valuable! – Máté Juhász – 2015-07-23T20:09:24.023