Blank boxes in taskbar (Win98SE)

[DonW]

I have a PIII 866 running Win98SE. I keep getting blank boxes in my taskbar whenever I close an application. The applications range from Office 2000 apps to almost anything else that I have running but it happens with every app. All I have to do is click once on the box and it goes away but I don't know what's causing them to stay in the taskbar after the app is closed. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
P.S. - I had Mcafee's antivirus running but I've uninstalled that to see if it stops the problem....it doesn't. Prior to uninstalling it, I updated my virus signature and scanned my hard drive but there are no viruses detected.

 

[Rockn]

Might be a video problem where your display isn't refreshing correctly. The same thing happens occaisionally on mine at home, but not the frequency you are describing. I would look for updated video drivers and ensure the monitor type and refresh rates are set correctly.

 

[Mosaic1]

I found this a while ago. Maybe it will help you out.

Mystery blank buttons from http://www.generation.net/~hleboeuf/taskbar.htm#TASKBAR5
This information was posted Jim Inacker in a News Group.

Ghost Button Resolution for Win98SE

If you are using Windows 98 SE and installed either the May 22, 2000 Critical Update
or the Windows 98 Second Edition Mapped Drives Shutdown Update or the
Windows 98 SE 1394 Storage Supplement you may experience ghost buttons on the Taskbar.

The ghost buttons appear to be the result of interactions between existing applications and
newer versions of user.exe and user32.dll installed by those updates.

If your system DOES NOT REQUIRE those updates, you can uninstall them by searching your hard
drive for the associated uninstall inf file. Right click on the uninstall inf file select
install and then reboot at the prompt.

May 22, 2000 Critical Update 260067un.inf
Windows 98 Second Edition Mapped Drives Shutdown Update 260067un.inf
Windows 98 Second Edition 1394 Storage Supplement 242975un.inf

If all goes well you should end up with user.exe and user32.dll version 4.10.2222.

This resolution and the file version numbers listed apply to Windows 98 SE.
Any added functionality provided by the newer versions of user.exe and user32.dll will be lost.

 

[Mosaic1]

I should add. To check which updates you have on your computer. Go to start>run and type
Qfecheck.
If you see one of those, it's up to you whether or not you want to uninstall it.

The uninstalls are located in
C:\windows\inf\qfe
And then you would look in the Windows98 Folder.
Be careful here. These are uninstalls. Right click and choose install to perform the uninstall.

 

[oldjoe]

Thanks to this old thread, I just fixed the "mystery blank buttons" problem on my W98se taskbar. I did so by uninstalling the 260067 update using the method explained above. I removed only the one update, and that seems to have fixed the problem. This restored the User.exe & User32.dll files back to version 4.10.2222

I am writing this reply to thank Mosaic1 for the info, and to let other W98se users know about this.

Old Joe

 

[oldjoe]

Follow up info:
I ran Belarc Advisor the day after this change.

Update 260067 is now missing from the list of updates, as it should be.

However, update 242975 now has a red X next to it on the list, and a comment
saying to reinstall it.

The two updates must be related, possibly by using the same dependent files.

What should I do now?
a) Uninstall 242975
b) Reinstall 242975
c) Leave it as it is.

I'm doing "c", until someone tells me otherwise.

OldJoe

 

[Kitch]

What should I do now?
a) Uninstall 242975
b) Reinstall 242975
c) Leave it as it is.

I'm doing "c", until someone tells me otherwise.

OldJoe[/QUOTE]

Just my opinion, but any update that causes problems like this is not worth
worrying about. I'd sooner take my chances & have a computer that works
properly, rather than being bogged down with problematic patches.....

 

[oldjoe]

Kitch,
Thanks for the reply. I'll stick with choice "c"...
OldJoe