XP: Status Bar is Disabled or Disappears in Explorer

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From the computer of: davak (396 recipes)
Created: Aug 22, 2004     Updated: Sep 05, 2004

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After the installation of SP2, users have noted that their status bar in explorer is not longer visable. Users of SP1 have noted a different error causing the status bar to disappear as well. Both of these fixes are described below.

I want every window to have a status bar. (You know, that little bar at the bottom of windows that gives you information and such.)

SP2 to changes the defaults to show status bar when browsing on the internet, but to turn it off when browsing locally. People typically notice this after opening explorer for the first time after updating to SP2.

Here's the quick fix:

1. Click Start
2. Click My Computer
3. Click the View Menu
4. Click Status Bar

If your status bar is enabled, there should be a check mark beside it in the View menu. This should change the status bar to make it enabled for all local folders.

As IE is closely tied to the OS, a closely related bug is giving people problems as well. If the above fix doesn't work, then try the steps below. It does require some repeating.

1. Open and only one Internet Explorer window
2. Click the View menu
3. Click Status Bar
4. Right-click the Toolbar in Internet Explorer
5. Select Lock the Toolbars from the context menu
6. Hold down the CTRL key and click the Close X button at the upper right corner of IE. IE will close.
7. Right-click the main Start button
8. Select Explore from the context menu. Explorer window will open.
9. Click the View menu in Explorer
10. Click Status Bar
11. Click Tools menu in Explorer
12. Click Folder Options
13. Select the View tab
14. Click the Apply to all folders button
15. Click OK to confirm
16. Open IE again
17. Right-click the Toolbar again
18. Select Lock the Toolbars from the context menu again
19. Hold down the CTRL key and click the Close X button at the upper right corner of IE. IE will close.