I don't know how it came about but the other day my Start Menu window went on a crash diet and shrank in width to about 50% or less of it's former size. I've tried ignoring it but it's always in my face, if you know what I mean, hehe. I've looked evryplace I can think of in the registry for the length and width parameters to no avail. Much obliged for a pointer in the right direction. Thanks a bunch, guys!

Did you change your resolution? Hmm......download or install anything new?

Which OS are you running?

Duh-oh. Excuse the brain cramp there, please. Running Win2K and recently installed the latest Nvidia driver but there was no problems there. I'm sure it's in sesponse to something I did but I've wracked my brains trying to remember what it might have been without a clue. Frankly, the OS has been a Rock of Gibralter and with a few tweaks, the system snaps to attention and salutes smartly at every turn. While I'm thinking about it, since everything is running strong & true I'm not at all anxious to upgrade to XP though I have a gratis copy I can use. Is there any compelling reason you can tell me of that I should heed & convert or is it better to stand pat? Use the comp almost exclusively for gaming and other fun activities.

The taskbar can be resized like any other window... just click on the edge of it and drag to resize it to your liking

If your system is just the way you like it I'd leave it at Win2k. There are some cool things in XP but not enough to warrant wiping out a perfectly running system to "see if it's worth it" WinXP can feel slower on the same system on a default install.

There aren't any programs that will run on XP but won't run on 2K. Pentium4 processors with Hyperthreading are the only hardware that needs XP to get the full benefit. Win2k will run on a Hyperthread processor, but will treat it like a P4 without H/T.

The taskbar is not the problem and if I didn't know how to resize that, I shoulld be made to sit in the corner with a pointy hat for the rest of the day, LOL. It's the Start Menu window that has withered to a fraction of it's formerly robust self that I'd like to revive. There must be a line in the registry that covers it's physical dimensions but thus far, I cannot locate it.

Sorry I misunderstood you.... so are you talking about when you click the start button, the menu that comes up? If that's what shrunk then I think you just right click on the start button and somewhere under properties is an option to use small icons.

I guess I'm not explaining myself as clearly as I thought or intended to but I am, if nothing else, persistent. Yes, I am referring to the rectangle that pops up when one clicks the Start button. It has not shrunk per say, but it has lost about an inch or more of it's former width. It's gotten skinny, is a fairly apt description which to my eyes makes it look odd and a bit queer. I realize that this falls into the category of minor nuisance and if I must, I can learn to live with it. Thank you for your patience.

It's been a while since I've used Win2k so I'm working from memory here.

If it's the width you've lost I think that's a dynamic thing. The menu widens and shrinks according to the length of the longest phrase on it. For example if the word "Programs" is the longest phrase visible the menu will be just wide enough to accomodate that. If "Set Program Access and Defaults" is on the menu (did you recently remove it?) then the menu is wide enough to accomodate most if not all of that phrase.

There is an option somewhere in the properties for "use small icons" that will make the whole menu shrink in both height and width though.

Hope this helps