Taskbar keeps disappearing and cannot get it back w/out restarting!

If you're having the problem where your start bar stays but your taskbar disappears like most on this thread, here's a quick one click fix when the problem occurs

open notepad

type in the following EXACTLY (or copy / paste)

@echo off

taskkill /f /IM explorer.exe

explorer.exe

click file -> save, change file type from "text documents" to "all files"

name the file fixexplorer.bat  and save to your desktop.

any time your problem occurs, just double click that .bat file on your desktop.  This will kill explorer and restart for you, so you dont have to go through the task manager and search for it.

This is so ridiculous. I can't believe it's been going on for three years.

I recently got my laptop in August (a Gateway NV50A 64-bit with Windows 7 Home Premium), and this problem only started a few days ago. It's the most. Annoying. Thing. EVER. I hate it.

The explorer.exe thing works for me, but I just want the stupid thing to be fixed. I haven't checked to see if it's my screen saver's fault, because I do have what I believe to be a third party screen saver, but I just want this dumb bug repaired. I've looked through everyone's suggestions on this thread (thanks, by the way.. I'm going to test them all out when I can) and I'm bookmarking it, just in case Microsoft decides to get off their lazy butts and do some customer serivce. <3

Microsoft has to be pretty thick to overlook a problem like this.. Seriously.

I have found another possible solution to this ...purely by accident of course...

 I was trying to open a new Tab in Internet Explorer while researching this issue. When I hit “Ctrl +T” my taskbar disappeared. When I hit it again it came back.

I have verified that this does the same thing with Internet Explorer and my other programs closed.

I have found a way to keep the task bar from disappearing on my computer! First I had tried the explorer.exe and that did not work, nor did any of the other misc. suggestions other people had. I have a new computer and don't have any other screen savers than what came with it. The only thing that worked for me was the previewing the screen saver, but I wanted to find something more permanent until Microsoft fixes this annoying serious problem.

Anyway this is what I did and my taskbar has not disappeared for over a week now!!

Follow these steps:

1- Go to 'Control Panel'

2- Hit 'Hardware and Sound'

3- Hit 'Power Options'

4- Hit 'Change When the Computer Sleeps' (on the left side of the screen)

5- Change the 'Put the Computer To Sleep' under both 'On Battery' and 'Plugged In' to***"Never*"**

    Some people also have to change 'Turn Off the Display' under both Battery and Plugged' to 

    "Never" also. (I didn't)

6- Hit 'Save Changes'

My taskbar was present when I changed this setting. Get the taskbar back before you change the settings. Re-start if you have to and you will probably have to re-start after you change the settings.

Good luck. It has made me love my new computer again... :-)

October 13,2011 - "It's been over two weeks now and my taskbar is still there! If you are having problems, you have got to try the above change."

March 1, 2012 - "My Taskbar is still here!!"