scroll bar/slide bar disappears after a few seconds very anoying

I agree that one shouldn't have to fix the 'bugs' created by the extremely bad design patterns that Microsoft seem to be insisting are the 'future of design', but that is a really good point by Ben... it is ACTUALLY possible to solve this by using your own style-sheet (I'm kicking myself for not having thought of it as it's so simple).

I thought I'd give detailed instructions...it doesn't require a 'technical' mind (though I'm still not sure what exactly that is - not having a fear of learning new things possibly). I've tried to be as detailed as possible in my instructions - don't let what looks like a LOT of text and words put you off. It really is only a 30-45 second job!

PART 1

1/ Open 'Notepad'. Type or copy the @-ms-viewport{ width:auto !important} line from above (or here) and paste it into the notepad window.

2/ Now click 'File|Save as'

3/ Change the 'Save as type' (under the box where you'd type the filename) to 'All Files'

4/ In the 'File Name' box type a name like 'mystyle.css' (without the quotes). The important part is the .css at the end which tells it that we are saving a 'style' file. What the bit before that is called is up to you, but 'mystyle' is as good as anything else.

5/ Look where you are about to save it (is it going to be saved in My Documents (or Documents) or in Music or in Videos etc etc. Just remember where it is, so you can go back and find it in a minute.

6/ Save it.

7/ Exit Notepad.

PART 2

1/ Open Internet Explorer (if it isn't already open)

1. Click the Tools button (or the cog if you can't see the Tools button), and then click Internet Options.
2. Click the General tab, and then click Accessibility.
3. In the Accessibility dialog box, select the Format documents using my style sheet check box.
4. Click Browse and navigate to the style sheet you just created.
5. Click OK twice to finish.

You're done!! From now on the 'style sheet' you just created will be applied to every site you visit, in theory this should force every site to show the scrollbars properly.

If this doesn't work (by the way you WILL probably have to close and reopen IE for it to load the style sheet you created), then reopen the style file you created by finding it using say Windows Explorer (called File Explorer in more ermm...modern... Windows Operating Systems) and right-clicking ON it and using the 'Open with' option... choose Notepad from the list.

Then instead of the text you copied to it earlier try:

body  { -ms-overflow-style: scrollbar }

and then Save it. (In theory you don't need to go through all the mullarkey of setting the file type to All files etc this time as it should just save it in the same way as it found it.

Close and re-open IE. In theory it should now work.

Whew! Seemed like a lot of work, but honestly it was a LOT harder for me to write this all out than it was for you to actually do what I've suggested don't you think :-)

Good luck (whether you decide to use this tip or not).

thanks for your remarks I appreciated that you took the time to reply & give me your perspective & a good one at that  We do agree on Microsoft in that their managers seems to be a little bit touchy

Tony,will your instructions work on Surface RT?

I also find this very annoying. This is also the default behavior for windows 10.  I've been trying to find a way to send feedback to Microsoft about this.  I understand this is an asthenic design to the UI, but it is annoying to a power user and probably very confusing to a first time user. I think at least there should be setting to turn off this behavior.  I've looked around and can't find one.

 

IT HAPPENS TO ME ON INTERNET EXPLORER.  IT IS VERY AGGRAVATING!  I HOPE THIS ISSUE CAN BE RESOLVED SOON.  PLEASE LET US KNOW OF ANY UPDATES REGARDING THIS ISSUE.

This action, the disappearing scroll bar when viewing your MSM homepage, is by design. It is simply another lame attempt by Microsoft to get you to click on one of the ads beneath the scroll bar. It helps up their click count. A very good reason not to use MSN. Internet explorer does a lot of the same kind of tricks to get you to go to BING when you didn't need or want to.