A couple of weeks ago I updated windows 8 to the newer version. All seemed fine. Then I noticed that now when I switch my laptop on. It doesn't start at the normal windows 8 home page where you select a tile to use an app.

Instead it opens up straight into desktop. Which would be fine but... I have some black google chrome bar with icons for youtube, g-mail etc along the bottom of my screen. Which makes things like changing volume or using the calculator which i normally have minimised there difficult.

When I hover the mouse about down there my old icons pop up but they seem to be faint and when I click on them the window I'm using gets minimised. Pretty annoying.

Is there some daft thing I've done in settings that's caused this change ? Or is it a new chrome update that's caused it ? I just want to get this off my computer and use it as before.

Any suggestions welcome.

:cheers:

I can use internet explorer ! But it annoys me that chrome and the start up bit is different.

It sounds like you've downloaded something else at the same time which adds Google toolbar as a default. Happens with a lot of updates for various programs, java, music players, etc. Not using 8 yet, so I'm guessing, but the toolbar should be removable in control panel.

OK that sounds like a plausible explanation thanks Fork Handles... will have a wee look at control panel and report back. :cheers:

in Win 8.1 you can select boot into desktop (a la Win 7) or Metro (tiles, a la Win 8). It's an option buried in settings someplace. The Chrome task bar &/ore launcher is something that Chrome installs itself, but since I use it all the time I've never bothered to remove it...and it makes my Win 8.1 laptop work much like my Chromebook.

Ello Gildas.

Thanks Gildas. All this started just after I'd downloaded windows 8.1 so I think that further expands on Forks explanation.

Right so I'll have a look about in Settings to see if I can reselect the boot to the Windows tiles.

Really it's the task bar that wastes it for me. If I want to look at the calculator I have to minimise the page I'm on. I had a look in Control Panel but couldn't find any add ons. Will search Settings and see if there is an option to remove this in there.

Thanks. :cheers:

Gmails keep being hacked ,
ebays is getting to be a rip off ,
Google spies on everything
Android is controlled by them and always defaults by backdoor programmes to google servers pisses me off totally

so i have dropped Gmail totally ,, looking at alternatives to ebay

using other search engines ,, phones are a little bit more of a problem, using a rooted android phone with dual sims but looking at getting a Jolla phone or even a Nokia windows phone ..

whatever happened to ''do no evil''

Soi2.....This any use to you?
http://greatis.com/startscreenunlimited/

Thanks for that, looks interesting. I'll have a read up on some reviews of it and maybe download it.