How do I keep toolbar preferences in IE6?
 

I have one more question. In Internet Explorer 6, I like to have the toolbar, address bar and menu bar altogether on one level horizontally. I uncheck "Lock the Toolbars" and "Links" and then arrange the bars the way I like them, then I lock the toolbars again. It keeps the new setting for that session, but the next time I open IE, it's back to the space-hogging, three-tiered bars at the top. How can I set my toolbar preferences so they will stay in place permanently? Thanks.

Give this a try:

Open your registry and find or create the key below.

Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called "Locked" and set it according to the value data below.

Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.

Registry Settings
User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar]
Value Name: Locked
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Data: (0 = unlocked, 1 = locked)


Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. We cannot guarantee that problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the information provided at your own risk.

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to do the trick, assuming I understood your suggestion correctly. I changed the value from 1 (locked) to 0 (unlocked), closed the registry after making the change, then rebooted. I opened IE and the three-tiered bars were back at the top of the screen. The toolbars are no longer locked by default, but the three tiers are still there. When I place them side-by-side horizontally the way I want them, then lock the toolbars either by right-clicking on the toolbar OR by going back into the registry and changing the value back from zero (unlocked) to one (locked), it still boots back up with the three toolbars taking up a fourth of my screen space. There's something called "HP View" there, too, by the way, but I don't know what that is and wasn't able to find out by searches--maybe I just overlooked it somewhere, but I don't know what HP program that HP View is associated with. I suppose it's possible that some HP program (whatever it is) sets those toolbars the way it wants them when it loads at startup. Who knows... Thanks again for your help. If you or anyone else has another suggestion, I would like to know what it might be.

Keeping toolbar preferences in IE (solution)
 

I want to post this reply for people doing searches in the future who have a problem with getting the Internet Explorer toolbar to retain their preferred toolbar settings after reboot. I found the answer by accident while looking into some questons about programs that load at startup. If you are running an HP computer (like I am) and you have an icon in the toolbar called "HP View" (like I did), IE will not retain your settings after you reboot your computer or (in my case) even when you close your browser and reopen it without rebooting. If you uncheck HP View when you right click on the IE toolbar, it will still be checked the next time you open your browser. I could find no reference to "HP View" on HP's own website or in any of the HP programs (or their help files) on my new XP computer, so I have no idea what the HP View icon is for.

Anyway, if you have the "HP View" icon on your IE toolbar, you can remove it permanently by going to start/run/type "msconfig"/ click on "startup" tab...then uncheck AUTOTKIT, then reboot your computer. Your IE settings from before the reboot will now be retained (at least mine were). "HP View" still appears on the menu when you right click on the toolbar, but it is now unchecked by default (but it's still available if you ever want to enable it, assuming you figure out what it's there for). I now am able to keep my toolbar icons, address bar and menus all on the same row at the top of the IE window the way I like them without having to reset them every time I open a browser window. Unchecking AUTOTKIT in startup has had no other effect on my computer that I can discern.

Now if I could only get the registry or TweakUI for XP to retain my menu speed settings...

U forgot to mention that if one unchecks autotkit, then each time they start up they will get a warning box stating possible problems if they do not check the option for normal loading which in the end resets the check mark into the box for autotkit. I will mention that n e one that has a hp computer that has this same problem should call hp because a class action lawsuit was filed and won against hp for this problem and if your model number pc is one listed, then they have to send u a software that will take out tool kit. U say u dont know what hp view is for, it is connected to hp tool kit and when u enable it in the toolbar, there is a slight difference in the size of the toolbar. The toolkit has something to do with factory settings relating to their photo imaging programs. it is an annoyance and a pretty smart one too because if u were to search for any products that relate to tool bar will not stay locked, when u get to the site it will know and what it will do is shut down explorer and pop up error reporting.