Windows XP Pro and the Taskbar

Factual Questions
1

I’m running Windows XP Pro on a new computer at work, and the taskbar is driving me nuts.

I have my taskbar set to autohide (off the bottom of my screen) and “Keep the taskbar on top of other windows”

If I move my curser down, to activate the taskbar, Windows moves my active window up the screen, so that the taskbar can fit under it.

If I turn off “Keep the taskbar on top of other windows”, than the taskbar only shows up behind anything that is already open, and I have to minimize other windows to get to it.

On my last machine, I had things set so that the taskbar would always be on top, but it did not move any open windows. It just appears across the bottom, covering part of the open windows.

Does anyone know what setting I have to chance to get back to this?

2

Did you try turning off the autohide?

3

That, unfortunately, leaves the taskbar visable at all times. I want it to autohide, but when I pull it up, I want it to overlay the other windows, not move them up on the screen.