The roving taskbar
More than once a frustrated PC user has asked me why the computer desktop’s taskbar suddenly appeared on the side or even the top of the screen. Many PC users are unaware that the taskbar is in fact movable. The taskbar can be dragged from its usual place at the bottom and docked on the side or top of the screen. Sometimes the taskbar pops up in a different place due to one of those inexplicable Windows hiccups. It can also happen when someone is trying to click on an icon and accidentally drags the taskbar far enough that it snaps to the side of the screen. The roving can be avoided if the taskbar is kept locked. Right-click in an empty spot in the taskbar and put a check by the menu entry “Lock the taskbarâ€.
If you need to move the taskbar from one location to another, unlock it, left-click on a blank spot in the taskbar, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the taskbar toward the desired location. It will snap into place. With the wide screens that are now common, some people prefer the taskbar to be on the side.