Dialogue windows not opening properly

[Fish]

I run XPPro and just lately, any dialogue windows have started to open full screen, whilst other windows that opened in a fixed size box, now only open with the title bar. A couple of examples:
1. The Firefox “do you want to close this window, you have a number of tabs open” box, now opens full screen.
2. The CMC price alert box, which has a red background and opens when the price passes your limit, now opens as a small 50 pixels by 10 pixels section of the title bar only.
3. The Windows calculator now opens full screen with the calculator information in the top left corner.
I can live with it, but I know it will slowly drive me mental. It seems to happen irrespective of application. Does anyone have any idea what can cause this? And how to remedy it? I’ve searched Google, but can’t find any references to this at all.

 

[Trader333]

Can you post a screenshot of what you are seeing ?


Paul

 

[Fish]

Hi Paul,
Here are 4 shots in order showing what the screens look like. The calculator is not willing to demonstrate the problem at the moment. It is as though whatever tells the applications the fixed sizes of the message boxes has been switched off. But I don't know what controls that.

 

[Fish]

& here's one of the calculator

 

[Trader333]

Hmm, Something is not right here. I notice that you are using Firefox so have you tried changing any of the settings ?

Also check your display settings by right clicking anywhere on your desktop and selecting "Properties" and then the "Settings" tab. Check and see if there is anything unusual in any of the tabs that are in this section.

You may also have a virus because Windows Calculator should be a fixed size as far as I am aware with no option for maximising as you have shown. The whole thing is very strange.


Paul

 

[thepoliteone]

I have XPPro as well so just tested the calculator - Paul's right, no maximise option. I would have thought that maybe the Registry is playing up or infected? I had a look through google for you but didn't turn up anything useful, hope someone else can help out.

Maybe check you don't have any spyware running? Ad-aware and SpyBot should be a sufficient check.

-TPO.

 

[Fish]

Thanks for looking, Paul & TPO. I've run Spybot regularly, but it finds no problems. I've also done a Google search, but find very little information about this. In fact, none. I guess where I should start is to find the mechanism makes the calculator always open at a fixed size, so that I can see what has gone wrong. Any ideas?