A taskbar is a bar displayed on a full border of a GUI desktop that is used to launch and monitor running applications.

The most common question I’ve seen on the internet is “Why does the Windows 7 taskbar freeze?” I know that it is an annoying problem and your computer is not responding even if you try to load Task Manager. I will illustrate the reasons and solutions for this problem.

Solutions:

1. Uses faster DMA IDE data transfer modes on slave IDE drives
2. Defragment and Clean the Registry
3. Problem connecting Microsoft Office Outlook/ Windows Live Outlook with Microsoft Exchange Server
4. Download DLL files
5. Let Windows rebuild the taskbar
6. Disable network icon and other unnecessary icons from notification area
7. Loading too many background processes and their icons in the system tray

Uses faster IDE DMA data transfer modes on slave IDE drives

Using Device Manager, enable faster IDE DMA data transfer modes on IDE slave drives. Follow the steps below if you are using a SATA/ATA type hard drive.

1.Click Start | Search.
2. Type Device Manager and press ENTER.
3. Expand the following:
Name of your computer | IDE ATA/ATAPI controller.
4. Double-click the primary IDE channel, for example ATA channel 0.
5. Click the Advanced Settings tab in the Properties dialog.
6. Check the box labeled Enable DMA.
7. Click OK.
8. Close Device Manager.

Defragment and Clean the Registry

Registry performance determines the overall performance of your computer. On Windows 7 computers, the taskbar freezes if the registry is fragmented and junk data is stored. You have to defrag the entire registry and clean internal errors.

1. Download the best Registry Cleaner and PC Optimizer software.
2. Install it and run it.
3. Click Registry Cleaner and then the Start Scan button.
4. Reboot the system.
5. Click Defrag and then the Analyze button.
6. Reboot the system when prompted.

Problem in the Connection of Microsoft Office Outlook/Windows Live Outlook with the Microsoft Exchange Server

Both Microsoft Office Outlook and Windows Live Outlook are Microsoft personal information managers.

A problem, especially an incorrect method of connecting Outlook to Microsoft Exchange Server, causes the taskbar to freeze on Windows 7 operating systems. You must change registry settings to resolve this problem.

1.Click Start | Run.
2. Type RegEdit and press ENTER.
3. Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftExchangeExchange Provider
4. Double-click the string named Rpc_Binding_Order.
5. Replace the existing value with the following new one:
ncacn_ip_tcp, ncacn_spx, ncacn_np, netbios, ncacn_vns_spp, ncalrpc
6. Close Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Download DLL files

Programs use dynamic link library (DLL) files to load and use various resources and objects. After that program has finished, the DLLs are still open. This results in taskbar freezing on Windows 7 computers. It is recommended to change a registry setting to unload DLLs after performing the corresponding operation or task.

1.Click Start | Run.
2. Type RegEdit and press ENTER.
3. Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorer
4. Double-click the string named AlwaysUnloadDLL.
5. Replace the existing value with 1.
6. Press ENTER.
7. Close Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Let Windows rebuild the taskbar

To stop the taskbar freezing problem, let Windows 7 rebuild the taskbar as follows:

1.Click Start | Run.
2. Type RegEdit and press ENTER.
3. Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorer
4. Delete the registry key named StuckRects.
5. Close Registry Editor.
6. Reboot the system to rebuild your taskbar.

Disable the network icon and other unnecessary icons in the notification area

The Network Connection icon is displayed in the Notification Area of ​​your Taskbar. It is a system icon and is constantly updated. This can cause taskbar to stop responding or freeze in Windows 7 operating system. That is why; it is recommended that you disable the network icon to resolve this issue.

1.Click Start| Control Panel.
2. Type Control PanelAll Control Panel ItemsNotification Area Icons in the address bar of your Control Panel.
3. Press ENTER.
4. In the new page that opens, select Hide icon and notifications in the Network drop-down box.
5. Click the OK button.

The taskbar should not freeze after you have made this setting.

Loading too many background processes and their icons in the system tray

By the time your operating system finishes booting up, a number of programs (including Microsoft and non-Microsoft ones) are running in the background. In addition to this, most of them have their tray icons in the notification area. This causes taskbar freezing issue due to increased load of background processes in Windows 7 system.

1.Click Start | Search.
2. Type MsConfig and press ENTER.
3. Disable unnecessary startup entries from the Startup and Services tabs.
4. Click Apply | IT’S OKAY.
5. Reboot the system.

Expert Recommendation