Deemable Tech

Friday, May 17 — This week on Deemable Tech: Why do web browsers open inconsistently? (Editor’s note: “Deemable Tech” is a weekly syndicated column by Jacksonville, Fla.-based writer Ray Hollister. It will appear weekly on lansingcitypulse.com.)

When I open a new window it appears in half size. So, each time I have to enlarge to see it. This happened suddenly. How can I change it back so I can see each window in regular size every time I open them? I’m running Windows Vista, and it seems to happen on all windows, not just Internet Explorer.

Thanks for your question. Well, it’s hard to say why it happened. In theory, when you open a window in Vista it is supposed to open up the same way that it was the last time it was closed. So, if you close Internet Explorer when it’s maximized, the next time you open it, it should be maximized. And vice-versa, if you close Internet Explorer when the window is at less than full screen setting, it should open that way the next time you open it.

Occasionally, though, it has happened, that Windows will get locked and will just do it the same way over and over again. We dusted off Tom’s old Toshiba that ran Vista to see if we could recreate the problem, but unfortunately we weren’t successful. However, I have read that holding down the Ctrl button and/or the Shift button while you click the X to close the window will solve the problem, but I can’t vouch for those solutions.

I do have a fix that should solve your problems though. Right-click your Internet Explorer icon and click Properties. Then, click the Shortcut tab at the top. Now, look about half-way down the tab, and you’ll see the Run menu option with a drop-down menu. Click the drop-down menu, (you should see the options, Normal window, Minimized and Maximized) and choose Maximized. Now, click OK.

From now on, when you open Internet Explorer, it will always open to Maximized. You can do that to all of your shortcuts on your desktop. If you ever decide to change it back, just follow the same directions above and choose Normal Window. That should take care of the problem, and you shouldn't have any issues with your programs trying to hide from you when they open.

Ray Hollister co-hosts the call-in help show Deemable Tech. Each week, he and his co-host, Tom Braun, answer questions submitted by users and provide helpful tips about computers, tablets, mobile phone, the Internet and technology in general. Need tech help? Call 1-888-972-9868 or send them an email at questions@deemable.com. Subscribe to Deemable Tech’s podcast by clicking here, searching for “Deemable Tech” in iTunes, or by entering the RSS feed in your favorite podcast app.