[batpark]

For a desktop witth XP ... What do you call those special symbols (icons ?) -- like the hourglass -- that appear from time to time, especially during booting? Can someone please point me to a site that explains what each symbol means? Thanks. ... batpark

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There are hundreds, if not thousands of Windows XP system icons. The spinning hourglass icon simply means that the computer is busy doing something.

[SpywareDr]

There are hundreds, if not thousands of Windows XP system icons. The spinning hourglass icon simply means that the computer is busy doing something.

[batpark]

Thanks. Is there aside that explains the most common of them?

[SpywareDr]

Which ones? https://www.google.c...823._WfoHSDF7iA

[batpark]

Spyware Dr.: Wow! I see what you mean. Thank you. ....batpark

[SpywareDr]

[batpark]

I (think) I understand what the XP hourglass icon means  --- the cpu is busy doing something other than the recent command; just wait a bit. Right?

 

What does the small circle with a line running from 11 to 5 o’clock mean? What to do when it appears?

 

Thanks.

[SpywareDr]

Don't know for sure what you're seeing but, programs, apps, browsers, websites, etc. have the ability to use their own icons instead of the defaults. That may be what you're seeing. Some sort of a wristwatch(?) icon to indicate that the system is busy?

 

As far as what to do when it appears, is to try and be patient. A some-sort-of-"busy" icon is simply a way for programmer's to indicate that the system is busy doing something which may make it seem slow to respond to other of your commands. If there were no "busy" icon, many would think that something was wrong with their computer, like it was stuck/hung/in an infinite loop, and reboot or turn the computer off.

[batpark]

Doc: Thanks for your comments. The symbol I was questioning is not a "watch" but rather a small circle with a diagonal running from NW to SE. It spells some sort of trouble and frequently causes me to reboot. How does it differ I wonder from the more common hourglass symbol..

 

Inasmuch as the MS people include these symbols as "helpfu" indicators I would have thought they would have provided some descripion of their differing meanings. I haven't found that anywhere, including an 800 page (not very useful) book on XP in the Dummies series. ...batpark

[SpywareDr]

In Windows XP, click Start, then Control Panel, double-click Mouse and select the Pointers tab. Down about half-way on the right is a small circle icon with a slash through it. To the left of that icon it says "Unavailble". Is that the icon you're talking about?

[batpark]

Yes, the "Unavailable" is the one I mean. . What does the "Unavailable" mean? And  "Move" and "Precision Select." Did MS not provide descriptions? ... batpark

[SpywareDr]

Unavailable = not available

Move = to cause (something or someone) to go from one place or position to another

Precision select = not all cursors are 'accurate' at the hotpoint, but the precision select is supposed to be dead center. It can be useful for some doing drafting, drawing, graphics, etc.

[batpark]

So there is nothing I can do when the Unvailable icon appears except wait?

[SpywareDr]

I suppose that would depend on what the icon is over, or what it is trying to indicate might not be available. It could be because access to whatever it is you're trying to do or access has been disabled, (i.e., not allowed).

 

For example, https://signsanddisp...bol-2.jpg?w=640 means no smoking.

Edited by SpywareDr, 20 August 2015 - 02:36 PM.