Ivan, you might try this fix and see if it will help you. Part of the
solution could be editing the Registry, and if you don't know how, I would
make darn sure you create a back-up before entering the process. Please use
caution:
=====
First, check something if you would. Go to Start/Run and put in "msconfig"
without the quotation marks and then tap the OK button. Then go to the
Startup tab. Please verify two things:

(1) There is a listing in the Startup Item column for "tablet s" (without
quotes), and there is a check mark in the box to the left of it.
(2) There is a listing in the Startup Item column for "tabtip" (again
without quotes), and there is a check mark in the box to the left of it.

**Please make notes of the information, how things are listed, and what
results you see along the way. Please post that information here, so I can
relay it on. It will help being able to get Microsoft to fix the problem.**

If both of the above are correct, then we need to edit the Registry. If
neither are listed, we've got another issue. If both are listed, but don't
have check marks in the boxes to the left of the entry, please place a check
mark in the box, tap Apply, then OK and close out the System Configuration
Utility. Then restart your system and see if the floating tip functions
properly when the following three items are present (all three are
required): (1) the Tablet Input Panel is in Undock mode, (2) the pen is
within about 1/2 inch of the screen and, (3) the cursor is in a text input
area.

If this FAILS to function correctly, then you need to edit the Registry.
This can be done from Start/Run by putting in "regedit" (without quotes) and
tapping the OK button.

**If you haven't done this before, please follow the information to back up
the data by going to Help, then Help Topics, select the Index and put in
"backing up data" in the Search line. With that result, select "registry
data" and then explicitly follow the information to ensure you've got a
proper backup before editing anything.**

After backing up the Registry (it may take a while, because it is quite
large), you will note the listing of My Computer in the left pane. Tap the
+ sign next to it to expand, and you will see five different folders. We're
interested in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE listing where you need to navigate to:
\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. There's a lot of
information listed, so take your time, and just keep navigating until you
reach the precise location by tapping any additional + signs in the left
pane to expand what's below the listing.

First, once you're down to the Run location, you'll see a lot of entries
revealed in the right panel. Look for one named StartTabletService. The
listing in the Data column should be "tablet s" without the quotes. If it
is NOT, right-click the entry in the name column (StartTabletService) and
select Modify off the menu. This will open a new screen where you can put
the entry "tablet s" WITHOUT THE QUOTES in the Value data: line. After
you've precisely entered tablet s, tap the OK button.

Second, look for the "TabletTip" entry (without quotes) in the Name column,
then look in the Data column to see if EXACTLY this is listed - including
the quotation marks and spacing:
"C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ink\tabtip.exe" /resume .
If that exact phrase from "C: through /resume is not listed, right-click the
TabletTip entry in the Name column, and again select Modify. Enter the
additional or corrected information, again followed by OK.

You should now be done with editing the Registry. Just close the Registry
Editor either by tapping the red box with the white X in the upper-right
corner or using the File drop-down menu, followed by Exit. Restart your
computer, then verify that the operation of the floating TIP icon is proper.

If the functionality is proper, i.e., the floating Tablet Input Panel icon
appears when the TIP is in Undock mode, your pen is within about 1/2 inch of
the screen and the cursor is in a text input area, then you can delete your
Registry backup file from wherever you saved it.
=====

Please post back with your results.
--

Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone


"ivanh" <iphdub******.com> wrote in message
news:1114513999.769242.121990@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...
> Hi there
>
> I have a Toshiba Portege M200 and carriend out a rebuild last week with
> Tablet Pc OS 2005. Since then, the tablet PC input panel will not
> appear either when the icon is clicked on the taskbar or when hovering
> the pen over a text input area. Any ideas?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
> Thanks.
>
> Ivan
>