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I'm looking for a Windows 7 and XP compatible Windows desktop panning/scrolling tool.

This is to solve a problem where some applications, for example MSN, have settings/preference Windows that are not resizeable. I have a netbook with a small maximum screen resolution, i.e., 1024x600.

The fixed non-resizeable windows are too large for this display screen size so I cannot see all of the items on these windows, particularly the OK button to save settings.

I would like a desktop scrolling/panning tool where if I move my mouse pointer to any edge of the display, it pans to show the region of the too-large-fixed window that I could not see.

I use a Samsung N110 and Toshiba NB100 netbooks.

I'm looking for:

  • A general program that provides desktop panning/scrolling/expanded resolution to allow all regions of a non-resizeable fixed window
  • Preferably a non-graphics hardware specific program, but will accept a solution that works with both the above machines.

I'm not looking for (i.e. unsatisfactory answers others have asked that I've already searched and found):

  • Advice on what programs to use that don't have the problem of fixed windows
  • Alternative operating system solutions
  • Plugging in an external monitor with larger resolution - I use this option, but I need a solution when one is not available, e.g. while travelling, etc.
  • Advice about not using small screen netbooks - I enjoy the compact convenience of them
  • Advice about change the DPI settings in the Control Panel Display settings.
  • Advice about guesswork with the tab key to move the focus the off-screen item I cannot see.
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    If you press Alt-Space, then M, you can use the keyboard keys to move the window. Not quite what you're asking for, but I think it'd solve the problem.
    – Phoshi
    Dec 19, 2009 at 12:09
  • Phoshi - No it doesn't, as the cursor locks to the title bar, and you can't move the cursor off screen.
    – cometbill
    Dec 19, 2009 at 12:58
  • You can use the directional keys.
    – Phoshi
    Dec 19, 2009 at 13:05
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    Good question, but god I hated that title ;-)
    – Ivo Flipse
    Dec 19, 2009 at 14:01
  • I think Phoshi is right, I've just tried your steps Phoshi and when I press the up directional key the Window does move off the top of the screen, so this would enable me to see the bottom where the OK button is located. By the way, I press the Escape key to get the pointing system out of this mode and back to normal mouse driven usage before. Thanks Phoshi.
    – therobyouknow
    Dec 20, 2009 at 13:06

8 Answers 8

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AltMove windows and mouse manager

You can move windows and controls which do not support this ability.

You can resize windows and controls which do not support this ability.

You can hide any window from desktop (to tray bar or completely) and restore it.

You can change opaque of window.

You can assign key-mouse combinations to standard menu items of different programs.

Use mouse to run your programs and open documants from evevrywhere.

AltMove is freeware, portable and works for all Windows versions.

A real blessing for netbook owners ... :)

As for a 'scrolling application': I don't know about Samsung and Toshiba, but the Eee PC (I swear by Asus netbooks) comes with a tray utility that allows the user to switch quickly to 1024 x 768 (scrolling). I'd be surprised if other manufacturers aren't aware of the limitations imposed by 1024 x 600.

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  • "resize windows and controls which do not support this ability." -> Yes this works with settings windows. Thanks! I can now vertically collapse the Window a little so that I can see the bottom where the OK button is located. It sure is a real blessing - and it runs without needing installation. Which makes it more portable to put on a USB stick. It's on my dinky NB100 and has a desktop shortcut. Thanks Molly!
    – therobyouknow
    Dec 20, 2009 at 12:57
  • Also, I saw the tray resolution utility on a friend's Asus 701 EEE PC 4Gb Surf Netbook - it has a 7" display which has a native resolution of 800x480! I had installed, via nLite Windows install size reducing tool, a stripped down version of Windows XP Pro on its tiny 4Gb flash drive. Followed by the Asus display drivers/utilities and was checking the resolution settings and saw that useful feature that you described - there are options for 800x600 and 800x480.
    – therobyouknow
    Dec 20, 2009 at 13:00
  • i have a 701 4G myself but since the 10" laptops are pretty much standard these days, i chose this example. on a 10" ASUS netbook you can switch between 1024x600 and 1024x768. and yes, i'm using nLite muself, when you have a 4 GB SSD, every byte of disk space becomes quite precious. :)
    – Molly7244
    Dec 20, 2009 at 13:10
  • Interesting to hear you used nLite too - how much were you able to reduce the final install by? I managed to have 1.25Gb free out of 4Gb - which I think was a reduction of 1.0Gb compared to a standard fresh re-install I did for my Dell Inspiron. I must admit I was overcautious about leaving things in the install, as my first attempt removed vital DHCP components for connecting to wireless internet. This is a side-track to this question - so I'd be happy to discuss it further elsewhere if appropriate.
    – therobyouknow
    Dec 20, 2009 at 13:29
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    nLite is rather unforgiving, make a mistake and it's "back to the drawing board", sure you can gety 'ready made' nLite session.ini files but keep in mind, there is no "one fits all" solution. alternatively you can use XPLite, remove the components AFTER the installation, if it turns out that you deleted something you need, you can easily restore it. XPLite is shareware, 30 days trial, after that you can only restore but no longer remove components, 30 days should be plenty to tweak the installation according to your needs. however, the results with XPLite are not as 'drastic' as with nLite.
    – Molly7244
    Dec 20, 2009 at 14:53
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Here's a small convenient app with simple functionality to move windows on 1024*600 displays:

“NBWinScroll” is just a little scrollbar on the right edge of the screen that gives a possibility to move any foreground window up and down with mouse.

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I'm not sure if this is quite what you need, but it allows you to scroll your computer left and right:

360 Desktop

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  • I saw this before asking the question. I needed scrolling up and down - or otherwise a means to see the full vertical region of a non-resizeable Window. Thanks anyway.
    – therobyouknow
    Dec 20, 2009 at 13:02
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On Windows XP it should work quite easy, and for Windows 7 it won't work at all at the moment.

In Windows XP: logged in as administrator, got to display settings - Advanced - Monitor.

Uncheck "hide resolutions the screen can not display". Back in Display Settings, set your desktop resolution to whatever is comfortable for you and your graphics card accepts (should be twice as wide and twice as high as the native screen resolution) and apply.

It worked for me on every Windows XP machine with every graphics adapter till Windows Vista and Windows 7 came along :-( and big daddy knows better what you want to do/ are allowed to do.

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  • This works a treat on the Acer Aspire One netbooks when running XP.
    – robsoft
    May 23, 2012 at 10:20
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I have developed a solution which allows you to have a scrolling desktop on Windows. It's complete freeware and there are multiple ways to enhance your desktop.

Infinite_Screen at http://ynea.futureware.at

The standard is pressing Ctrl+ (moving mouse to the edges)
or CtrlShift+ (mouse move) and four others.

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I've just installed GiMeSpace by Kagi software, and although it is not as seamless as the pannable desktop, I could get with Windows XP and earlier Windows versions by setting my screen resolution larger than the physical resolution (that was so simple! But Windows 7 doesn't support it) it's pretty good.

I'm just getting used to it, but it does what I want - and what the user who asked the question wanted. It's only US$12.50. I was looking for freeware, but it's such a relief to be able to view large windows again that I don't begrudge the small registration fee.

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I have been using a netbook myself for about 8 months as my primary computer (I have a Toshiba NB310), and my main issue has been the screen size. In order to solve the problem, I have developed an application to optimize screen space in Windows XP and Windows 7, it is called ScreenSpace.

ScreenSpace enables the user to:

  • pan (or drag) any window by using Alt + Click,
  • change the opacity of any window,
  • make any window top most,
  • hide/show the taskbar using a hot key,
  • resize any window to any size,
  • make any application go full screen,
  • access all the features using configurable hot keys.

So you could use ScreenSpace to solve your panning/scrolling problem. But the most useful feature is the full screen I think. Indeed, the user can choose which part of an application to make full screen, like for instance the central text area in a word processing application. This is very useful for IDEs such as Visual Studio and Eclipse, as it maximizes the central code area to full screen!

ScreenSpace is not freeware right now, but I have a freeware version called ScreenSpace Lite that you can download for free. I have made a 30 second video to show how it is working: http://www.dandeware.com/products/. If anyone of you guys want to give it a glance, I'd be happy to hear what you think of it :)

@Rob: let me know if you want to try the full version of ScreenSpace, I'll give you a license so that you can use all the features.

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  • @Rob: nice :) if you feel like it, just send me an email (contact page of the website) and I'll get you a license.
    – user36561
    May 24, 2010 at 16:38
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Try OnTopReplica with click forwarding. It doesn't pan and scan with your cursor, but you can select regions of a window and view it in a separate window.

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