Windows desktop may not appear correctly after exiting.

SYMPTOMS
After exiting the game, your desktop is smaller than usual, some icons are not visible or look different to normal.

The following operating systems are affected by this problem (64-bit and 32-bit):

Windows 2000 Professional Edition
Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
Windows 2000 Service Pack 2
Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
Windows XP Home Edition
Windows XP Professional
Windows XP Service Pack 2

(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.mspx)

Windows 2000 users, must change their picture display setting to another value, this resets the desktop items, forcing them back to their default. Each time you exit the game you will need to follow these instructions:

1. Right click your desktop and click Properties
2. In the dialog box, on the Background tab, change the wallpaper display style by selecting from the Picture Display list. For example, you can change the value from Centre to Tile.
3. Press Apply.
4. Change the wallpaper display style back to your original setting.
5. Now click the OK button, and your desktop should return to normal.

Alternate Workaround
Turn off Active Desktop to prevent this issue from occuring every time you exit the game.
Active Desktop is responsible for this problem, to prevent it you must turn it off to prevent the problem from happening ever time you exit the game.

Note: When disabling this feature, you may only use bitmap (.bmp) wallpapers only, JPEG (.jpg) wallpapers will not show up on your desktop.

Follow these steps to disable Active Desktop:
1. Right-click the desktop. A shortcut menu appears.
2. Select the Active Desktop menu item.
3. Click to uncheck the Show Web Content menu item.

APPLIES TO
• Microsoft Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
• Microsoft Age of Empires II: The Conquerors