Good questions. My Start panel always has the same things on it. I have never changed that. I have tested it out with a dozen skins, and it is the same thing. I did however make some adjustments with my Icon settings that was suggested by Emilio Cerra which seems to have helped a little. But I have seen them smaller.It is about an inch shorter now, but the compacts are not smaller, just shorter by about an inch. They of course are not as wide as regular, but are still bigger than they were. The weird part is, sometimes when I install a skin the Start Panel is huge. Then after I have shut down the next time I Start my computer again, it is smaller. Not alway's but alot of the time. I do not make changes to my settings in between. I hope that you can understand all I just said! And thank's again for your help. It is very kind.