diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.dsp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.dsp
index 308159db97e..1b2254e76bd 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.dsp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.dsp
@@ -451,6 +451,10 @@ SOURCE=".\explorer-sw.rc"
 # End Source File
 # Begin Source File
 
+SOURCE=.\explorer.exe.manifest
+# End Source File
+# Begin Source File
+
 SOURCE=.\res\explorer.ico
 # End Source File
 # Begin Source File
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.exe.manifest b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.exe.manifest
index 1790af0bf2d..9a4a3ef82e6 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.exe.manifest
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.exe.manifest
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 <assemblyIdentity
     version="1.0.0.0"
     processorArchitecture="X86"
-    name="IrfanView"
+    name="ReactOS.Explorer"
     type="win32"
 />
-<description>Universal picture viewer</description>
+<description>ROS Excplorer</description>
 <dependency>
     <dependentAssembly>
         <assemblyIdentity
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.rc b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.rc
index acaeab815cf..484fc4934ec 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.rc
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer.rc
@@ -19,7 +19,3 @@ BEGIN
     IDS_VERSION_STR REACTOS_STR_PRODUCT_VERSION
     IDS_EXPLORER_VERSION_STR "ReactOS %s Explorer"
 END
-
-#define MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID           1
-
-MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID RT_MANIFEST "explorer.exe.manifest"
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer_intres.rc b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer_intres.rc
index 34ab58452a0..9d758eb9f32 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer_intres.rc
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/explorer_intres.rc
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ END
 3 TEXTINCLUDE MOVEABLE PURE 
 BEGIN
     "#ifndef ROSSHELL\r\n"
-    "IDB_IMAGES         BITMAP DISCARDABLE ""res/images.bmp""\r\n"
-    "IDB_TOOLBAR        BITMAP DISCARDABLE ""res/toolbar.bmp""\r\n"
+    "IDB_IMAGES BITMAP DISCARDABLE ""res/images.bmp""\r\n"
+    "IDB_TOOLBAR BITMAP DISCARDABLE ""res/toolbar.bmp""\r\n"
     "#endif\r\n"
     "#ifndef _ROS_\r\n"
     "LANGUAGE LANG_NEUTRAL, SUBLANG_NEUTRAL\r\n"
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ BEGIN
     "#endif\r\n"
     "END\r\n"
     "#endif\r\n"
+    "CREATEPROCESS_MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID RT_MANIFEST DISCARDABLE PURE ""explorer.exe.manifest""\r\n"
     "\r\n"
     "#include ""explorer-en.rc""\r\n"
     "#include ""explorer-de.rc""\r\n"
@@ -167,8 +168,8 @@ IDI_NOTIFY_R            ICON    DISCARDABLE     "res/notify_r.ico"
 // Generated from the TEXTINCLUDE 3 resource.
 //
 #ifndef ROSSHELL
-IDB_IMAGES         BITMAP DISCARDABLE "res/images.bmp"
-IDB_TOOLBAR        BITMAP DISCARDABLE "res/toolbar.bmp"
+IDB_IMAGES BITMAP DISCARDABLE "res/images.bmp"
+IDB_TOOLBAR BITMAP DISCARDABLE "res/toolbar.bmp"
 #endif
 #ifndef _ROS_
 LANGUAGE LANG_NEUTRAL, SUBLANG_NEUTRAL
@@ -182,11 +183,11 @@ IDS_EXPLORER_VERSION_STR "ROS Explorer Ansi%0s"
 #endif
 END
 #endif
+CREATEPROCESS_MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID RT_MANIFEST DISCARDABLE PURE "explorer.exe.manifest"
 
 #include "explorer-en.rc"
 #include "explorer-de.rc"
 #include "explorer-es.rc"
-#include "explorer-fr.rc"
 #include "explorer-sv.rc"
 #include "explorer-pt.rc"
 #include "explorer-cz.rc"
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/resource.h b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/resource.h
index 4bb9e8faf81..bdde8b33c06 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/resource.h
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/resource.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 // Used by explorer_intres.rc
 //
 #define IDS_TITLE                       1
+#define MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID            1
 #define IDS_START                       2
 #define IDS_LOGOFF                      3
 #define IDS_SHUTDOWN                    4
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.cpp
index 6bc5a9862a6..537c0294605 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.cpp
@@ -273,13 +273,17 @@ LRESULT DesktopBar::WndProc(UINT nmsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam)
 
 int DesktopBar::Notify(int id, NMHDR* pnmh)
 {
-        if (pnmh->code == RBN_CHILDSIZE) {
-                /* align the task bands to the top, so it's in row with the Start button */
-		NMREBARCHILDSIZE *childSize = (NMREBARCHILDSIZE*)pnmh;
+	if (pnmh->code == RBN_CHILDSIZE) {
+		/* align the task bands to the top, so it's in row with the Start button */
+		NMREBARCHILDSIZE* childSize = (NMREBARCHILDSIZE*)pnmh;
+
 		if (childSize->wID == IDW_TASKTOOLBAR) {
 			int cy = childSize->rcChild.top - childSize->rcBand.top;
-			childSize->rcChild.bottom -= cy;
-			childSize->rcChild.top -= cy;
+
+			if (cy) {
+				childSize->rcChild.bottom -= cy;
+				childSize->rcChild.top -= cy;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.h b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.h
index d2cd1b158e5..92df4e68da6 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.h
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 
 #define	DESKTOPBARBAR_HEIGHT	(GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYSIZE) + 5 * GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYEDGE))
-#define	REBARBAND_HEIGHT	(GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYSIZE) + 2 * GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYEDGE))
+#define	REBARBAND_HEIGHT		(GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYSIZE) + 2 * GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYEDGE))
 
 
 #define	IDC_START				0x1000
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/taskbar.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/taskbar.cpp
index 9bad2ca4f9f..10e000c0b70 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/taskbar.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/taskbar.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 #include <precomp.h>
 
 #include "taskbar.h"
-#include "traynotify.h"	// for NOTIFYAREA_WIDTH_DEF
+#include "traynotify.h" // for NOTIFYAREA_WIDTH_DEF
 
 
 DynamicFct<BOOL (WINAPI*)(HWND hwnd)> g_SetTaskmanWindow(TEXT("user32"), "SetTaskmanWindow");
@@ -118,8 +118,6 @@ HWND TaskBar::Create(HWND hwndParent)
 
 LRESULT TaskBar::Init(LPCREATESTRUCT pcs)
 {
-        TBMETRICS metrics;
-	
 	if (super::Init(pcs))
 		return 1;
 
@@ -135,13 +133,19 @@ LRESULT TaskBar::Init(LPCREATESTRUCT pcs)
 	//SetWindowFont(_htoolbar, GetStockFont(ANSI_VAR_FONT), FALSE);
 	//SendMessage(_htoolbar, TB_SETPADDING, 0, MAKELPARAM(8,8));
 
+#ifndef __MINGW32__	// TBMETRICS missing in MinGW (as of 20.09.2005)
+	 // set metrics for the Taskbar toolbar to enable button spacing
+	TBMETRICS metrics;
+
 	metrics.cbSize = sizeof(TBMETRICS);
 	metrics.dwMask = TBMF_BARPAD | TBMF_BUTTONSPACING;
 	metrics.cxBarPad = 0;
 	metrics.cyBarPad = 0;
 	metrics.cxButtonSpacing = 3;
 	metrics.cyButtonSpacing = 3;
+
 	SendMessage(_htoolbar, TB_SETMETRICS, 0, (LPARAM)&metrics);
+#endif
 
 	_next_id = IDC_FIRST_APP;
 
@@ -392,8 +396,7 @@ BOOL CALLBACK TaskBar::EnumWndProc(HWND hwnd, LPARAM lparam)
 			HICON hIcon = get_window_icon_small(hwnd);
 			BOOL delete_icon = FALSE;
 
-			if (!hIcon)
-			{
+			if (!hIcon) {
 				hIcon = LoadIcon(0, IDI_APPLICATION);
 				delete_icon = TRUE;
 			}