Trying to restore sound/volume icon

A while back I lost the sound icon that is normally at the bottom right of my screen, I can still get sound on the PC but the icon was useful for adjusting the volume etc. I am sure I clicked delete or something at the time and I have tried in the past some suggestions but have never managed to restore it. I am using a valid copy of winxp home sp2 but do not have any discs. Any help with this would be great.

Click: Start > Control Panel > (Double Click) Sounds and Audio Devices Put a Check Mark (Tick) Place volume icon in the taskbar

When I clicked on `send to task bar` a message came up `windows cannot display volume control because the volume control programme has not been installed go to add/remove to install`. I went to add/remove but couldn`t see anything that resembled a volume control programme, I also checked the window programmes in add programmes. The programme was there originally.

Yeah, that message is a little confusing. There is no place in add/remove programs to uninstall/install the "Volume control program."

It means that sndvol32.exe in the windows\system32 folder is missing or corrupt.

It needs to be restored from the original installation files for your operating system.

First you have to find those files. If you have a Windows XP disc this is what you do after putting the disc in the cd tray.

click start -> run -> type cmd and press ENTER.
At the command prompt type: expand e:\i386\sndvol32.ex_ %systemroot%\system32\sndvol32.exe where e: is the drive letter of your cd-rom drive.

If you do not have the windows installation disc you need to search your hard drive for sndvol32.ex_ or sndvol32.exe in order to find installation files or backup copies of this program. Once you find sndvol32.ex_ you'll need to customize your own command to expand the sndvol32.ex_ file and restore the damaged file. If you find sndvol32.exe in any place other than \windows\system32 then try copying it over to the \windows\system32 folder.

After replacing this file you can go back into control panel -> sound and re-check the "place volume icon on taskbar" option.

OK thanks for reply I will have a go at that and report back. Thank you

I did a start/search for sndvol32.ex_ and it came back with … sndvol32 in C:\1386 I then did a search for C:\1386 and it didn`t find it.

Hi Scudo It is not 1386. The 1 is an "i". Hope that will help you get going

Ok which one am I going for here…..

[external image: Posted Image]

None of those, the file is still packed. Did you try search the file without the underscore?

sndvol32.ex instead of sndvol32.ex_


Otherwise, I believe you can expand the file in the folder itself, and then move it.

Start, run, type: Expand sndvol32.ex_sndvol32.ex

Then it should expand the file in the folder it is located, which is the i386.
Move the file to C:\windows\system32


Another method, is using the msconfig.

Start, run, type: msconfig

Bottom right corner there is a button named "Expand File", click it once

Now type in sndvol32.ex_ in the field for which file to expand
Type in where it is located. That would be the i386 folder. so; C:\windows\i386
Type in where to extract : C:\windows\system32

using this method, it doesn't remember the file extension, so you need to add the underscore by hand.

Locate the file in the C:\windows\system32
Rightclick, properties and then add the underscore in filename after the last letter.


Regards

Otherwise, I believe you can expand the file in the folder itself, and then move it.

Start, run, type: Expand sndvol32.ex_sndvol32.ex

Almost….

At the command prompt please copy and paste: expand c:\i386\sndvol32.ex_ %systemroot%\system32\sndvol32.exe

That should restore your volume icon functionality.

@Abydos: The compressed files have the underscore. When you expand them you have to provide the full, uncompressed filename. Sndvol32.ex_ becomes sndvol32.exe

Now sorted, The copy/ paste from appleoddity worked. many thanks. Scudo

@Appleoddity Thx.