Volume control has disappeared

Yesterday, I noticed that when I play any kind of audio and change the volume, the icon that used to pop up doesn't anymore. The volume works fine but I no longer SEE the volume icon indicating the sound change. I've tried right clicking where the clock is, going to properties and volume is set to 'off' but I don't have the option to change it. When I select 'customize notification icons', volume is already set to "show icon and notifications". Also, when I clicked on "restore default icon behaviors" nothing happens.

I recently posted in the Malware Removal forum http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?sh…23025&st=45 but I haven't made any changes recently. Any ideas?

Try this fix. Open up the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) Go to the "Processes" tab, select "explorer.exe" and click "End Process" Then select the users tab in the task manager select yourself and click on logoff tab at the bottom. Login again and everything should be back.

I just tried it but the icon didn't come up.

Go back into properties (right click near clock).
Click on Customize Notification Icons.
Uncheck Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar.
Set Volume to Hide Icon and Notifications.
Click OK.

Go back in and undo what you did so Volume is set to Show Icon and notifications.
Also check Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar if it was checked originally.
Click OK.

See if that makes a difference. If not, see 2nd post in this thread: How to recover lost/missing system tray icon? [Solved/Closed]

I tried both but it's still not back.

How to recover lost/missing system tray icons?

Please follow these instructions:
1. Back up the Registry by creating a restore point.
2. Go to Start > Run (or Windows-key + R), type in regedit and hit OK.
3. Navigate to the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Classes/Local Settings/Software/MicrosoftWindows/CurrentVersion/TrayNotify.
4. Delete the values IconStreams and PastIconsStream.
5. Open up Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the Processes tab, select explorer.exe and click End Process.
6. Open the Applications tab and click New Task at the bottom-right of the window.
7. In the message box that pops up type in explorer.exe and hit OK.
8. Explorer.exe will reload, and the missing icons should now be back in the system-tray where they belong.
9. Then if the volume bar isn't there, go to taskbar properties (where the volume was gray) and simply tick the box.

PS Note*
Use ERUNT for reg. back-up: http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

I followed those directions but it only gave me the option to turn the volume on/off where it was gray before and I couldn't change it. It's now on, but the icon still doesn't come up. To clarify, it's not the volume one in my toolbar, but the one that comes up whenever I change the volume. The one in my toolbar came back.

I don't understand what volume icon you mean then. Is this from a specific program? More info please.

No, not from a specific program. It was always there. It's a pop up icon that comes up when I turn up the volume, hit caps lock or number lock.

In the Notification Area, click on the small triangle (upward pointing arrow) which shows "show hidden icons". At the bottom of that display of hidden icons, click on "Customize". This will bring up a panel which lists all of the available taskbar and notification icons. The second one in the list should be the "volume" icon. Select "show icons and notification" from the drop down menu. "If" you also have specific branded audio devices such as Realtek HD Audio Manager, you might need to make a selection from that drop down menu also.

There's no triangle in my notification area. All my icons are already shown. When I right click and go to properties, under volume is already set to "show icons and notification"

OK Right-Click on the Battery Icon in the notification area. Select "Turn System Icons on or off" That brings up a panel which includes about 5 selection - Clock, Volume, Network, Power, Action Center At the bottom of that Panel there is a clickable line which reads: "Customize Notification Icons" Click on Customize Notification Icons You should now see another Panel which includes more options. Follow the same recommendations I posted above in my previous post.

When I click "customize notification icons", I see volume but all the selections are gray and I can't change them. Volume is already set to "show icon and notifications".

Doug, I don't think ems88 is talking about the volume icon in the System Tray area of the Taskbar. From what I get it's an icon that pops up when he does certain things, like turn up the volume, hit caps lock or number lock. I don't have any idea what it is though unfortunately as it doesn't sound at all familiar.

Guy's, This is sounding alot like a Dell computer. Dell puts a utility on it's computers that brings up a volume bar at the bottom of the screen… but above the task bar. It's been a couple of years since I've had to deal with this problem, but from memory… some malware removal tools kill that utility. I can't remember if it's a service that get's removed or what it is. I've never had a Dell to play with… but I'll try and see if I can jog my memory.