When you start your Windows Vista computer, the Volume Control icon may be missing from the Notification area. Also, in the Taskbar properties – Notification tab, the checkboxes for Clock, Volume and Network may remain grayed out.
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Simply logging off and logging on to your user account helps in most cases, if this is not caused by a Policy setting. Alternately, you may try terminating and restarting Explorer.exe to see if that works. If that does not help (and your computer is not part of a domain), use the instructions below to unlock the Notification area icons.
Registry Fix
Download trayicons.reg and save to Desktop. Right-click on the file and choose Merge. Click Yes when prompted for confirmation.
Note that the previously mentioned REG file removes the following Registry-based Policy values in your system:
- HideSCAVolume
- HideSCANetwork
- HideClock
- HideSCAPower
Additionally, it clears the IconStreams & PastIconsStream values as suggested in Microsoft KB945011.
Important: After running the .REG file, you need to terminate and restart Explorer.exe for the change to take effect.
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Hi, i just did exactly what the instruction said and it still hasnt work for me. What do you suggest i should do?
Many Thanks!
trayicons.reg didn’t work for me
i can’t get my power tray icon back and my laptop dies randomly…stupid vista.
Thanks, finally I have my trayicons back. trayicons.reg did the trick!
This is wonderful! Just logging off my account for a few seconds did the trick! Thanks so much!
thanks alot =) it works
Thanks! Ive just passed it onto a friend!
Terminating and restarting explorer worked. Thanks!
Thanks for that very helpful solution. It helped me get all of my icons back cheers!!!!
Thanks! Worked great!
@Billy: Right-click trayicons.reg and and choose “Save Target as” in Internet Explorer or similar option if you’re using a different Web browser.