WIndows speaker icon disappeared

[TGO]

Hi all, a few days ago the speaker icon on my taskbar disappeared. I can still control the volume in control panel, but when I click on the option to display the speaker icon on the taskbar (by accessing control panel -> Sounds, speech and audio devices -> Change the speaker settings), an error message appears saying that the volume control icon cannot be displayed because the volume control program has not been installed. Please install it from Add/Remove programs in control panel. However, I have no idea how to install it there. There are no further instructions provided, I have the Windows XP CD but still have no idea what to do. Pls provide some guidance, thanks alot

 

[PC eye]

You don't even have to go into the Control Panel to adjust the volume control. Simply click on the Start button and then go into accessories\entertainment to go right to the volume control there. If you right on the icon there you can even create a desktop shortcut. That will appear at the bottom as volume 2 rather then volume once dragged onto the desktop itself. I do that with sound card volume, mixer, and speaker settings.

The icon suddenly disappearing suggests one of two things. You could have set the icon to hide itself. If you right click on the task bar and click on properties the next screen will have "notifications" on the bottom half. Simply click on the "customize" button to see if that was set to "allways hide".

If it is not seen there go into the Control Panel and open the sound and audio devices section where the volume control tab opens first. Just below the slider take note of the check box for placing the volume control onto the taskbar. If you find it unchecked simply check it off. If it has a check mark uncheck it and recheck it a few times to see if the volume control returns onto the tackbar itself.

 

[gamerman4]

If it is askign you to reinstall the vol. control app then here are instructions...

1. Go to control panel
2. Open Add/Remove Programs
3. On the sidebar click "Add/Remove Windows Components"
4. This brings up a window, highlight Accessories and Utilities and click details
5. Highlight Multimedia and click details
6. Volume control should be right there just check the box beside it and click ok out fo those windows until you come back to the main window where you should click "Next" and it will install it.

It will most likely ask for the Windows CD during install.

 

[PC eye]

The "sndVol32.exe" file found in "C:\Windows\system32\" is still there and functioning for the control panel level adjustment to still be working when adjusting sound there. The disappearance of the icon in the system tray is typical of a display setting or a need to refresh the actual icon file. The prior post gives a working technique.