How to recover lost/missing system tray icon? [Solved]

Answer

+998

kristen May 15, 2009 11:22AM

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\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\TrayNotify.
4. Delete the values IconStreams and PastIconsStream.
5. Open up the 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.

this should work, did for me!

Neil - May 16, 2009 10:16PM

Great Info! Restarting the "Explorer.exe" process worked like a charm. I google many articles till I ran into this. Thanks again.

Crystal - Jun 10, 2009 09:27AM

Thank you, K. It works like a charm. It works with Windows 7 too...

MsVP98 - Jun 17, 2009 06:38PM

Thanks K! Worked like a charm . . . thanks for the excellent tip!!

eCo - Jul 17, 2009 02:58PM

My key location was slightly different (winxp sp3, full updates): HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\TrayNotify. ...but still worked. Thanks for the help.

Shipmate133 - Jul 19, 2009 03:05PM

Let me take your fix a little further. Your fix works, however the loss of the icons continues intermittently on subsequent bootups.

My fix:

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\Cla sses\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Wi ndows\CurrentVersion \TrayNotify.
4. Delete the values IconStreams and PastIconsStream.
5. Select the directory TrayNotify and rename it to OldTrayNotify.

Now Windows doesn't rebuild the values, IconStreams and PastIconsStream and
doesn't miss the directory. Your tray icons will appear each and every bootup
without failure.

Your wellcome....

old-techie - Aug 19, 2009 12:15AM

Also running SP3 with full updates, and between Shipmates procedure and Eco's Registry listing, worked like a charm, fixing a very frustrating problem...Many Thanks!!!!

athea › Shipmate133 - Oct 5, 2009 09:13AM

Shipmate 133 ,

I will thank you for de help ! MANY THANKS !

MAK - Jul 26, 2009 02:27AM

U rock man!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shelley - Aug 29, 2009 08:18PM

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Finally a fix which actually works! You are the best!!

Steve - Aug 31, 2009 11:52AM

Thanks Kristen. Very helpful. I didn't bother messing with the registry. I just restarted Explorer.exe as you instructed and it worked fine. Maybe when I reboot I'll have the problem again and will have to delete the registry items you suggest but for now it's fine. Thanks again..

kev - Dec 6, 2009 03:15AM

You are awesome. I LoveYou!!!

Paprika987 - Jan 25, 2010 10:03PM

Thank you so so much!

The pathway you gave did not work, but I did a Ctrl+F search for traynotify and managed to locate the two values.

billus - Feb 9, 2010 06:19AM

thanx very helpful i am glad there are people like you to help and thanx again

mkathrinafaye - Feb 17, 2010 07:30AM

thank you kristenn....ur xo great...ur info is very useful!glad that ive read it!hope to meet intelligent people like you...thanx again!

Birddog - Feb 17, 2010 04:29PM

Thanks too Kriten. Worked like a charm.

U Da 1!

Damo - Feb 23, 2010 09:34AM

Kristen, thank you, your solution worked like a charm. A+++

bruce roberts - Mar 1, 2010 06:43AM

Thanks for the help in getting back the sound icon, greatly appreciated,
well done :)

benevolent_one - Mar 9, 2010 12:00AM

Thank you so very much. Your step by step instructions worked like a charm for the frustrated lay person. I lost my icons and tried everything to get them restored after an update was done recently. I stumpled across this posting while searching for a solution online. I am a novice and I was able to do this fix based off these instructions. It worked for me - give it a try, it was easy. Thanks again !!!

sad - Mar 20, 2010 01:21AM

it didnt work for me and i have vista so do u have another solution

Michael2k_03 - Mar 20, 2010 01:36AM

It did work for me...Nice job...:-D

gmorgjr - Mar 21, 2010 12:27AM

top Notch! thanks

Raven - Mar 21, 2010 06:58PM

Awesome, worked great! Thanks

Kabila97 - Mar 22, 2010 12:53AM

Hi,
after "classes" in registry, I don't see any local settings!! What should I choose instead?

Arch - Mar 24, 2010 05:12PM

Thank you, sir! Worked perfect!

ravi - Mar 30, 2010 12:08AM

thanks...worked flawlessly

bri - Apr 1, 2010 09:31AM

A+++

charles - Apr 1, 2010 11:04AM

Thank you so much. great advice given!

muti - Apr 6, 2010 09:28PM

greatttt

alex - Apr 8, 2010 03:32AM

fantastic!!! =D

Abz - Apr 9, 2010 01:32PM

thank you very much that was great advice and it worked. THANK YOU!!!!!!

bibi - Apr 11, 2010 10:11AM

yeeeey, worked just fine, thank you soooo much

adhil - Apr 18, 2010 01:13PM

thanks a lot it works great for me :)

sndizbk - Apr 21, 2010 09:43AM

on my system the registry location was different, i just used the 'search' function with 'IconStream' as the argument. thnx . . . .

xy - Apr 21, 2010 07:45PM

great worked for me

Lola - Apr 28, 2010 01:43PM

Thanks alot.. it does work..

Maru - May 3, 2010 02:02PM

Thx, i've been trying to solve this problem for a couple of days, and in 30 seconds it was solved

Travis - May 7, 2010 11:10AM

THANK YOU :o) I have been trying too fix this problem for a YEAR THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Maurice - May 8, 2010 10:19AM

thanks budy

gunste24@gmail.com - May 8, 2010 07:21PM

Thanks. That worked fine.
One note: I used FIND to locate the TrayNotify, but found that there are two such entries. I made sure that I had the one in
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\TrayNotify
I found that I had no \Classes\Local Settings\ that is why I used FIND.
Also, Note that the address is slightly different: Explorer between CurrentVersion and TrayNotify.

Grateful - May 23, 2010 01:35AM

Thank you!!! I have been trying to fix that all evening. It worked great. Really, thank you!

Kenan - Jun 4, 2010 08:38PM

Excellent - worked great for me!

Thanks

thspn - Jun 6, 2010 12:32PM

Thanks for your expertise! It worked.

stevo - Jun 6, 2010 05:16PM

thanks :D

alfredoperez01 - Jun 8, 2010 10:54PM

hello its work but when restart the computer lost again...icons....please help

Bob P - Jun 9, 2010 01:16PM

worked for me to, thanks Kristin!

JCGO16 - Jun 16, 2010 06:03AM

cool
it worked

thank you dude

Winstud - Jun 17, 2010 11:26PM

you are the (wo)man!

Taranpreet - Jun 18, 2010 08:34PM

Thanks a bunch bro it worked, at first I was confused reading the steps, but I double read em and I got it, thanks again :)

jef - Jun 19, 2010 08:58AM

thanks, it worked

Ishellb - Jun 23, 2010 11:27AM

Awesome! Thanks!!! :D

Koushik - Jun 25, 2010 01:57PM

Boss the guide works like a magic !!

Carl - Jun 25, 2010 03:10PM

Tyvm, great help, I didnt even need to go into regedit.

Micky - Jun 26, 2010 03:11PM

Sweet, solved it in a jiffy.. A hug and kiss to the person (if female! If male, a handshake and a pat on the back ah what the heck a hug too) who found this solution. Simple and Really Helpful. Thanks a heap!

pam - Jul 1, 2010 10:52PM

Thank you very much. worked like a charm.

fra3k - Jul 2, 2010 12:10PM

Worked for me too, huge thanks

Peter - Jul 3, 2010 09:48AM

You're awesome!

DickNH - Jul 4, 2010 02:51PM

Worked here too, thanks

shayke - Oct 6, 2012 01:16PM

works like charm!
Thx!

tarun - Oct 7, 2012 01:10AM

really it worked....great....thank you so much

regards
tarun latwal

Xeeshu Baba - Oct 9, 2012 02:02AM

yes it worked..... bundle of thanks

mcspankey - Oct 9, 2012 08:30PM

Thanks

Kony - Oct 10, 2012 11:10PM

It worked, thanks a lot, man...You helped me...

streetsweeper98 - Oct 12, 2012 01:23PM

Works great, though I don't why Windows 7 makes it so complicated getting back the volume icon!

Answer

+62

dbcole May 27, 2010 02:31AM

Restarting Explorer worked for me... Open a DOS box and issue the following commands:

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
explorer.exe

Answer

+15

Tina P Jun 4, 2009 01:11PM

Thank you geeks of internet land!! You guys rock! The explorer.exe worked perfectly!

Answer

+15

hilly8 Mar 24, 2010 06:29AM

I NOT ONLY LOST MY PRINTER ICON BUT ALSO MY COMCAST HOME PAGE... CAN YOU HELP ME? I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A WAY TO FIND OUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Answer

+10

mabuk Jun 28, 2010 09:02AM

Use the microsoft fixit prog:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/945011

Just run it and restart your computer.

Answer

+9

inside19 Nov 24, 2009 09:40AM

I guess I have an easy way to bring back the nod32 icon in the system tray. Simply open your task manager, find 'egui.exe', kill the process, then start it again - for instance running 'egui.exe' from the eset nod32 installation folder.

sumans4324 - Mar 29, 2010 07:17AM

perfect,works fine
T.Q. soooooooooo much

Answer

+8

narele Jun 16, 2009 03:08PM

Yeah removing items from the reg and restarting explorer.exe worked when nothing else would thx. :)

Answer

+5

Kristine Sep 1, 2009 05:57PM

I spoke too soon. The fix worked, but then when I restarted my computer, they went away again and the keys reappeared in my registry. My husband has the same exact computer and doesn't have this problem and he does have the keys in his registry. Can you help further? Thanks.

kristen - Sep 1, 2009 07:46PM

I have restarted my computer many times & the keys have never disappeared after that... I'm not sure what you could do, considering that hasn't happened to me. Sorry.

zorak - Mar 30, 2010 08:41PM

I lost my icons again when I restarted too

Answer

+5

LP May 11, 2010 03:35AM

I have an error on my Nod32 indicating "error communicating with kernels" and can't get to on it too. Please advise.
Thanks.

Answer

+4

Char Nov 22, 2009 12:07PM

Does deleting the values IconStreams and PastIconsStream affects how our laptops/computers work?

Answer

+4

LP May 11, 2010 03:39AM

I have an error on Nod32 indicating 'error communicating kernels' and I don't seem to on the Nod32 virus on. Please advice.
Thanks.

Answer

+4

Efrem Hagos Jun 28, 2010 03:02AM

Run command disapered from my computor,window xp service pack 3. How can get back it

Answer

+3

Alexander Firsov Jun 18, 2009 05:53AM

Unfortunately this solution did not work for me... As well as all other solutions. My system is Windows XP Service Pack 2. The tray icons of "Sygate Personal Firewall" and "NOD32 Antivirus" are no longer available in the System Tray. These tray icons are very important as they are providing additional functionality to the program which is running in the background mode. I believe the Windows Explorer process is being spawned too late, so it is not able to receive the System Tray notifications from SMC.EXE ("Sygate Personal Firewall" process) and EKRN.EXE ("NOD32 Antivirus" process).

I will try to play with the order the Windows System processes are being launched at startup.

Probably we need to postpone the launching of SMC.EXE and EKRN.EXE: the Windows Explorer process (EXPLORER.EXE) needs to be up and running before the above processes are spawned...

But now it appears that EXPLORER.EXE is not ready to receive System Tray notifications from SMC.EXE and EKRN.EXE.

http://windowsitpro.com/...

Answer

+3

Kristine Aug 30, 2009 01:39AM

Thanks so much! I have been looking for an answer for weeks!

Answer

+3

kristen Sep 1, 2009 07:49PM

No problem everyone! Glad to have helped.. & Good luck!

Answer

+2

virageviraj 12Posts Thursday August 21, 2008Registration date Oct 20, 2008 05:03AM

hello,

well have you tried to see if the programs are present on your pc?

i dont think that nero8 caused this problem on your machine. but if you think that it is the cause of it then just try to do a system restore just before you installed nero8.

Answer

+2

fatherspeedy Jan 5, 2009 07:44AM

Had the same problem after updating on or around xmas... It's all malware dude. I tried all the internet gimmicks - None worked. Solution was simple: Scan your computer with an antivirus which support spyware, spam, rootkit etc.. (i used AVG security Center); then use (Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware) - it found about 30 malware on my machine. Erase malware found... Restart your computer!!! bang bang - my updates worked again... Note: Keep a working antivirus/spyware/spamware software which is updated regularly... WORKS

Answer

+2

claprade Apr 19, 2009 10:47PM

Found the solution!!!!!!!!!! go here http://www.ask.com/bar?q=missing+programs+...com%2Fnode%2F16 and try the The Ostuni Workaround it works the only difference I found is that when you initiate a Plug & Play action the buble that normaly comes up doesnt anymore but it still works...........

Regards,

Answer

+2

sukie May 5, 2009 07:08AM

i can see what it is thats wrong straight away from your message delete service pack 3 and setyour update settings so it dont install again and you will be fine as service pack 3 for xp conflicts with a lot of things it is not nero 8 i have nero 9 on mine and its fine but when i installed service pack 3 for xp i got conflict with other proggrammes and i sussed it out to be se4rvice pack 3 causing the prob

Answer

+2

hi Sep 4, 2009 08:01AM

thanks for the help :D

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