Icons mysteriously disappearing from system tray

[Rahwgwar]

For the past week or two, my icons in my system tray have been disappearing inexplicably. Well, only 2 on a regular basis: Ontrack and my sygate firewall. They will either not appear on startup like they should, or when my computer is on, they will just disappear.

What might be causing this and how can I fix it? Thank you for your help and I need it cuz I'm not sure how to trace back something like this.

-Peace

[Krell]

Right click the Task Bar, select Properties, make sure there's no check mark under "Hide Inactive Icons"

[Rahwgwar]

Originally posted by Krell
Right click the Task Bar, select Properties, make sure there's no check mark under "Hide Inactive Icons"

Nope. I've had that unchecked for a while. I used to hate when XP did that, so it was one of the first things I did after I reformatted. I'm sure I will find my answer soon enough, but that doesn't appear to be it.

[phalkon30]

Originally posted by Krell
Right click the Task Bar, select Properties, make sure there's no check mark under "Hide Inactive Icons"
Hmm, that should work

Try enabling it, then go to customize and look at the list, change them as necessary

The other thing that could happen, is when explorer crashes, some icons don't refresh, the programs still run, but there are not systray icons, the only fix I've found is a reboot

[Rahwgwar]

Originally posted by phalkon30
Hmm, that should work

Try enabling it, then go to customize and look at the list, change them as necessary

The other thing that could happen, is when explorer crashes, some icons don't refresh, the programs still run, but there are not systray icons, the only fix I've found is a reboot

Yeah, even when enabling it, I have the settings as 'always show'. I doubt that explorer would be causing it cuz I rarely use explorer and when I do it's never disappeared while running it. The icons just kind of disappear out of the blue and will sometimes not even show up on startup even though in the settings they are supposed to.

[phalkon30]

Originally posted by Rahwgwar
cuz I rarely use explorer
So you rarely use windows?

Explorer is reall the heart and soul of windows, if it crashes, untill it is restarted, you cannot acess any desktop icons, click any start menus...or really do anything usefull in windows

If you want to see what I mean, make sure all your programs are shut off, or at a point where you won't lose saved work, then hit ctrl alt delete, go to the processes tab, and close explorer.exe, just see what happens, did the icons go away? (you may have to do a hot reboot after that, most of the time it restarts explorer, but sometimes it won't)

[PornMaster]

Sounds like you have this virus: http://securityresponse1.symantec.com/sarc/sarc.nsf/html/w32.yaha.f@mm.html since it's only shutting down a firewall and ontrack, if you think you have this virus, use the removal tool.. or use the removal insructions.

Edit: Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to see if you have this virus, if the task manager pops up,and stays, you don't have it, if it disappears almost instantly, then you have it!

[Krell]

Sometimes you have to restart Explorer manually anyways, so you End Task on it, *poofycheeseballs* no desktop etc, but Task Manager will still be there.

Go to File, Browse to C:\Windows\Explorer.exe . . . . select then relaunch.

No need to restart Windows

[Krell]

If you cant get that link to work use this one

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.yaha.f@mm.html

Good observation, however this should be picked up with any recent virus definitions.


I have seen this icon problem in happen in XP

[SaxonFire]

Who likes panty hose??

[Mel_Smiley]

Who likes being baned? lol

[wingnutz2600]

melsmiley likes being spanked while waring pantyhoes.

[AnimeDude]

mel is that why your so smiley

???

---------------

[overdo]

Originally posted by wingnutz2600
melsmiley likes being spanked while waring pantyhoes.

yeah and u'd know hey. oooops looks like some1 else is banned now.

[BrestfedJunkie]

That link don't work. Any of them. ;;

big help so much for it

[Rahwgwar]

Gee, I haven't responded in like a week, lol. I have been trying to depussify myself and have been hitting the steel again to get my scrawny ass in shape.

Ok, now that I have some free time, I thought I would update you on my situation. Phalkon, after reading what I wrote, I admit that was one of the most crappily written sentences I have ever put together. What I really meant to say is that it isn't at all consistent with explorer.exe ending. There appears to be only 2 icons that disappear consistently: Ontrack and my Sygate firewall. Ontrack disappears more often. I hover over it and it just leaves. ALL my other icons and such remain in most of the cases.

As for viruses, I have Norton enabled w/ updated definitions and run regular virus scans. I also haven't downloaded any suspicious email or anything like that lately. Actually haven't been P2P'ing in the last couple weeks. So I don't really see a window of possibility for viruses.

Hope that helps some.....

[Rahwgwar]

There's my UD agent Phalkon. I'll send a screenshot your way in a bit. Sry, it just dawned on me that you asked to see one a LONG time ago. I guess it's better late than never, lol.

[phalkon30]

I requested a screen shot?

Out of curiosity, what for? lol, I don't have the slightest

And I'm at a loss for your problem, sorry dude

[Rahwgwar]

Lol, hell if I know.

I was just requested to give you a screenshot. I believe it was a conversation over AIM. Bah, maybe I'm losin' it. It was on a 'dont ask why' basis.

I'm gonna continue to work with the problem. Maybe I can diagnose it some other way. Sygate hasn't left at all today. Maybe the constant ignoring of a virus (which it really isnt) that Ontrack keeps finding is hanging it over somehow. I just hope it's still protecting me and I really like that IntelliCluster feature. When I open it, everything seems to be running properly w/out any hitches. I have Norton, so I guess I'm still protected when it comes to viruses.


Err.....don't really know why you wanted it either. Maybe I'm all zoned out....lol. I had a couple stashed away on my hard drive specifically for the goal of posting it for you. Who knows? haha Regardless, I will post a pic. It can't hurt not to.

[Rahwgwar]

Long and behold...


And Krell, where the hell are you man? You know I'm only payin' u by the hour, lol...........JK

[phalkon30]

Bwahahahahaha

"High end desktop system" = 100
"Pavilion" = 74

Now thats GOT to be an ego crusher, lol

Not bad times, mines been goin slow lately, about 10hours every packet, it used to be about 4.5 per packet, and I average about 140 something over the supposed high end system

bwahahahaha

[Krell]

WOW thats one hella screen shot ! Doesn't tell me anything, but, sweeeet!:gj

Just because you don't see the icons doesn't mean that those programs aren't running, they are. What it means is that the GUI for them isn't running. It may well have more to do with your services running than anything malicious or suspicious.

Look at your Services, and check your Event Logs. Look for anything that is an Alert or Warning sign. Then, if you don't notice anything, clear your event logs and watch them anyway.

At the RUN prompt, type MSCONFIG, hit enter. Go to the Startup tab, and look for Smc. At the end of that registry entry, you will see the " Smc.exe -startgui " switch.

So don't uncheck that. I try to tell you guys till I am blue in the face, not to run too many of these "Cleanup" or "tweak" utilities, . . . but does anyone listen . . . .

Soft wares that you think are inocculous as Spybot, will pull the rug out from under you in other areas.

[Rahwgwar]

Phalkon, yup that would be my hunka metal (well not metal i guess). I'm surprised it even scored that high. But go ahead and laugh ur demonic laugh u dotty bastard, lol.

Krell, thanks a lot.....AGAIN. That solved the problem. Something was up witht the mem check and it was only showing up in the task bar when an actual task was in process (doesnt explain why it would be in task bar on start up tho). Another point for Krell. Case closed, thank you to all.