Why did the volume control icon disappear from my taskbar notification area in Windows XP?

Interesting observation. The suggestion here did not work but when I was playing around I used TweakUI to remove the autologon function (so I had to logon) and ALL the icons that should be in the taskbar are there.
Switch back to autologon usuing TweakUI and guess what everything except the network icon disappears again.
Replicated three times!

To start a command session as Administrator, open the Start menu, select All Programs, then Accessories. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. You'll get a window titled "Administrator: Command Prompt." Hope it helps. -Todd Erickson

how do i start a commnd session?

I just came across this problem and spent countless minutes near to hours googling it and getting nowhere, particularly with the solution of going into 'Start' 'Run' 'Cmd' and so on. Got me nowhere. Simple, simple thing is to find someone else with a PC or laptop and search for 'sndvol32.exe' in their system. Maybe ideal if they have the same OS as yourself.

Find out first if their volume icon is displayed, and if not then go to START then CONTROL PANEL then double-click SOUNDS AND AUDIO DEVICES and on the 'Volume' tag see the 'Place volume icon in the taskbar' and try to check it with a tick in the empty box beside it (if it isnt empty that means the icon is already in the taskbar). If it works, it means the 'SndVol32.exe' exists in the system, so go and search for it. Or go into C:\\WINDOWS\\system32 and type 'SndVol' and you should get to the icon.

Have something to copy the icon to like a memory stick or floppy disk (still use those??), no need for a whole CD for it. Placing the memory stick into the PC or laptop from which you are copying the icon should pop up a window and then you should be able to choose 'Open file or folders'. That opens up the folder for the memory stick and you can then copy the volume icon and then paste it in the memory stick folder. Then you place the memory stick into your PC or laptop and move the icon from your memory stick into your system folder 'C:\\WINDOWS\\system32'.

Exit your system folder and return to START then CONTROL PANEL then double-click SOUNDS AND AUDIO DEVICES and to the 'Volume' tag to put that check tick in I mentioned earlier above. Once that works, your volume icon returns. Far far simpler then the cmd action and Window components, which didnt work for me.

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if this doesnt work for you, or you dont seem to understand it, do the following:

1. you can either serch the internet, or go to http://members.driverguide.com/ to DOWNLOAD sndvol32.exe
2. once you have sndvol32.exe downloaded, place it in C:WINDOWS\\system323. then go to control panel, and open up "sounds and audio devices"
4. under the "volume" tab, check the bax next to where it says "Place volume icon in the taskbar"
5. click "apply" and celebrate that your volume icon is back!

Anonymous User November 28, 2004"

I WANT TO THANK THIS PERSON FOR THE INFO, I REALY DID HELP ME A LOT AND THATS CONSIDERING THAT I DONT EVEN HAVE THAT MUCH IT EXPERIENCE!!! SO THANK U, THANK U, THANK U!!!