Hi,
I seem to have lost my icons from my task bar
I've clicked on the properties and checked that they're not in hiding or been deleted, and they're not. I've rebooted loads of times over the last few days and sometimes they appear, sometimes they don't. It's getting very frustrating because I'm unable to "safely uninstall hardware", as there is no icon!! I don't know where they've gone, or why. I've run various anti-virus programmes, spy-ware programmes and nothing. At the time of writing this I have only 4 items on my task bar when there should be at least 20!!!!!
Can we have a scavenger hunt and start looking for them please, or at least can someone give me a clue as to where to start??
Thank you in advance for any help you can give me,
from a complete novice, who's going crackers
Ange

Hi there and welcome to PC Help Forum

Firstly , you can remove the hardware by finding it in "My Computer" and right clicking on the device...then select "safely remove...".

What other icons are missing?

Hi Hengis, thank you for the reply and the warm welcome.

I think the easier answer is what have i got left. I only have Zone alarm, sound effect, broadband connection and that's it. Everything else has gone. There should be my anti-virus, quicktime, volume control, webcam, java and others that I can't remember off the top of my head, but they're just not there. It's just hit and miss as to when they turn up. Next time they appear I will write a full list of what should be there.

Ange

Hi again,
I've just re-booted, (out of curiousity) and they've appeared this time , so here's a list:
Zone Alarm, Broadband connection, modem, modem status, printer, anti-virus, network connection, safely remove hardware, sound effect, volume control, web cam, screen resolution, camera memory card detector, quick time, InCd, WinCinema Manager.

As you can see, it's quite a list, and it's quite worrying when they decide not to show up for work! ha ha! They seem to be throwing a sickie more and more often, it was just by chance that they all came up this time.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
Ange

Hi again,
Well I've turned my pc on again this morning and they've gone again!!
The only ones that appeared were the printer, Zone Alarm and sound effect.
I'm at a total loss as to what's going on here.
I don't have a disc for XP as I lost it in a move. I really don't know what's going on though. I'm definetly not "hiding" any inactive icons and I've checked the manager again and again.
help, help, help, ha ha!!!

Ange

Odd one.

Can you take a screenshot of the contents of the following page;

Start > run > type msconfig and press enter > go to the startup tab and take a screenshot - post it back in this thread.