Hi, I have Windows XP installed on my laptop and somehow my volume icon went missing from my task bar. I tried to get it back by going on the toolbar options but it still doesn't show up. Also, when I go to Control Panel and click on sounds and audio devices it sometimes tells me that I have to install a new hardware or other times the window pops up but I can't adjust the volume or anything else. The only places I can touch are the Sound and Hardware tabs. In the Hardware tab all the devices seem to be working properly but I still can't do anything with my sound. Please Help.

From run, type in devmgmt.msc and click ok. Scroll down to sound and see if you have any items with a yellow exclamation beside it. If so, you will need to install the audio driver for the device. Others who disagree with us may not be wrong, bad or evil

What is the make and model of your laptop? It sounds like your audio drivers are not properly installed. Have you recently installed audio drivers? If so, you may not have installed them properly. Have you installed Windows from a regular XP CD since the sound last worked properly? If so, you need to install the proper sound drivers, the proper way.

I have XP Home sp2 and every so often I notice my volume icon is gone. What works for me is to open control panel - sound - and on the properties page I uncheck the display sound icon on the taskbar option and apply. Then I recheck the option, hit apply and my icon comes back. Never really researched the cause and probably won't.

texas666, Go to the link below and under the letter "N" scroll down to "Notification Area - Icons Disappearing" then scroll to "Tip: Volume Control disappears in the Notification Area. Once present, run this edit" and you'll find a possible solution. http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_... Tufenuf