Taskbar notification suddenly unreliable

[Guest]

I have recently noticed that my taskbar notification settings are not
functioning consistently and that applications that are supposed to appear
there are not always there. Example: I have set it to "Hide inactive icons".
Sometimes it functions that way upon launch and sometimes it does not.
Another example: I have set it to "Always show" Creative Volume Control.
Sometimes it shows that icon and sometimes it does not. Ditto my "Local Area
Connections". It has even intermittently failed to show icons for security
applications that are supposedly running. I am not sure if this is a new
behavior or just something I haven't noticed before. If it's new, does
anyone know if it's an indicator of a deeper problem? I'm running XP Pro
SP2.

 

[Rock]

I have recently noticed that my taskbar notification settings are not
functioning consistently and that applications that are supposed to appear
there are not always there. Example: I have set it to "Hide inactive
icons".
Sometimes it functions that way upon launch and sometimes it does not.
Another example: I have set it to "Always show" Creative Volume Control.
Sometimes it shows that icon and sometimes it does not. Ditto my "Local
Area
Connections". It has even intermittently failed to show icons for
security
applications that are supposedly running. I am not sure if this is a new
behavior or just something I haven't noticed before. If it's new, does
anyone know if it's an indicator of a deeper problem? I'm running XP Pro
SP2.

For the issue of icons sometimes not displaying from Start | run |
services.msc, disable the SSDP Discovery Service and/or the UPnP service.
For the issue of an icon which is set to be inactive showing up after a
reboot, I don't know how to stop that. I have several that do the same
thing, it hides fine but then after a few reboots it reappears. I just set
it back to hide.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Rock, but I'm left a little unclear about your solution, so maybe
that's my fault. My issue is not with Plug and Play devices, it is with
applications. So what role does SSDP play in the problem? What I'm
struggling with is why some apps that are supposed to show up, don't show up
sometimes. And why the function of "hiding" inactive icons works sometimes
and doesn't work other times, despite my settings clearly telling the system
that's what I want. Any clarification from your side would help.

 

[Rock]

Thanks, Rock, but I'm left a little unclear about your solution, so maybe
that's my fault. My issue is not with Plug and Play devices, it is with
applications. So what role does SSDP play in the problem? What I'm
struggling with is why some apps that are supposed to show up, don't show
up
sometimes. And why the function of "hiding" inactive icons works
sometimes
and doesn't work other times, despite my settings clearly telling the
system
that's what I want. Any clarification from your side would help.

The UPnP service has nothing to do with Plug and Play devices, it is not
PnP. UPnP is for connectivity on networks via TCP/IP to devices, such as
scanners or printer that are UPnP devices. For most users it's not needed,
nor is the SSDP Discovery Service which works in conjunction with UPnP. See
this link for info on those services in XP SP2.

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/service411.htm

I don't know why it is that disabling one or both of those services often
times resolves your particular problem where certain program icons suddenly
and randomly stop loading in the notification area. I never bothered to
look into the why. But I do know it is a common resolution to the problem
you are experiencing.

Do a Google search on the issue and you will see the same for yourself.

 

[Guest]

Rock.....Sorry it took me some time to get back to this, but many thanks for
your further explanation. I have now disabled SDDP. I will monitor the
results and report back in a few days. Thanks again.....

 

[Rock]

You're welcome, good luck.

 

[Guest]

Rock....just a note to say that I've now "crash tested" this solution for
just over a week now and all is well. I wish we understood why, but all in
all, I'll settle for reliability. Thanks again.

Paul

You're welcome, good luck.
--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

Rock.....Sorry it took me some time to get back to this, but many thanks
for
your further explanation. I have now disabled SDDP. I will monitor the
results and report back in a few days. Thanks again.....

 

[Rock]

Great Paul, thanks for the update. It's a simple fix that doesn't impact
most users since most don't need SSDP and/or UPnP. Why it happens I don't
know.