TrayNotify

[Nigel George]

Hi,
I've had Windows XP Pro installed on my PC for over a year now, and it's
been steadily updated to SP2 over time aswell. I have 2 issues that bug me
though and I'm going to post one here and the other elsewhere. My issue is
the "Customize Notifications" and the TrayNotify feature. For awhile it
works great but now, when I go into it and scroll through all the past items
the icons of them all have gone completely haywire and screwed up. Most show
up now and folders or different programs icons. Is there a way to clear this
down. So that it builds up this database again from scratch?

I've seen some guides that say to delete
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\TrayNotify\PastIconsStream
and
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\TrayNotify\IconsStream
entries and reboot. I've tried this and that doesn't seem to do anything.

Kind Regards,
Nigel

 

[HillBillyBuddhist]

| Hi,
| I've had Windows XP Pro installed on my PC for over a year now, and
it's
| been steadily updated to SP2 over time aswell. I have 2 issues that bug me
| though and I'm going to post one here and the other elsewhere. My issue is
| the "Customize Notifications" and the TrayNotify feature. For awhile it
| works great but now, when I go into it and scroll through all the past
items
| the icons of them all have gone completely haywire and screwed up. Most
show
| up now and folders or different programs icons. Is there a way to clear
this
| down. So that it builds up this database again from scratch?
|
| I've seen some guides that say to delete
|
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\TrayNotify\PastIconsStream
| and
|
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\TrayNotify\IconsStream
| entries and reboot. I've tried this and that doesn't seem to do anything.
|
| Kind Regards,
| Nigel

Try it as instructed in the site below. (including ending/restarting
Explorer.exe after deleting the relevant registry values) I just tried it
and it worked fine. (I did have to reset the hide/show status of the current
notification area icons)

I don't know if doing it that way makes a difference as compared to deleting
the registry values and rebooting but it did work for me.

See;
http://www.theeldergeek.com/notification_area.htm

--
D

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details.

Remove shoes to E-mail.

 

[Nigel George]

I just tried it here at the office and it worked a treat. Perhaps I'll try
it again at home. Not sure why but when I kill explorer.exe at home and use
task manager to load it up again it loads windows explorer looking at my
documents folder instead of the shell.

 

[Kelly]

Try it again, Nigel and post back with your results:

Remove Past Items From the Notification Area (Line 53)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Troubleshooting the Notification Area
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_n.htm#na

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[Kelly]

That very well matters and does come into play. However, my script does
that for you.

 

[Kelly]

Hi Nigel,

You are confusing issues here. When using File/New Task (Run) and typing in
Explorer.exe, this has nothing to do with to which folder Windows Explorer
opens to.

 

[Nigel George]

Hi Kelly, it was from your .vbs that I found the registry entries in. Was
going to email but couldn't find your email address on the site quickly (was
rushing for the bus home )

The only bit that got me was when you kill and restart explorer. If you
don't have explorer set as your default shell in the registry, and you kill
it to then restart it, it mearly opens up windows explorer. I have
shellon3.exe as my default shell, to allow me to choose between Explorer &
Litestep at logon easier.

I'll give it another try tonight and will post my results on Tuesday when
I'm back in the office.

Thanks
Nigel

 

[Nigel George]

I forgot to include the registry key path

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\shell

If you restart explorer.exe as per Task Manager and that registry key is not
explorer.exe then when you run explorer from Task Manager it'll load windows
explorer for browsing your PC.

 

[Kelly]

Hi Nigel,

Thanks for the reply. Note: Don't ever rely on default, when you need it
to read: explorer.exe, then type it in. Another note is that is its history
is related to the run key. Use the drop box when needed or type it in
manually.

As per shellon.exe, you should have mentioned that earlier on. How
interesting. However, I don't have the time on hand to check into that one.
As a matter of fact never heard of it. Why the need for it, Nigel? Just
curious.

Safe travels. )

 

[Nigel George]

shellon is a shell switcher, it basically allows you to choose a different
shell upon logging in. it saves the trouble of having to go through the
registry each time you want to load a different one. otherwise you have to
edit registry and reboot to get into a different shell. this one asks you
when you login which shell you want to use. currently i use lightstep or
explorer depending on what i'm logging in to do. i guess its only a program
you'd know/hear about if you do alter the shell etc...

as an experiment, edit the value in "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\shell" to be notepad.exe or something. Then run
the .vbs script you have which restarts explorer. (keep regedit open though!
so you can change it back to explorer.exe after trying this). and keep task
manager open aswell.

you might want to try that as a different user too, just to be on the safe
side.

it is kinda interesting how explorer checks the registry first before
deciding what mode it starts in

 

[Kelly]

Thanks for all of the added info. I have also used that area to have two of
my folders that I work out of daily to open (minimized) when I boot, by
adding them to Shell.

Will try your test, though. )