Systray Annoyance

I don't have the icon, but it's great that your problem is now solved. This is a first, as up to now, not even Microsoft has found a solution to this issue (they don't even recognise that there is a problem). Hopefully some other users here can try out this fix, and we can get a better idea of how successful it proves.

Now if someone can find a way to manualy edit the registry and apply this type of fix then that would be the icing on the cake. Maybe a registry compare of before and after would help.

Here is my screen capture (no systray) ...

I downloaded this app too, and I don't have SystemTray in my "All Users Run (Registry) " list. I think the entry in e-Willem's list refers not to the SysTray itself, but to an icon in the systray loaded by some program or other. I am familiar with the location in the registry this list is referring to, and it's all programs you install that load on startup, not Windows services, etc.

Here's my latest theory. This program may still prove useful, because the order that these programs load may have something to do with the icons showing up. For example, maybe having a hog like Norton Antivirus loading near the beginning interferes with the ability for "later" icons to load properly. Anyway, e-Willem's experience does show that in some way, changing the load order does affect, to some extent anyway, the ability for icons to load.

In other news, I just re-installed Windows from scratch. Same stuff I've always loaded. BUT this time, the icons (all 9 of 'em) are showing up every time. Okay, there were two times out of all the reboots that they didnt all appear, but this was when stuff was going on like new drivers being installed on bootup. So what I'm thinking is that I installed my programs in a different order than normal, which is why I'm having better success with the icons loading. It's all conjecture, but it's the best guess I have right now.

-Jeremy

The idea that the app was loading an icon for a program sounded logic to me, so I tried to close systray in taskmanager. But it doesn't stand my processes-list, so appearantly it's only runned once during start-up.

When in start control I press "What's this?", it says:

It is indeed just a program loading the icons of Windows-options as volume, keyboard, display, energycontrol.
Really weird that it is the solution though.

but it's :grinthumb with me
good luck on your machines

e-Willem: What version of RegRun are you using?

I am just wondering why systray.exe isn't showing up for some of us.

It is located in [c:/windows/system32/systray.exe], and we all have it running at start up, but it doesn't show in RegRun.

I downloaded the total package: RegRun Suite Pro Version 3.61

Which has many apps including Start Control (and Optimize, Clean boot, ....).

Perharps you deselected the volume icon, the energy icon and the display icon in your Control Panel?
You can also mannualy add programs in the list, may be that works just as well.

I think you have reason for concern e-Willem:
http://www.europe.f-secure.com/v-descs/carewmr.shtml
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_99928.htm

?

from the first site i quote:
Next, the trojan attemps to remove a number of registry keys, attempting to disable several security software:


HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\SystemTray
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\AVPCC
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\NAVW32
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\TrueVector
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\ZoneAlarm Pro


It is trying to disable the feature I still have, so why would I have a problem?

This is a worm that uses and executable called systemtray to run itself.

Sorry about the f-secure link that is a wrong one. But I can give you fresh ones:

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/backdoor.bigfoot.html
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.hllw.niden.html
http://www.titan.co.nz/clint/page98.html

The bottom line is that you should not have something called "systemtray" running visibly anywhere. The very name of this thing suggests that is meant to be overlooked by people.

He was running Kazza ...

I was Running KazaaLite++ (no or less spyware)
But systray.exe is also a legimit MS app (checked in KnowledgeBase).
Both my firewalls (ZoneAlarmPro and eSafe Desktop) didn't detect any communications of systray.exe with the internet.
Besides Nic also has it in his windows\system32\.. directory, so he should worry too. There really isn't any reason though. Also my virusscan didn't detect any problem.

Sorry for filling this thread now with posts that has little to do with the original problem, but I just wanted to have said the above.

e-Willem: I believe that what Nodsu is saying is that although systray.exe is a real app, systemtray.exe isn't. It is a trojan and is using your registry to start up. Thats why *systemtray.exe* doesn't appear in my start up, nor in yirm's. You appear to have a trojan disguising itself by using a name similar to systray.exe (i.e. systemtray.exe).

Kazaa is probably the largest source of Trojans and Viruses on the web. I've seen many infected PCs that were riddled with viruses, and all were using Kazaa.

I'm very sorry to go on this,
but I know when I have a trojan or any other virus on my HD.

If you look carefully on my screenrprint of RegRun, you see a "knopinfo", that's dutch, don't know the english term (a little yellow) bar saying: systray.exe.
That pops up when I put my cursor on SystemTray (which is the title as used by MS). I have no such files on my computer as systemtray.exe or sysstart.exe!
Every file I get with Kazaa is virusscan first, never had a problem with that.

I really appreciate your concern about me having a virus, but I havn't.

I do hope that my solution to the original problem: Systray Annoyance has helped others.
If so, please let me know.
If the file isn't in your list, try putting it in manualy by pressing insert while All User Run is selected. Program U need to select is:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\systray.exe and put in down the list.

There is no need to apologise for posting. Glad to hear that everything is fine, though it is strange that you seem to be the only one that has that SystemTray entry in your start up. Thats why a virus was suspected, but as your file appear to be systray.exe, then you would appear to be safe. Maybe you should do a filesearch for systemtray.exe, to be sure that the tooltip info is genuine.

Kazaa Lite, as opposed to Kazaa, should not install any adware, spyware or other malware. Of course, it's entirely possibble to download malware off of Kazaa Lite.

-Jeremy

.


Getting back to the original problem we're trying to solve here...


Behold the solution:

Place a shortcut to systray (C:\Windows\system32\systray.exe) in the common startup folder (C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup).

Restart the computer.

The problem is GONE!

GONE GONE GONE!


Ok, now I can relax...

The problem is HIDDEN!

HIDDEN HIDDEN HIDDEN!


Ok, now I can relax...



[Another nice and simple *fix*, well done]

I also had the problem that the systray disappeared completely, and found out that a wrong Tweak UI setting caused this. Re-enabling in Tweak UI the checkbox Show taskbar notification icons under Taskbar and Start menu, and rebooting did the job for me.

So it wasn't exactly a problem, but my own inattention, but maybe I'm not the only one who disabled systray without noticing.


Greets,
FlatAlex

I tried the solution mentioned by Guloso above.... and it did consistantly enable one systray icon imparticular( one that I was having trouble with: "safely remove hardware") to load each time I rebooted. However I am still having trouble with my volume systray icon.....it only loads if I log out and back in. Also...after doing this solution I noticed that all my desktop icons are now highlighted as if they were locked onto my desktop.....but they are not and I cannot get rid of the highted names. Actually ...the function of locking the desktop icons does not work for me now.

I've been fiddleing with this "missing systray icons" for some time now.......anyone out there with a miracle solution please respond. Thanks J

Hello,
I had the same problem in my laptop (DELL D800). I went around that by disabling "cftmon" from the startup (msconfig) list. cftmon (language bar) was creating the problem at least in my computer. Now everything is OK. All icons show in systray.