Right click on the Taskbar> Properties> Notification Area> check 'hide inactive icons'> Customize> set all to 'hide when inactive' EXCEPT Volume, the network icon and the AV icon> OK> Apply> OK.
When you choose Customize, you will see a list showing "Currrent items" and below it, "Past items."
Reboot the computer. Is that better? If you think anything is missing that you want to see, go back and change it to 'always show'..Remember, the more you have starting at boot, the more icons will be in the Notification Area. To control that:
Start> Run> type in 'msconfig' without quotes> enter> Selective Startup> Startup tab> UNCHECK everything EXCEPT the AV program, firewall, touchpad of laptop and network process is on network. Noting else needs to start at boot.
Reboot again. What is the status of those three mysterious blue boxes? The chevrons >> should be gone now.