Get back all missing Tray Icons!

[Uncle Bill]

After a four-year search around the web, I finally found a definitive solution for the random missing icons in the system tray.

According to WinHLP page, where a more detailed analysis is provided, this issue is caused by both uPNP services (which I didn’t want to deactivate, of course, being IMHO an important part of a working system) and a timing defect in the Windows function Shell_NotifyIcon in shell32.dll, which has a starting timeout of only 4 seconds, and gets clogged by tray requests, thus clogging the API itself.

The final solution for shell32.dll version 6.0.2900.5622 (SP3 and later) is provided further more in the topic comments, and involves a slight modification of the starting timeout interval, through the following operations:

(WARNING:the following procedure involves modification of a critical system library, so I take no responsibility for any misuse, mistyping and malfunctioning of your OS, after you followed them. Follow the instruction only if you know what you're doing. GOLDEN RULE: Always make a Backup!)

1. Make a system Restore Point.

2. Open C:\WINDOWS\System32\Shell32.dll with any hex editor, and change:

0xA00F to 0×60EA at offset 0×69AA4

and

0×03 to 0×01 at offset 0×69AA9

3. Save the dll file in another folder, keeping the same name and extension.

4. Download and run DLL Replacer.

5. Drag and drop into the cmd window first the original dll (C:\WINDOWS\System32\Shell32.dll), then hit enter and drag and drop your modified dll (Yourfolder\System32.dll). Hit enter again and answer Y to the question.

6. Reboot, and from then on never experience the isuue again!! (At least, until Microsoft updates the file….).

I hope this is useful.

Leave your comments, if that worked for you.

A big Thank You! goes to WinHLP's original page.

(237 visits....not a single thanks....)

Edited September 30, 2009 by Uncle Bill