After restoring the volume icon right click on the time. The appearing drop down menu includes a Lock the Taskbar entry. If there is not a check in front of it, click (left) on the entry. If it is already checked, click and remove it and then reclick restoring it.

DA

are you sure it is just not behind the sliding hidden icons area? mine is pretty much always behind there. I have to click on the round arrow button so it slides open to see it and the other inactive icons.

Thank you, DA. I followed your instructions, and the check mark was already there; but I unchecked it, and checked it again. We'll see if that works. I really appreciate you guys answering my questions. : )

raven, no, it wasn't behind the hidden icon area, unfortunately. Thanks for your response.

Fingers crossed for you here.

As always you are more than welcome.

DA

DEE if damcoy solution solves your problem please post back
and let us know. Several months past I had the same problem
that your having. When the Network connection is set up the
Sound Icon disappears. No matter how many time I replaced the
sound icon it always left on a restart.
My Network connection was temporary. I was just fooling around while repairing a relatives computer.
cg

See the link for more please:

Some Windows XP installations show a peculiar defect in that some systray icons disappear or, rather, do not appear, when the system is booted and the user logs on. The problem is even more prevalent on systems with autologon. The most frequently affected icons seem to be the speaker icon (sound volume) and the power/energy icon.

Here is a link that might be useful: Windows help

Unfortunately, DA's solution didn't work... zep, I read the information at your link; and I officially have information overload. : ) Can't... do... it...

I'm not really sure what to do. Is it because of the network connection? I see it happened to cg, too. I believe the icon didn't disappear until about a week after I set up the network. And I don't know if this is related; but my internet connection keeps getting cut off constantly when I'm using my laptop (this started a few days ago). Grrr.

I think I may try something I read (about the cut-off internet connection) - and that is - shut off both computers; and unpower the modem and router, and repower them up in order of modem, then router (I have to read the instructions again : P )... That probably has nothing to do with the volume icon on the desktop (which ran like a charm for more than 5 years until I set up my network : / )

try this one thing
shut off your pc, then turn it on, when your log in screen appears walk away do not touch anything just leave it sitting with the log in screen there, wait till you see no blinking light on your pc tower then go ahead and log in, sometimes it is because the task bar does not have a chance to fully load before log in, something may be slowing down your startup sequence.

How strange, I have the same problem. Gave up on the volume icon and use the volume control on my keyboard. My computer is a year old and never had the volume icon. I also do not have the network icon or the power icon. I thought MS did away with them. I have them on my older machines.

Jane

for the network icon to show you have to go into those settings and check for it to be visible in the systray.

"ravencajun - wait till you see no blinking light on your pc tower then go ahead and log in"

Thanks for your advice, raven. I don't log in manually, though... Not sure how to, either. : )