1. Sometimes - Start menu - the section above the "All Programs" button is just a black box. Usually, this is the area that displays the last X programs I opened or some of the constant ones.
2. Sometimes - Taskbar will forget that I have a Quick Launch menu. I have to right click and set the Taskbar properties again to show quick launch menu.
3. Sometimes - when probs like the above happen, clicking on All Programs and then selecting a Menu item which has menu members (displayed in a separate menu) or control panel for example to show the different controls - doesnt work. All I get is a beep.
The above are all Start menu/task bar issues. Usually, a reboot will solve these probs before they happen again. I have been doing some software development and repeatedly testing the software via an install package (setup2go) that does add/remove icons from the start menu and do registry changes - dont know if that caused this.
Strange issue #4 is:
4. The little volume icon in my sys tray has gone missing. When I go to Control Panel - Sounds - and try to open the volume controls it says sndvol32.exe is not installed, go to add/remove programs. I did a search and found C:\i386\sndvol32.exe, am able to run it. Bummer is my sound has gone low and it seems like even if I have sound at full volume it is low (compared to before). My sound device cards etc are working properly and drivers are up to date.
My machine is free of malware, adware, sypware, viruses. All checks done, have CA Anti Virus running with Zonealarm, Microsoft Anti Spyware and Tuneup software trial. Till recently had Ewido running.
I have done the following already:
1. sfc /scannow
2. prefetch
Please help.