Missing Missing Icons in System Tray, IE7 & Outlook Express

**Gordon62** · 04-03-2007, 06:25 PM

1) Some time ago I posted about icons disappearing from my "system tray", others have posted similar problems. Out of curiosity I did a quite extensive Google search on the subject and found that as far back as 2003 Microsoft were very well aware of this problem (sorry,I did not bookmark the site). Microsoft apparently had a discussion forum at that time and the response to peoples queries was- quote: "we are unable to provide a solution to this problem"-unquote. I suspect the bug in XP was there from it's launch. I experienced this system tray problem after one of Microsoft's infamous updates last year and it would appear that the bug was probably triggered via this update-which lo and behold was, I believe, the IE7 update- which brings me to the second point,
2) A week or so ago there was a further "update" from Microsoft-what it contained is anyone's guess but when trying to edit an email in Outlook Express the next day I found the "delete" key would not function. On further investigation I also found that the format/style option was kaput as well (and something else I can't quite recall). I ran all the various spyware/ antivirus/ trojan remover tools which found nothing. The delete key worked in Thunderbird so it was not the keyboard playing up.
I tried every avenue I could think of but in sheer frustration took the box to my local technician. Well, $25 later via a diagnostic disc the solution to problem 2) was solved- by the very simple method of uninstalling IE7!! Nothing else had to be done to get OE up and working again.
I had uninstalled MSN Messenger & MSN Outlook prior to that point but had not got round to dumping IE7-could have saved myself some money!
3) Since dumping IE7 I have had no other problems and with Firefox and Opera in place I have no need of anything Microsoft-apart from their poxy updates-or do I really need them at all? Sorry for the long post but I thought some people might find find some useful points to ponder, particularly in the first paragraph. Those who find problems with programmes not responding as they used to might consider reverting to IE6 as an option.
Regards Gordon.

**Speedy Gonzales** · 04-03-2007, 06:44 PM

In the latest Netguide, a guy had a similar issue with IE 7, and Adobe reader 7 and 8.

V7 uninstalled ok, and V8 installed fine, but the screen for the licence where u click on I agree, was blank.

And it kept crashing, then he tried to reinstall V7, it wouldnt reinstall. It locked the system up, then he rang Adobe, the guy at the other end asked if IE 7 was installed, and said this can cause numerous probs with IE 7 (even if IE 7 isnt running).

In the end the guy uninstalled IE. And then AR 7 uninstalled and he could install V8.

So, yup for some people IE 7 can cause probs, for others its fine.