Windows 7: On screen volume control bar has disappeared

Geesh. The on screen display for my volume control has disappeared. Previously when I used the volume control on the keyboard there was a bar that would pop up showing where the volume was. It has disappeared.

Other than a system restore any idea how to get it back? I have an HP desktop.

edit1: I probably wasn't clear enough. It wasn't the volume icon in the system tray that disappeared it was a bar that would appear center on the monitor showing the progress of the volume. The volume icon was still there and functioning, it was the display bar that disappeared.

edit2: Solved it. It's related to HP Media Smart, HP's program for viewing DVDs, pictures, etc. I recently had disabled it at startup as part of this thread

Startup programs critique

Apparently it has to be running or at least initialized for the on screen volume control display to function. I would have thought the on screen display was independent of any program but I guess not. So I will have to keep it enabled at startup. I thought I was being smart by disabling some programs at startup but I guess if they serve a function it ends up backfiring.

I've included a screenshot of the startup entry. If anyone has an HP desktop and knows of another way to make this status bar display without having Media Smart running please let me know.

@Bru:

I know someone here (owner) posted how to reset icons.

Did you recently do any windows updates?

I have noticed that many times WU causes a lot of glitches after they are applied.

Don't do a System Restore until you try this:
Delete IconCache.db in your C:/Users/Username/AppData/Local folder
Then restart and report if you solved the problem...

hey bru,

HP On-Screen Display Utility - HP technical support (United Kingdom - English)

i had the same problem after installing Windows 7 on my compaq pressario. i googled HP on screen volume and found the HP site . the display is slightly different than the original but provides the same xD . hope this is ok . the link is above

HP On-Screen Display Utility - HP technical support (United Kingdom - English)

Thanks. I bookmarked the link in case it is needed in the future.