Windows 7: Cannot customize Notification Area

My notification area always displays all icons and notifications, but when I want to customize those systray icons, for some reason I can no longer use "Restore default icon behaviors" or make any other customations.
In window "Select which icons and notifications appear on the taskbar" all the options beneath "Behaviors" are inaccessable (showing 'Only show notifications' in a greyed out fashion). Also, when trying to click on any icon beneath "Icons" nothing happens.

At the bottom the selection option "Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar" is greyed out and its checkbox unmarked.



When I click on "Turn system icons on or off" I get the correct window ("Turn system icons on or off"), and "Behaviors" are accessable. However, when clicking "Restore default icon behaviors" nothing happens. Clicking on "Customize notification icons" brings me back to the "Select which icons..." window with those non working options.

I have tried Brink's tutorial "How to Hide or Show System Icons and Notifications in Windows 7", but no matter which of the included .reg files I merge, nothing changes and "Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar" stays greyed out with its checkbox unmarked.

Otherwhise, my system (Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate) runs great, I just cannot make some systray customations that I would now like to.

How could this be helped? Maybe Brink has a solution?

Cheers Uffe

How long has this been going on? Might a system restore help?

maybe you could try "notification area cleaner"(download it) I use it to tidy up past notification icons which seem to stay even when program is gone?,it also cleaned up my grayed out boxes
just an idea?

Hi, can't tell exactly how long, found out just a few days ago, hadn't checked that feature for several months.
System Restore won't help, as I don't have old enough Restore points any longer.

Cheers Uffe

I have seen many strange things since I began helping here at this great forum. One poster had a similar problem that was caused by the A/V. Why not try turning yours off, reboot and see what happens.

You mentioned one of our great tutrorials, did you look at this one?

Notification Area Icons - Reset

Thanks Gaz, I think you mean Brink's fix with "Reset_Notification_Icons_List.reg". Tried it now, but nothing has changed. What was greyed out and inaccessable before remains so.

This might prove to be a tough nut to crack, Im afraid.

Cheers Uffe

Yes, this must be the same one that Gaz referred to. Tried it with no success, as stated above.

Also, tried rebooting with A/V disabled (unplugged) - nothing's changed.

Cheers Uffe

If you tried the other this will probably work
System Icons - Enable or Disable

Make a system restore point, first.

Thanks for trying to help.

I took a look at this one with the Group Policy Editor. This fix is obviously aimed at the system icons only (clock, network, volume, power), which I can access/change.

It's the other notifications icons, related to installed utilities, that I cannot access/customize. Did not find any relevant help for these in the Group Policy Editor, but I'm not very familiar with this tool.

Cheers Uffe