Windows 7: Black Box in notification area of taskbar

So I have a problem...

I am currently running a SONY VAIO VPCCW21FX with an NVIDIA 310M graphics card installed. Recently, a black box has appeared in the right side of the taskbar, starting from just left of the change language dialog and going all the way right. When ending the explorer.exe process, the box remain, and when highlighting it, the loading cursor appears. I've attached some screenshots to give a better visual. Any ideas and/or known causes/fixes to this issue? It does not seem to affect performance at all, but it worries me that a more serious unseen issue may exist as well.

Thanks!

Edit: it should be noted that clicking the box turns it white, and after a few more clicks it goes away. Also, I apologize if this was posted in the wrong forum... I am still unsure as to if this is a hardware issue with my graphics card or a software issue.

The thing you descibe is called the system tray and is supposed top be there and is perfectly normal

i understand what the system tray is hahaa id concider myself to be pretty computer smart. you are misssing that black rectangle in the bottom. thats where the unidentified problem is. look at the second screenshot. now imagine a mouse there with a loading cursor. that is not normal. its almost as if that corner of the monitor has not fully loaded.

See snip

the problem is located behind the system tray... yes where you are pointing to with problem in quotes. you are failing to see the black rectangle behind the system tray that should not be there... the entire task bar should be transparent, but as you can see that one section is black and dark. look at my second sreenshot... occasionally that black rectangle will show up in a full screen application, such as a game or movie. compare my system tray to yours, and then end the explorer.exe process on your compter and compare your screen to the second screenshot i uploaded to my original post. that is the problem.

Understood.

Did you install anything around the time when it appeared?

Any chance of getting your system specs?

i have not installed anything recently, though if i have not noted it yet you should know that nvidia's installer refuses to install the latest version of the cards drivers (280.26)... it says that no compatable hardware was found.

computer is a sony vaio vpc-cw21fx, running an intel i3 m330, nvidia 310m graphics card, 4gb ram... computer was bought january 2010 (thats when sony released this laptop). all drivers besides graphics up to date. any other info you want?

Is it there when you boot info safe mode (F8)?

Nvidia Driver 280.26 - Supported Products

Notes:

1. Notebooks supporting Hybrid Power technology with Intel chipsets are not supported by this release.
2. The following Sony VAIO notebooks are supported: Sony VAIO F Series with NVIDIA GeForce 310M, GeForce GT 335M, GeForce GT 425M, GeForce GT 520M or GeForce GT 540M. Other Sony VAIO notebooks are not supported at this time (please contact Sony for driver support).
3. Fujitsu notebooks are not supported by this release (Fujitsu Siemens notebooks are supported).

Try running the aero troubleshooter. Have you installed any custom themes. Looks like the aero isn't applying but just over the system tray. Very odd.

Danny