HOW TO: Remove Items from the Notification Area in Windows Server 2003 (324736)

SUMMARY

This step-by-step article describes how to remove items from the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar. Many software companies design their programs so that they run a tray program in the notification area to increase accessibility to (and visibility of) their products. Although tray programs can offer a convenient way to access and control programs, you may not regularly use some of these notification area icons, and they may needlessly take up space in the notification area.

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Hide the Tray Program While You Permit the Host Program to Run in the Background

Many programs that provide a control in the notification area give you the option of hiding the tray icon without stopping the actual program. Three common examples of this include the system clock, the volume control, and network status.

• To prevent the clock from appearing in the notification area, follow these steps:
  
  
  1. Click Start, point to Control Panel, and then click Taskbar and Start Menu.
  2. Click to clear the Show Clock check box, and then click OK.
• To prevent the network connection icon from appearing in the notification area, follow these steps:
  
  
  1. Click Start, point to Control Panel, and then point to Network Connections.
  2. Right-click the network connection, and then click Properties.
  3. Click to clear the Show icon in taskbar when connected check box, and then click OK.
• To prevent the volume control from appearing in the notification area, follow these steps:
  
  
  1. Click Start, point to Control Panel, and then click Sounds and Audio Devices Properties.
  2. Click the Volume tab, click to clear the Show volume control on the taskbar check box under Device volume, and then click OK.

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Quit the Tray Program

Some programs (such as messaging programs) continue to run a tray program even after you quit the main program. In such cases, you must quit the tray program either by using the Exit command that may be built into the tray program or by using Task Manager to end the process.

To quit a tray program by using the tray icon, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the tray icon that you want to remove.
2. If a menu appears, click Exit or Close.

NOTE: If a tray program persists after you quit the main program and you cannot quit the tray program by using the tray icon, you may be able to quit the tray program by using Task Manager:

1. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and then click Task Manager.
2. Click the Processes tab, click the name of process for the program that you want to quit, and then click End Process.
   
   NOTE: If you are not sure which .exe file runs the program that you want to quit, contact the program manufacturer.
3. Quit Task Manager.
   
   The icon of the program should no longer appear in the notification area.

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Prevent a Program from Automatically Starting When Windows Starts

Some programs that use tray icons start automatically when Windows starts. To prevent a program from automatically starting when Windows starts, use any of the following methods.

Use the Program's Options or Preferences Menu or Command

1. If the program has a menu bar, browse the menus to see if there is an Options or Preferences command, and if so, click it.
2. View the various settings to determine whether there is a way to prevent the program from automatically starting when Windows starts. If such a setting exists, enable that setting.
3. Quit the program.

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Remove the Program Shortcut from the Startup Folder

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, and then point to Startup.
2. Right-click the program shortcut, and then click Delete.

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Use the Startup Tab in the System Configuration Utility

The Startup tab lists items loading at startup from the Startup folder and the registry.

NOTE: To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group may be able to perform this procedure. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure.

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. Click the Startup tab.
3. Click to clear the check boxes for the programs that you want to prevent from automatically starting when Windows starts.

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Delete the String Value That Is Associated with the Program from the Registry

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Use Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) to locate and then click the following key in the registry:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

2. If the program appears in the details pane (right side), right-click the program, and then click Delete.
3. Quit Registry Editor.

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