Right, when I boot up my computer i usually get no icons in the bottom right (occasionally I get the windows indexer thingy, its a magnifying glass). I get no other icon (avira, commodo, volume ect)

Now if i open Task Manager and end the explorer.exe process, and then go to File>New Task(run) and type "explorer.exe" in the box and press OK, all the icons load up again.

i have checked the computer for viruses (using my computers Avira Anti-Virus and an online one (panda), malware has been checked online.

i am running the latest version of XP SP3 Media Centre Edition (fully updated).

I have:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4200+
2.21GHz
3GB RAM

I have installed (protection wise, regularly checked)
Avira Anti-virus
Spyware Guard
Spyware Blaster
PcPitstop Exterminate2

I also use Comodo's free firewall

I have searched on the internet for a solution and the only one I haven't tried is to download a program that delays start-up of applications.

I am unsure if I have missed any crucial details. If you need any more info then please let me know.

You may know this, but the Windows XP task bar has an option to hide unused icons. This could be the reason some icons are disappearing. To check this option:

•right-click the Taskbar
•select Properties
•clear the check box Hide inactive icons

Try this:
--------------------------------------------------
Go to Start/Run and type in:

regsvr32 /i shell32

Click OK.

Restart your computer.

Yes, I am aware of the hidden icons, and how it works, thank you for suggesting though.

I just tried that jephree and it has proven unsuccessful, i still have no icons.

One more thing I forgot to mention above, it started approximately 2 weeks ago, now when I restore my computer to an earlier date (System Restore) when the computer loads up I have all icons and things are normal, however should I re-start my computer (as in when it has re-started from the restore) straight away without changing anything it will re-start and no icons will be visible. This is what made me do a complete scan of my computer.

Do you see the clock?

Also above you said you had to manually Run... explorer.exe from the Task Manager

Is that correct? In other words explorer.exe is not starting automatically?

yes i can see the clock.

no explorer starts automatically, but if I end the process in Task Manager and then run it again all the icons will load.

There are many similar issues here:

xp systray icons missing - Google Search

A lot of possible fixes but I see nothing definitive as of yet.

i had an idea of disabling some startup items (on the idea that there could be too much loading at startup)

There is one item which is blank, no file and no description just a run command. I'll try disabling this (along with some other processes)

I tried google, but I searched for "xp system tray icons missing" never thought of systray as its more commonly known. there are some interesting fixes, i need the services that they suggest diasabling.

One interesting note is someone used regcleaner and that not only sped up boot time but fixed his problem. What can i expect if i run this (i.e. programs no longer working)

I didn't realise that you could get RegCleaner free but apparantly:

|MG| RegCleaner 4.3.0.780

I would never pay for such software.

I will quote my canned text on Registry Cleaners in which I mention a couple other free ones plus at the end you will see ERUNT which is a great backup tool.

Registry Cleaner
--------------------------------------------------
The Registry is constantly changing as you use your computer. Many temporary settings are recorded so having a recurrence of errors is not uncommon. Rather it is common. Unused file extensions or MRU entries will always recur.

That being said: the first time that you ever use a cleaner you will probably get several hundred hits.

If you cleanup regularly you will always find some.

Cleaners vary on how deep they dig.

I use this freeware which is a moderate digger:

RegSeeker

A deep digger is jv 16 PowerTools

The current version needs to be purchased but you can still get the old freeware version here:

jv16 PowerTools - DOWNLOAD at OLD VERSION.COM

Before using any cleaner you should back up your registry.

ERUNT is a great free tool for that:

[ERUNT] Registry Backup and Restore for Windows
ERUNT and NTREGOPT


[ERUNT Download URLs]
http://www.aumha.org/downloads/erunt.zip
http://www.aumha.org/downloads/erunt-setup.exe


[Installing & Using ERUNT]
Take a complete registry backup using ERUNT
Silent Runners - Installing & Using ERUNT
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-on...runt/erunt.txt


Hope this helps.

I have had no luck so far, im out of ideas, I've even tried disabling the services but to no avail.