magpies123
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How do I remove the Volume Control from the system tray/notification area using a reg hack?
We have a GPO in place that restricts users' access to many of the Control Panel's items, "Sound and Audio Devices" being one of them. However, whenever a user logs on to a PC that they haven't already had a profile created on (we aren't using roaming profiles), the Volume Control appears in the system tray, effectively negating the GPO that restricts access to the volume control via the Control Panel.
I would like to include a registry hack into our login script, but I can't find the HKEY_CURRENT_USER key that controls whether the Volume Control icon is present in the system tray.
As an aside, some users are excluded from this GPO to allow them to enable sound because their role requires them to have it (and they may also be hot-desking), so the solution needs to be flexible (i.e. Not just disabling the sound card device or similar).
I also have the frustration of audio and video drivers creating a system tray icon too, but let's not tackle that just yet... One step at a time!
Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I would like to include a registry hack into our login script, but I can't find the HKEY_CURRENT_USER key that controls whether the Volume Control icon is present in the system tray.
As an aside, some users are excluded from this GPO to allow them to enable sound because their role requires them to have it (and they may also be hot-desking), so the solution needs to be flexible (i.e. Not just disabling the sound card device or similar).
I also have the frustration of audio and video drivers creating a system tray icon too, but let's not tackle that just yet... One step at a time!
Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.
ASKER
Hi dramdrum,
Cheers for the suggestion, that's just the sort of thing I'm looking for, but alas, after editing my registry and restarting my PC, my Volume Control icon is ever-present in the system tray...
Cheers for the suggestion, that's just the sort of thing I'm looking for, but alas, after editing my registry and restarting my PC, my Volume Control icon is ever-present in the system tray...
After doing a lot of seraching i couldnt find a registry key to disable volume control on windows XP.
In Vista it can be disabled with the key i posted above and also from the policy editor:
Run gpedit.msc
Go to User Configuration->Administrat
When you look at the properties of "Remove the Volume Control Icon" it says "Supported on: At least Windows Vista" which leads me to believe there might not be a way in XP to do it.
Sorry, I cant think of anything else :(
In Vista it can be disabled with the key i posted above and also from the policy editor:
Run gpedit.msc
Go to User Configuration->Administrat
When you look at the properties of "Remove the Volume Control Icon" it says "Supported on: At least Windows Vista" which leads me to believe there might not be a way in XP to do it.
Sorry, I cant think of anything else :(
ASKER
No doing, I'm afraid. I wonder if there's a patch/add-in for the XP GPOs that would include it (like you can get with Office etc, you know?) or expand the options somewhat...?
ASKER
Anybody got any further ideas?
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ASKER
robincm:
My hex value was "1e", but I changed it to "1b", restarted and the icon has gone.
This is great news and, subject to some further testing, will get you the solution points!
Thanks you.
My hex value was "1e", but I changed it to "1b", restarted and the icon has gone.
This is great news and, subject to some further testing, will get you the solution points!
Thanks you.
ASKER
Perfect - thanks robincm
ASKER
This was EXACTLY what I was after - thanks robincm
translating those hex values into binary gives
1b: 11011
1f: 11111
so bit 3 would appear to control whether the sound control appears or not.
1b: 11011
1f: 11111
so bit 3 would appear to control whether the sound control appears or not.
"HideSCAVolume"=dword:0000
This works on windows Vista
Not sure about XP, dont have an XP machine to test it on where i am now.