How to Reinstall a Volume Control Device Without the Disk

Problems with the volume control often manifest in a missing volume icon.

When you install Windows XP, the Volume Control or sound mixer sometimes does not get installed. The process for installing the volume control is not difficult, once you have the file. The problem comes from having a corrupted version of that file. If you have a Windows XP CD, fixing the corrupted file is simple. If you do not, it becomes a little more challenging, but with the right know-how, you can accomplish it.

Instructions

1. Click the "Start" button and choose the "Run" option. Copy the following command into the box that opens:

   mmsys.cpl

2. Mark the check box that says "Place volume icon in the taskbar," if the command runs properly. If you get an error message that says Sndvol32.exe is corrupted or damaged, skip to step 4.

3. Click the "OK" button and check your taskbar to make sure the volume icon is there and the volume control works properly.

4. Download the sndvol32.exe program from a file sharing site like 4shared.com. Microsoft does not provide an official download for sndvol32.exe.

5. Save and expand the downloaded file to the c:\windows\system32\ folder. If you have the file there already, a pop-up window asks if you want to overwrite it. Push the button that indicates you do.

6. Repeat steps 1 through 3 to put the sound icon in the taskbar.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have access to a Windows CD, sndvol32.exe is on it and you can save it to the c:\windows\system32\ folder directly from the CD, rather than having to download the file.

• Minimixer is a free clone of the Windows volume control and is available for download over CNet.

References

• Microsoft Support: Volume icon is not displayed in the notification area, and you may receive an error message when you try to add it

Resources

• 4Shared: Download sndvol32.exe
• CNet: Minimixer