All 32-bit Windows systems come equipped with the Volume Control utility that enables you to change the volume of any audio running on your system. This utility is controlled by the executable file sndvol32.exe. By default, you can access Volume Control from the System Tray on the taskbar of your Desktop. Although the program is not essential to run your Windows system, you must not terminate it, unless you encounter a problem.

How to Display the Volume Control Icon in the System Tray

To display the Volume Control icon in the System Tray of your taskbar, perform the following steps:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Select the Sounds and Audio Devices icon.
3. Select the Place icon in the taskbar checkbox.

You can also open the Volume Control dialog box from the Sounds and Audio Devices dialog box by clicking the Advanced button.

Fixing Problems with the Sound Control

If the Sndvol32.exe file is missing or damaged, you may encounter either one or both of the following problems/errors:

• You will not be able to display the Volume icon in the System Tray.
• When you try to add the Volume icon to the System Tray from the Control Panel, you may receive the following error message:

Windows cannot display the volume control on the taskbar because the Volume Control program has not been installed. To install it use Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel.

When this problem occurs, you will be unable to open the Volume Control dialog box to adjust volume and sound settings of your PC.

To fix this problem, you will have to replace the Sndvol32 file on your computer. It is not possible to download the file from the Internet. Therefore, you will have to extract it from the Windows XP installation CD-ROM. To do this, perform the following steps:

1. Open Start menu and select Run.
2. In the Open field type cmd and press Enter.
3. In the Command Prompt window that opens run the following commands.
   Note: Press Enter after each command to execute them. Here, we are assuming that F is the drive letter for your CD-ROM drive.F:
   cd i386
   expand sndvol32.ex_ system_root\system32\sndvol32.exe
4. Type Exit and press Enter to close the Command Prompt window.
5. Verify the repair by ensuring that the Volume icon is visible in the System Tray and that you can use it to control sound and volume on your system.

Preventing Problems

The problem usually occurs when the Volume Control file is damaged by a third-party sound card driver. The file may also get damaged due to virus infection. To prevent the Volume Control file from getting damaged or corrupt, you must take the following preventive measures:

• Ensure that the Sound Card drivers you are installing on your computer are not buggy and are compatible with the Windows operating system version on your computer.
• Keep all device drivers, including Sound Card drivers, updated with the latest security releases.
• Ensure that the Sound Card installed on your computer is compatible with the hardware of your PC and is seated properly in the right slot on the motherboard.
• Ensure that the Sound Card is functioning properly.
• Regularly run antivirus and antispyware scans on your PC to prevent damage to system files located on your PC.
• Use a registry cleaner software to keep your system free from registry errors and ensure that there are no file associations and driver errors occurring due to registry problems.

To sum up, we can say that to prevent any type of problems and errors from occurring on your PC, you need to perform regular preventive maintenance. Keep your registry error free, make sure that your operating system and drivers are updated with the latest patches, and run regular antivirus scans to ensure a healthy and efficient system.