Solved Security Icon on Task Bar

no1yak · May 18, 2024

But of an odd one here. The security icon in the task bar vanishes when Windows loads after a cold boot or restart. It flashes for a second and then just disappears. I can restart the service by using Revo and once it's started it stays on the task bar until i reboot. I know it's a long shot but anyone have any ideas .

Wisewiz · May 18, 2024

@no1yak

You should have "C:\Windows\System32\SecurityHealthSystray.exe" in your startups. Without it, the Defender can run all day without an icon in the tray. See this @Brink tutorial:

Add or Remove Windows Security Notification Icon in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Windows Security notification icon on the taskbar for your account or all users in Windows 11. Windows Security is built-in to Windows 11 and includes an antivirus program called Microsoft Defender Antivirus. Your device will be actively...

www.elevenforum.com

no1yak · May 18, 2024

Wisewiz said:
@no1yak

You should have "C:\Windows\System32\SecurityHealthSystray.exe" in your startups. Without it, the Defender can run all day without an icon in the tray. See this @Brink tutorial:

Add or Remove Windows Security Notification Icon in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Windows Security notification icon on the taskbar for your account or all users in Windows 11. Windows Security is built-in to Windows 11 and includes an antivirus program called Microsoft Defender Antivirus. Your device will be actively...

www.elevenforum.com

@Wisewiz Yes that is there in the reg. I have checked .I know defender can run all-day without the icon being present on the task br.

OAT · May 18, 2024

no1yak said:
@Wisewiz Yes that is there in the reg. I have checked .I know defender can run all-day without the icon being present on the task br.

The fact that it shows up then disappears would seem to indicate it is set at the all-user level then is disabled at the current user one.
Create a new temp user to see what happens.

Double check if it's present in this other hive as well:
This is the only place I have it in the registry. (This, of course, will affect all users)

Wisewiz · May 18, 2024

If the reg entries in Option Four in that tutorial are present, you may also have to go back and do the enabling in Option Two, and THEN do the enabling in Option One. You need to squelch all of the systems that are snuffing out your tray icon right after your boot.

no1yak · May 18, 2024

Wisewiz said:
If the reg entries in Option Four in that tutorial are present, you may also have to go back and do the enabling in Option Two, and THEN do the enabling in Option One. You need to squelch all of the systems that are snuffing out your tray icon right after your boot.

@Wisewiz Yes done all that some time ago without any success.

Wisewiz · May 18, 2024

no1yak said:
@Wisewiz Yes done all that some time ago without any success.

If that's true, then exactly what happens when you go to "C:\Windows\System32\SecurityHealthSystray.exe" and double-click that file?

no1yak · May 18, 2024

Wisewiz said:
If that's true, then exactly what happens when you go to "C:\Windows\System32\SecurityHealthSystray.exe" and double-click that file?

@Wisewiz It puts the icon on the tray

Wisewiz · May 18, 2024

Well, then, create a shortcut to that excecutable file, and put it in "C:\Users\<yourname>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" and then reboot and see whether the icon stays in place.
If not, try putting the shortcut to that executable file in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" and then rebooting, and see whether the icon stays.

no1yak · May 18, 2024

Wisewiz said:
Well, then, create a shortcut to that excecutable file, and put it in "C:\Users\<yourname>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" and then reboot and see whether the icon stays in place.
If not, try putting the shortcut to that executable file in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" and then rebooting, and see whether the icon stays.

Well none of your suggestions have worked. So I think I'll leave it for now. Just thought it might be any easy fix but, if it was then I wouldn't be on here asking this question.

Bastet · May 18, 2024

Right click on start & choose powershell/terminal with admin & type/copy & paste these cmds one at a time then click Enter:

Code:

SFC /SCANNOW
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
SFC /SCANNOW

Yes the Sfc cmd is run twice.

Also I assume you’ve checked under hidden icons?

no1yak · May 18, 2024

Bastet said:
Right click on start & choose powershell/terminal with admin & type/copy & paste these cmds one at a time then click Enter:

Code:

SFC /SCANNOW DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth SFC /SCANNOW

Yes the Sfc cmd is run twice.

Also I assume you’ve checked under hidden icons?

@Bastet Thanks for your input but, I'm way ahead of you on this one.

Wisewiz · May 18, 2024

Well, if you've tried everything that @OAT and @Bastet and I have suggested, and you STILL don't have that icon staying permanently in your tray, my final advice would be to do an In-place repair install. It's quick and easy and you can keep all of your own apps and data, so you don't have to reinstall anything.

Use Option Two:

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...

www.elevenforum.com

Bastet · May 18, 2024

Thought that might be the case @no1yak.
How about: Right click taskbar>taskbar settings>Notification>turn system icons on/off?

Have you tried an in-place repair?

Wisewiz · May 18, 2024

Bastet said:
Have you tried an in-place repair?

Bastet, there's a weird echo in here!

no1yak · May 18, 2024

Wisewiz said:
Well, if you've tried everything that @OAT and @Bastet and I have suggested, and you STILL don't have that icon staying permanently in your tray, my final advice would be to do an In-place repair install. It's quick and easy and you can keep all of your own apps and data, so you don't have to reinstall anything.

Use Option Two:

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...

www.elevenforum.com

@Wisewiz Been there done that and still same problem. That was the first thing I did.

Wisewiz · May 18, 2024

You don't by any chance have a third-party Anti-malware program installed, do you?

no1yak · May 18, 2024

Wisewiz said:
You don't by any chance have a third-party Anti-malware program installed, do you?

@Wisewiz No just Defender

Wisewiz · May 18, 2024

Okay, a final thought: We've had several reports in this forum of repair installs fixing everything else that was wrong with a previous installation, but Defender was not running (or not obviously running) and didn't seem to even be present. Since it's so quick and easy, I'd try it again. I don't think that problem has persisted when those who were affected did a SECOND repair install. Worth a try?