How to remove an item from the taskbar

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I'm using Windows XP Home edition.

In the last couple of days I noticed that a little icon for "mixer" has appeared in my taskbar that sits at the bottom of the screen. Instead of being a little icon on the right-hand side it is sitting on the left side right next to where "Start" sits.

When I right click on the mixer icon nothing happens although the little button indents. '

If I open up the Windows Task Manager I can manually make it disappear by ending the process tree for "mixer" but the damn button comes back every time I restart.

I even found the mixer program within my files but I could find no option that asked me if I wanted it to appear on the taskbar with startup.

Can someone please help me get rid of it? Much appreciation from me

 

Here's the easiest way to remove it:

Click and hold the icon, then drag it over the Recycle Bin, and then unclick.

But since it's re-apearing every time you start up your computer, it sounds like it might be malware, in which case, you'll need to read this: Kitrax’s guide to killing Adware, Spyware, and Viruses.

 

If a spyware removal tool doesn't detect/remove it, here's another thing to try. Click on START, then click on RUN. Type "msconfig" without the inverted commas. You will get a window with several tabs on top. Click on the tab that says "Startup". There, you will have a list of processes that are loaded when the PC starts. Look for the "mixer" one and unmark it.

Don't modify anything else. Apply changes and restart the computer.

 

Thanks Colthrun, that was exactly what I was looking for. I knew that somewhere there was a window to close startup programs, but I was having a lot of trouble locating it. That information will come in useful the next time I need it.

 

*sniff* *sniff*

Hmmm....I smell the perfect time for yet another shameless plug!

For all things MSconfig, you'll need a look at: Kitrax’s guide to the System Configuration Utility for WinXP!