Windows XP icon question

[Gustavus]

No forum seemed right for this question, so thought this one the closest.

On a Windows XP machine there are a varying number of icons -- depending on what I have opened -- in the lower right hand corner; the notification area next to the time. If I move the mouse cursor over any one a banner pops up saying what it is. If I click on one the associated
program opens a work area. All except one which I can't identify. My eyes are bad, but with a strong magnifier it is a light blue square with a white circle which has what looks like a bell in the lower portion hanging from the top of the circle and a small white circle overlaying the larger one at 5:00 o'clock. Moving a cursor over it doesn't cause a banner to appear and clicking on it doesn't cause anything to happen. Sorry for the poor description but it is the best I can do.

Does anyone have any idea of what the icon belonged to -- and more important how to get rid of it.

Thanks

 

[VirtualLarry]

Use PRTSCN, to capture the screen into the clipboard, then open Paint, then PASTE, and then crop, and then save it as a JPG and post it to an image-sharing site, then link it here.

Then maybe we would have an idea of what you're talking about.

If you have unwanted software on your PC, try going through your Control Panel, Add/Remove Software (or Programs and Features in newer OSes), and uninstall things that you don't think should be there.

Then use Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware to remove malware. (May need to run RKILL before running them, if you have a bad infection.)

Also, is this a branded OEM machine, with stock bloatware install? Or is this a custom rig installed from MS media?

 

[ninaholic37]

Is it one of these?

I think the stuff on the left is help and language settings and can be removed if you right-click on an empty area of the taskbar and lock it? The middle circle/arrow is if you have the hidden icons setting enabled I think.

 

[Gustavus]

Custom rig. Rather lean machine used primarily to do mathematical calculations and write papers. Nothing in the program list which is suspect. The nvidia graphics added a couple of things whose function I am not sure of, but they have been there since I built the machine and this is a new problem -- if it is a problem and not just a puzzling anomaly. I did delete (earlier) an nvidia "experience" program which was touted as being useful for playing games -- which I don't do so had no use for the program.

SuperAntiSpyware reports no problems found. I run behind ESET Smart Security which updates definitions several times per day. An ESET computer scan found nothing.

 

[Gustavus]

I was an airborne radar maintenance man in the 40's where we blamed inexplicable things that happened in the radar on gremlins. Well they are still at it. The mysterious icon is gone this morning. Even rebooted to see if it came back. Good riddance.