# What is Lav ?



## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

While playing a music video on Windows Media Player recently I noticed on the right hand side of the Taskbar icons for something called Lav Audio Decoder and Lav Video Decoder.
To my knowledge I didn't download these two things.
What are these and how could they have ended up on my PC ?
See screenshot.
Please help.
Also, I've just noticed that my NVidia icon has suddenly disappeared from the Taskbar. Why would that happen and how do I now check for NVidia updates if the icon isn't there. ?


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

They would have come with the codec pack you downloaded from what I saw in another of your threads:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Lite_Codec_Pack


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

For the Nvidia icon try these instructions to get it back:

http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answ...-nvidia-notification-tray-icon-on-the-windows


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## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

Cookiegal said:


> They would have come with the codec pack you downloaded from what I saw in another of your threads:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Lite_Codec_Pack


OK, I also saw 'Lav splitter' while playing a different video which wasn't there before.
Thing is, these 'Lav's' weren't there until to-day. How come they've suddenly appeared even though I've had K-Lite for months ?


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

Robert the Bruce said:


> OK, I also saw 'Lav splitter' while playing a different video which wasn't there before.
> Thing is, these 'Lav's' weren't there until to-day. How come they've suddenly appeared even though I've had K-Lite for months ?


In that article it says Lav splitter is included as well. I don't know, perhaps they only appear there if they get called upon or there was an update in the software that enabled the icons to be viewed in the taskbar. Or perhaps it has something to do with changing out the power supply, some things may have reverted to default or different settings/configurations. Those are my best guesses but of course that's all they are (guesses).


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## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

Cookiegal said:


> For the Nvidia icon try these instructions to get it back:
> 
> http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answ...-nvidia-notification-tray-icon-on-the-windows


First screenshot shows your link.
Second screenshot shows what I see. There is no 'View' option and even when I click on 'Desktop' and check the 'Show Notification Tray Icon' it doesn't work. NVidia icon does not appear in the taskbar.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

I wonder if that icon is hidden.

Click Start - Settings and then click on "Taskbar and Start Menu" - Properties. See if that icon is listed there and shown to be hidden when inactive. You can change the setting to always show. I don't remember the exact terms and I'm too lazy to fire up my old XP to check.


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## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

Cookiegal said:


> I wonder if that icon is hidden.
> 
> Click Start - Settings and then click on "Taskbar and Start Menu" - Properties. See if that icon is listed there and shown to be hidden when inactive. You can change the setting to always show. I don't remember the exact terms and I'm too lazy to fire up my old XP to check.


First screenshot shows what I see when I click 'Start' - there is nothing which says 'Settings' and so I can't even get as far as 'Taskbar and Start Menu" - Properties'.
Second screenshot shows what I see when I click on 'Start' then 'All Programs' - STILL nothing which says 'Settings'.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

Sorry, right-click an empty area of the taskbar and select "properties".


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## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

Cookiegal said:


> Sorry, right-click an empty area of the taskbar and select "properties".


OK, I did that and this is what I see. ????


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

Since Hide Inactive Icons is not checked that means you don't have any hidden. If you put a check mark there then the Customize option should be available and you can select what options you want. But you don't need to do that since there aren't any hidden.

In the run box type:

devmgmt.msc

to open the Device Manager.

Is the Nvidia graphics card listed there beside Display Adapters and/or are there any yellow alerts on the left side?


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## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

Cookiegal said:


> Since Hide Inactive Icons is not checked that means you don't have any hidden. If you put a check mark there then the Customize option should be available and you can select what options you want. But you don't need to do that since there aren't any hidden.
> 
> In the run box type:
> 
> ...


Sorry about the delay.
Here's a screenshot of the Device Manager.
Perhaps I should point out that the NVidia Icon has since reappeared on my Taskbar. Although I've no idea how that happened. But I would still like to see this through in case it disappears again.


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

I have icons disappear (Win 7) and no logical explanation as to why. Things like Malwarebytes paid disappears, volume disappears and sometimes it has a red x over it and yet I still hear sounds. I reboot and see if i can get the missing or incorrect icons back.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

Please double-click on that unknown device under Sound, Video and Game Controllers with the yellow exclamation mark and check all the tabs and let me know anything you can about it (size, owner of the driver, etc.)


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## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

Cookiegal said:


> Please double-click on that unknown device under Sound, Video and Game Controllers with the yellow exclamation mark and check all the tabs and let me know anything you can about it (size, owner of the driver, etc.)


I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about that since I don't have a clue what it is or where it came from. I did recently update my NVidia Drivers although I think this is a separate thing.
Please see screenshots.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

On the Driver tab please click on "Driver Details" and post a screenshot of that page.


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## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

Cookiegal said:


> On the Driver tab please click on "Driver Details" and post a screenshot of that page.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

Sorry, I should have asked you this before as the same time to click on the Details tab and post a screenshot of that.

I suspect this is one of those codec packs that you uninstalled which is not being used and can probably be deleted. But first I'd like to see if Details reveals anything more about it.


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## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

Screenshot. BTW post#15 shows screenshots of all tabs.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

I'm hesitant to have you delete it without knowing what it is but I suspect my first thought is correct (a codec that didn't fully uninstall).

Since it's disabled I'd say leave it the way it is.


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## Robert the Bruce (Aug 16, 2006)

OK.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

:up:


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