Missing network icon in the system tray area on a WinToGo installation

[lsanin]

Before reporting your issue

• I have confirmed that this issue does not happen when ExplorerPatcher is not installed
• I do not have "register as shell extension" enabled
• I have tried my best to check existing issues

Repro ExplorerPatcher versions

ExplorerPatcher 68.2

Repro Windows Versions

Win 11 261000.6584 x64

3rd party tweak software installed

WinSetView

Describe the bug

I have this (Win11+ExplorerPatcher) installed on the hard drive, and when I boot from the hard drive everything is fine. I then created a clone of this installation on a USB flash drive (cloned by WinToUSB), and when I boot from this flash drive, the network icon in the tray area disappears. Again, it's an exact clone, on the flash drive.

Thanks.

Expected outcome

I expect to see the network icon.

Actual outcome

The network icon disappears.

Additional info

None.

Crash Dumps

None

Media

None.

[pyrates999]

what taskbar are you using? windows 10 (explorerpatcher) or windows 11?

[pyrates999]

found this: https://www.ntlite.com/community/index.php?threads/resolved-network-icon-tray-not-visible.2842/

check for the service "Radio Management Service" and that it is running.

[lsanin]

I read it before, and check everything in it. Nothing helped. That service is running.

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On Sun, Sep 21, 2025 at 9:28 AM pyrates999 ***@***.***> wrote: *pyrates999* left a comment (valinet/ExplorerPatcher#4575) <#4575 (comment)> found this: https://www.ntlite.com/community/index.php?threads/resolved-network-icon-tray-not-visible.2842/ check for the service "Radio Management Service" and that it is running. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#4575 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/A26Q2CNKTPXZXTYTGR5RHSL3TZHS7AVCNFSM6AAAAACHCLVXK2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTGMJVGU4TMNRUGY> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[lsanin]

win10 explorerpatcher. See attached.

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On Sun, Sep 21, 2025 at 9:25 AM pyrates999 ***@***.***> wrote: *pyrates999* left a comment (valinet/ExplorerPatcher#4575) <#4575 (comment)> what taskbar are you using? windows 10 (explorerpatcher) or windows 11? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#4575 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/A26Q2CN6VADWAKFWI5FWLND3TZHGRAVCNFSM6AAAAACHCLVXK2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTGMJVGU4TANJUHE> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[pyrates999]

If you want to upload images, you need to log into github. It won't work via email replies.

[lsanin]

it was a .reg file, configuration export. I should've renamed it into .txt or something. Would you like to have it?

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On Sun, Sep 21, 2025 at 11:10 AM pyrates999 ***@***.***> wrote: *pyrates999* left a comment (valinet/ExplorerPatcher#4575) <#4575 (comment)> If you want to upload images, you need to log into github. It won't work via email replies. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#4575 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/A26Q2CNAZQI37LNXJ5V4WYL3TZTPPAVCNFSM6AAAAACHCLVXK2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTGMJVHA2TKOBQG4> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[pyrates999]

Can you show a screen shot of the taskbar that has missing network icon instead?

[lsanin]

I had to clone it again (having problems with booting from this USB after backup-restore). Here's two screenshots, file names should be self-explanatory. Thanks.

[lsanin]

...it doesn't look like you can see file names, so here they are: 1_disk_boot_and_cloning_to_usb.jpg and 2_cloned_usb_boot_minutes_later.jpg
Thanks.

[lsanin]

...some more info, probably useless, but it might remove or add some hypotheses:
I have two of these boxes, HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Desktop Mini PC. Let's call them X and Y. They're pretty old, and MS says their cpu (Intel i5) is not compatible with Win 11. But I installed Win 11 on X (it's on the screenshots) anyway, and it works okay. Win 11 is not activated (I have no license).

X has a built-in NIC and the disk about twice slower than the USB drive (KingstoneMax). Y has no NIC (I use a usb NIC), and the disk about as fast as the USB drive.

I booted this cloned USB drive on both, and the network icon is missing on both.

[pyrates999]

click here to see if the network icon shows up:

[lsanin]

Nope.

[pyrates999]

In the taskbar, please show an image of what was there when you clicked on the triangle pointing up.

[milestprower92]

@lsanin Starting with Windows 11 24H2 Microsoft removed pnidui.dll (the old network icon) EP what it does is to add the .dll in the ExplorerPatcher's root folder
Have you tried reinstalling EP?

[lsanin]

Tried to reinstall several times.

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On Mon, Sep 22, 2025 at 7:10 AM Miles Prower ***@***.***> wrote: *milestprower92* left a comment (valinet/ExplorerPatcher#4575) <#4575 (comment)> @lsanin <https://github.com/lsanin> Starting with Windows 11 24H2 Microsoft removed pnidui.dll (the old network icon) EP what it does is to add the .dll in the ExplorerPatcher's root folder Have you tried reinstalling EP? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#4575 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/A26Q2CJ7R4VR4FUN6EKITBL3T6ACZAVCNFSM6AAAAACHCLVXK2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTGMJWHA2TIOJSGE> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>