Volume display for laptop missing after driver update

Question

I have a Dell Inspiron 1520, and I just updated my audio drivers to be able to use Stereo Mix. It's a SigmaTel audio driver.

Prior to the update, whenever I used the hardware buttons to update volume or mute/unmute speakers, it would always have a nice display like this one:

But, for volume instead of screen brightness. The hardware buttons still work fortunately, but the volume display is gone.

Is there a place I can configure this setting and re-enable it? The speaker icon in task tray was also disabled with the update, but I re-enabled that from the Control Panel.

Is this simply gone with the driver update?

Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

It appears to have magically re-enabled itself somehow. Nowhere did I adjust any settings.

Glad to have it back!

Answer 2

I installed Spotify on my Dell laptop the other day, and noted that it took control of my volume controls. This is understandable - so that I can't avoid the ads. However, it appeared to also disable the pictorial notification that comes up on my screen when I adjust the volume with the hardware keyboard buttons. Which was annoying. Especially as the notifications for all my other buttons (screen brightness, wireless, caps lock) had disappeared as well (even after a reboot). I could still adjust the caps, brightness, etc, but the notifications wouldn't display.

In looking for a fix, I found your question, and was unimpressed with the lack of answers. ...Until the same magic fix happened to me, as well. (I did nothing, but it just magically started working, again.)