System tray issue

[kluelos]

I'm running BC 1.20 on XP SP3 with a DSL connection over a wired Belkin router, with the Windows firewall and the router's built-in firmware firewall, and NOD32 v4.0.314.0. I have set Windows not to hide inactive icons in the system tray.

I have BitComet (and µtorrent) set to start with windows, resume tasks and minimize to the system tray. When I reboot, I cannot see the icons for either in the system tray. Process Explorer tells me that the tasks did start and are running.

I have shortcuts to both on my desktop, and if I double-click them, each process opens up its main window.

If I minimize the windows, the system tray icons do not appear.

If I exit BitComet, wait for it to end, then restart it, the main window opens up again, and NOW when I minimize the window, the system tray icon finally appears.

µtorrent behaves in exactly the same way.

This behavior happens whether I have the "Start with Windows" option checked, or have it unchecked and put a shortcut in the Startup folder.

Any ideas on how I can get the icons to show up when I boot? My system used to do this long ago, and I have no idea what changed this.