microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize

I've been busy making mods after doing a re-install. My notification try
on my task bar is getting kinda big. I'd like to have it take up less
screen real estate. I looked up Windows help and followed the steps
only to see Hide icons on Notification Tray to be grayed out. I am
operating under an authorized profile. So what can I try to make this
function available again?

Brian K