Volume Help!

This is the exact same problem I'm looking on here too.

I don't know if this is the answer but It might have to do with Dell Quickset. Look on the taskbar and see if you have the icon there. It's in the shape of a blue Q with a yellow tail sticking out of it. Click the icon and uncheck 'disable onscreen volume meter.' (On some versions you must right click it and on some you left click.)

If the icon is missing look under Start/All Programs and see if you have the Dell Quickset program. Follow the arrow to the word 'Quickset' and click on it and the 'Q' icon should appear on the taskbar.

If you don't have the Quickset program you can download it from your downloads page under 'Applications'. Follow this link and enter your model name, number and operating system. When you get on the download page expand the Applications category.

Quickset's main function is to start the power management wizard; however, clicking the icon lets you enable or disable the Fn keys for volume and screen brightness, and it is necessary for Media Direct to function.

Well I was able to resolve this without a response, so i thought I'd post one.

All I had to do for my Inspiron E1705 to resolve my on screen missing volume meter for the front panel sound buttoms was install the optional QuickSet driver/application from the Dell Drivers/Downloads under Applications. For my specific laptop I used v 8.1.12. Atfer that, a nice volume graphic shows up on screen when I increase, decrease, and mute the volume using the front panel volume buttons.

Probelm solved!