i currently use a dell latitude D410 laptop, running windows XP office. there is a volume control right above the keyboard. when i first got the computer, when i changed the volume it used to show a green meter on the screen indicating how high or low the volume was. that has since disappeared. any thought as to how i can turn it on again? i’m assuming it’s simple, but i have searched all over to no avail.

Try right clicking on a vacant spot on the taskbar, select properties, then customize. The volume indicator should be one of the selections, choose “always show”.
Hope this helps.