To get the volume icon back on the taskbar, go to Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices. Under Device Volume, check the "Place volume icon in the taskbar" option. If there's an error that comes saying to go to Add/Remove Programs, then you're have to just that. In Add/Remove Program, you can try to install the volume icon in Add/Remove components. Scroll through the list to see if you can find it. If not, you'll have to install it from the CD.
When you say you're having trouble with your profiles, do you mean hardware profiles? What exactly is wrong with them?
Gizmo73