diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.cpp
index 6cf7bc0fd6b..3293a7674f9 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/taskbar/desktopbar.cpp
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ LRESULT DesktopBar::WndProc(UINT nmsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam)
 	  case WM_TIMER:
 		if (wparam == ID_TRAY_VOLUME) {
 			KillTimer(_hwnd, wparam);
-			WinExec("sndvol32.exe -t", SW_SHOWNORMAL);	// launch volume control in small mode
+			launch_file(_hwnd, TEXT("sndvol32.exe"), SW_SHOWNORMAL, TEXT("-t"));	// launch volume control in small mode
 		}
 		break;
 
@@ -323,7 +323,11 @@ int DesktopBar::Command(int id, int code)
 		break;}
 
 	  case ID_TRAY_VOLUME:
-		WinExec("sndvol32.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);
+		launch_file(_hwnd, TEXT("sndvol32.exe"), SW_SHOWNORMAL);	// launch volume control application
+		break;
+
+	  case ID_VOLUME_PROPERTIES:
+		RunDLL(_hwnd, TEXT("shell32"), "Control_RunDLL", TEXT("mmsys.cpl"), SW_SHOWNORMAL);
 		break;
 
 	  default:
@@ -394,7 +398,7 @@ void DesktopBar::TrayDblClick(UINT id, int btn)
 	switch(id) {
 	  case ID_TRAY_VOLUME:
 		KillTimer(_hwnd, ID_TRAY_VOLUME);	// finish one-click timer
-		WinExec("sndvol32.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);
+		launch_file(_hwnd, TEXT("sndvol32.exe"), SW_SHOWNORMAL);	// launch volume control application
 		break;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.cpp
index 453de9825bc..80f443f9f9c 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.cpp
@@ -176,11 +176,11 @@ BOOL time_to_filetime(const time_t* t, FILETIME* ftime)
 }
 
 
-BOOL launch_file(HWND hwnd, LPCTSTR cmd, UINT nCmdShow)
+BOOL launch_file(HWND hwnd, LPCTSTR cmd, UINT nCmdShow, LPCTSTR parameters)
 {
 	CONTEXT("launch_file()");
 
-	HINSTANCE hinst = ShellExecute(hwnd, NULL/*operation*/, cmd, NULL/*parameters*/, NULL/*dir*/, nCmdShow);
+	HINSTANCE hinst = ShellExecute(hwnd, NULL/*operation*/, cmd, parameters, NULL/*dir*/, nCmdShow);
 
 	if ((int)hinst <= 32) {
 		display_error(hwnd, GetLastError());
@@ -191,9 +191,9 @@ BOOL launch_file(HWND hwnd, LPCTSTR cmd, UINT nCmdShow)
 }
 
 #ifdef UNICODE
-BOOL launch_fileA(HWND hwnd, LPSTR cmd, UINT nCmdShow)
+BOOL launch_fileA(HWND hwnd, LPSTR cmd, UINT nCmdShow, LPCSTR parameters)
 {
-	HINSTANCE hinst = ShellExecuteA(hwnd, NULL/*operation*/, cmd, NULL/*parameters*/, NULL/*dir*/, nCmdShow);
+	HINSTANCE hinst = ShellExecuteA(hwnd, NULL/*operation*/, cmd, parameters, NULL/*dir*/, nCmdShow);
 
 	if ((int)hinst <= 32) {
 		display_error(hwnd, GetLastError());
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.h b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.h
index d15087ea70e..3688495ba42 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.h
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.h
@@ -146,17 +146,6 @@ extern BOOL time_to_filetime(const time_t* t, FILETIME* ftime);
  // search for windows of a specific classname
 extern int find_window_class(LPCTSTR classname);
 
- // launch a program or document file
-extern BOOL launch_file(HWND hwnd, LPCTSTR cmd, UINT nCmdShow);
-#ifdef UNICODE
-extern BOOL launch_fileA(HWND hwnd, LPSTR cmd, UINT nCmdShow);
-#else
-#define	launch_fileA launch_file
-#endif
-
- // call an DLL export like rundll32
-BOOL RunDLL(HWND hwnd, LPCTSTR dllname, LPCSTR procname, LPCTSTR cmdline, UINT nCmdShow);
-
  // create a directory with all missing parent directories
 BOOL RecursiveCreateDirectory(LPCTSTR path_in);
 
@@ -197,6 +186,18 @@ using namespace _com_util;
 #endif	// _MSC_VER && !_NO_COMUTIL
 
 
+ // launch a program or document file
+extern BOOL launch_file(HWND hwnd, LPCTSTR cmd, UINT nCmdShow, LPCTSTR parameters=NULL);
+#ifdef UNICODE
+extern BOOL launch_fileA(HWND hwnd, LPSTR cmd, UINT nCmdShow, LPCSTR parameters=NULL);
+#else
+#define	launch_fileA launch_file
+#endif
+
+ // call an DLL export like rundll32
+BOOL RunDLL(HWND hwnd, LPCTSTR dllname, LPCSTR procname, LPCTSTR cmdline, UINT nCmdShow);
+
+
  /// initialization of windows common controls
 struct CommonControlInit
 {