Run minion as administartor.
Run 32bit version even on 64bit system.
Check the minion.log file. If the icon is there but does not start it might be your network or firewall.
Check if you use a proxy and disable it maybe, or whitelist minion in your firewall and antivirus.
Check if the log file tells you more.
And use the forum search... All this was posted ins everal threads in the Minion sub forums