Safely remove hardware icon disappearance

[southerncape]

The safely remove hardware icon has disappeared from my Vista computer.

I have right clicked Properties in the Notification Area and examined Customize Notification Icons, the icon is not listed in "Current items" but it is listed in "past items" and listed as "hide when inactive"

If I change hide when inactive to"SHOW" it still fails to appear.

I would welcome comments on how to proceed in recovering the icon and would welcome comments on the best way to disconnect a USB item in the absence of the missing facility.

With thanks.

[Rmus]

In the absence of the missing facility, I would insure that


all files on the drive are saved and closed (no application is holding open a file on the USB item)


the USB item is not highlighted in Windows Explorer or My Computer -- that is, Windows is not "reading" the USB item.


This was the procedure we used in Win98 before this notification facility was available.

----
rich

[philby]

-{ Quote: "I...would welcome comments on the best way to disconnect a USB item in the absence of the missing facility." }-

Window key + E, right click on listed USB device, choose safely remove from context menu.

philby

[Rmus]

If a file on the USB device were open, would you get an alert?

Is this a Vista feature? I don't have that option.

----
rich

[Kerodo]

If you go to the Start menu and choose Run and then enter this:

"RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll" (without the quotes of course)

and hit Enter, it should bring up the dialog and the icon should reappear. This worked on 2k and XP, I think it may work in Vista also.

[southerncape]

Many thanks to Rmus,philby and Kerodo for the helpful advice.

Device disconnected safely without harm to programs or device.

However, the "Safely Remove Icon" is still missing. At this stage I have been unable to take Kerodo's advice with regard to choosing "RunDll32 etc" because I gather that although I could select RUN etc in XP the RUN choice is not available in these terms in Vista.

If anyone knows the applicable command instruction for reinstating the "Safely Remove Icon" in vista I would welcome the advice.
With thanks.

[JRViejo]

southerncape, see if these instructions will work for you: How to fix system tray icons missing in vista and xp (http://www.troublefixers.com/how-to-fix-system-tray-icons-not-displayed-properly/)

Also, Enable Run Command on Windows Vista Start Menu (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/enable-run-command-on-windows-vista-start-menu/).

[philby]

-{ Quote: "However, the "Safely Remove Icon" is still missing." }-
Have you tried:

My Computer > USB drive > Properties >
Hardware tab > Properties > Policies

Change from “Optimize for quick removal” to “Optimize for performance”

I did this and then reverted to "...quick removal" and the icon behaved normally thereafter.


-{ Quote: "although I could select RUN etc in XP the RUN choice is not available in these terms in Vista" }-
Have you tried windows key + R > type cmd and then type Kerodo's line?

philby

[bgoodman4]

Try this, I installed it on a friends PC who was having the same problem you describe and it works very well

USB Disk Ejector
http://quick.mixnmojo.com/usb-disk-ejector

Here is something else that might be of value (I have not used it but stumbled across it while searching for the above link)

USBDeview v1.30
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html