• Still running Windows 7 or earlier? Support for Windows 7 ended on January 14th 2020. Please review the thread here for more details.

[SOLVED] "Safely Remove Hardware/Eject Drive Icon" Corrupt

A

abro89

Contributor
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Posts
77
Location
Vernon, VT
Hi and Hello:

I had a system BSoD on my test machine with W7E-64b installed (trying to t/s a random display "flicker" on a Dell-D6630). After recovery the taskbar icon for "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Drive" is no longer showing the list of installed USBs and/or USB HDs. It actually displays "Open Devices and Printers" and shows nothing when opened. Where did this come from? Numerous attempts to rebuild the iconcache.db have failed. Can someone pls guide me for further troubleshooting and regain the necessary list for device removal?

I don't think I need sfc /scannow as a tool for troubleshooting but will run tonight. I do have a restore point and perhaps this is the best solution. I will need to store some current data from the last restore point so some extra work for sure. I am looking for a more "in place solution" if possible.

Thx...great Forum. You have helped me several times w/ Windows Updates and I have made donations to keep Sysnative on-line.
 
When you click Customize, does it show an entry or is that missing?
customize.jpg

My icon when right clicked shows "Open Devices and Printers" above the Eject (name of USB device) line. When I click on it, it displays the USB devices above and all the printers below.
Are you saying when you click on that, you get a blank window?
What displays when you click Devices and Printers from the right side of the Program listings?
 
Last edited:
Thx for the reply. Yes I have only a blank window with a circulating icon and and an attempt by Windows to load the list. A green progress bar is slowly moving left to right and then a white screen.

You are right....Dialog Box shows "Open Devices and Printers"....my bad in the initial explanation. I do have a white screen after the green progress bar ends with no listing of installed devices as you indicated

It must br something simple as sfc /scannow shows no errors, SFCFix.txt shows no errors also. Perhaps a registry key is corrupted in some way. I am going to Tweaking.com and will use some of there utilities.

Thx again..
 
In answer to your question, three small horizontal dots below the text "Open Devices and Printers". A R/click produces a white screen when mouse pointer is over text "Open Devices and Printers".
 
Just noticed that "blank page" only happens in my log on user acct. Complete list of devices when I log on as Administrator. Will start registry searching today. Any thoughts??? Any solutions??

Thank you for your help.
 
Sorry I have no idea where a registry key for that would reside.

Create a new user account. See if a USB stick is recognized and a safely remove icon appears. If not, I suspect a "user" is blocked from using USB sticks.
Our four Windows 7 computers only have a single user and that user is an administrator.

Perhaps logged in as administrator, you can look over the controls that a normal user has and change some settings.
 
[SOLVED].....don't know what solved my problem:-):-):-):-). I logged on as Administrator (hidden acct) and observed correct listing for Icon "safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media". Logged out and logged in with my acct and password. Magically the Icon for " Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" shows the correct list for attached devices. happy camper.

I will never understand Windows.

Thank you for all help and recommendations.
 
Peter..

pls issue a [Solved] for this issue. Read my last input. Makes no sense but a Happy Camper.

Never ran any tools from Tweaking .com
 
I will never understand Windows.
Click to expand...
Add me to that list!
Printers too. Our newest A-I-O decided one day it didn't want to scan. It prints and copies with no problem. I have another printer hooked up to the computer that doesn't want to print but I use it to scan. I accidentally clicked the wrong scanner shortcut (they are labeled 1 and 2 and the icons are different) and it decided it could now scan with no problem! I've made no changes to either the computer (it is Windows 7 so the only updates it gets are MS Security Essentials, Malwarebytes and browsers) nor to the A-I-O. Apparently it fixed itself.

So glad it fixed itself.
 
Sounds like the user profile was corrupt.

You can always create a new user account with the Admin user account.

Create a local user or administrator account in Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

p.s. I WOULD NOT continue to use the Hidden Admin user account as your regular account. If something happens to it you are dead and will have to reinstall Windows.
 

Has Sysnative Forums helped you? Please consider donating to help us support the site!

Back
Top