how do I re-add the "safely remove hardware" icon to my systray in windows 98se?

Question

It used to be there, but it just disappeared. Please be specific with your answer, as I know many of you brilliant tech people tend to speak at a very high level. Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

This stumped me for a while .. It is not a Windows 98SE standard feature at all - and I've never seen in before in over 100 installs.

Try installing (or reinstalling) the patch located at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/contents/WURecommended/S_WUFeatured/1394/Default.asp

For more information on what the patch does, see: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=242975
(Which is for firewire and has nothing to do with USB drives, but it happens to have the stuff to add the "safely remove hardware"...)

If you don't have a 1394 (firewire) device that required this, then the only other way it could have gotten on your system is that it was included with a USB drive and installed.

Do you have a USB mass storage device?
Did it come with driver software?

If the above Microsoft patch doesn't work - follow the original directions and reinstall it.

Also see this page: http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/kb/usbmsd98.php
It has generic Win98SE USB driver link, but I don't know if it's Microsoft - or who wrote it.

As has been previously stated (and is restated in the page in the link above) Windows 98 doesn't really need any drivers.

Answer 2

A windows 98 Question..

Windows 98 Doesn't really care if you just remove the devices by just unplugging and plugging it in. Windows 98 was created before the safetly remove program which came from Windows 2000. Windows 98 was built to reconise DOS. So basically there was no major risk in plugging and unplugging. Infact Windows 98 braged that it can pickup new hardware instantly when you plug it in without having to restart.

There is no safetly remove Icon for Windows 98 came only in Windows 2000+. Be warn even though Windows 95-ME might not care the newer OS might.

You might get a "Drive is not formated" if you do it many times unplug and plug from a Windows 98 Computer. but if that happens plug it into your Windows 98 copy all the files and then just formated on XP..

Oh for your orignal question... just go to My Computer right click on the storage media whatever your removable drive is then select Eject. This will automatically dissconect the USB drive or any external drive safetly.


best of luck and hello fellow Windows 98 User... Keep Windows 98. If you ever get a disk needs to be formated plug it into the windows 98 computer you can recover so many important files..

Answer 3

I use both flash drives and USB harddrives & cameras, and Ive only seen this icon there whenever windows recognizes something plugged into a USB port....its never there otherwise. If windows cant sense anything there, it wont produce the icon for removal. If its a camera, be sure its powered up and on...

Answer 4

Check your computer for C:\Program Files\Disk Removal Utility, or similar, it will contain an .exe file with the 'safely remove hardware' icon.

You can place a shortcut of that .exe file into your Startup folder on the start menu to bring back the taskbar icon.

Answer 5

could it be in your recycle bin? i would check there first if it is gone
and you are sure it's just not hidden ?
if you go to Control Panel and right click on Add/.Remove does it say create a shortcut...you may be able to put it on your desktop and then drag it into your system tray
hope this helps....