How do you remove "Safely Remove Hardware" Icon?

[Cloud Constructors]

How do you remove the following icon from the system tray? There's got to be a way.

P.S. It appeared after installing two of my S-ATA Hard Drives.

Screenshot below.

Thanks.

[Slimy]

I've asked this before. To sum up what i learned, might be wrong, but it's as far as I got:

- it cannot be removed without 3rd party software

- it's there because of the nvidia ide drivers

[Cloud Constructors]

I've tried one particular shareware 3rd-party program but it was for USB hard drives.

I agree it is because of the NVIDIA IDE drivers.

[k22]

did you try "optimize for quick removal" option under hardware properties? this disables write caching though

[Toastyone]

Just go to start bar properties and make it always hidden ;)

[Cloud Constructors]

did you try "optimize for quick removal" option under hardware properties? this disables write caching though

Yes I am sure that would solve the issue but I rather not disable the additional feature of write caching.

Just go to start bar properties and make it always hidden ;)

Thats what I currently have it set to but I want it gone - its useless!

[virgo89]

Its not because of nvidia drivers, i dont even have anything to do with nvidia and i have that icon. I think all new computers come with that. I have the icon to be hidden automatically.

[ninjagowoowoo]

1. Make sure you have the "Hide inactive icons" option enabled. Right click the taskbar > properties and it's at the bottom.

2. right click underneath the system clock and select "Customize Notifications..." then modify what you want shown or not.

I believe that the "safely remove hardware" is a component of windows... so uninstalling it in the traditional sense probably isn't the easiest thing. There is some 3rd party apps that disable (and replace...) it though. do a google.

EDIT: see http://safelyremove.com/ for the 3rd party app.

[Slimy]

Its not because of nvidia drivers, i dont even have anything to do with nvidia and i have that icon. I think all new computers come with that. I have the icon to be hidden automatically.

For hardrives, the icon is related to nvidia drivers. The icon can also appear for usb drives, printers with memory slots, personal media players etc.

[Cloud Constructors]

1. Make sure you have the "Hide inactive icons" option enabled. Right click the taskbar > properties and it's at the bottom.

2. right click underneath the system clock and select "Customize Notifications..." then modify what you want shown or not.

I believe that the "safely remove hardware" is a component of windows... so uninstalling it in the traditional sense probably isn't the easiest thing. There is some 3rd party apps that disable (and replace...) it though. do a google.

EDIT: see http://safelyremove.com/ for the 3rd party app.

Like I said in my post, I already tried this APP.

I launch and nothing appears:

[Slimy]

Try the software suggested here: https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=278112

[Cloud Constructors]

The program specified does work but as noted in that thread, it does not take in effect after a reboot or shut down. Therefore, it is not an entire fix

[Chode]

Who needs data-integrity. Way to fight the system (Y)

[ss6703]

Give this setup file a try (use winrar so you can unpack the exe and see the code in the setup cmd for yourself if you dont trust it) that places hidsrhi.exe into your system32 folder, automatically adds the registry key to run hidesrhi.exe everytime your computer starts, runs hidesrhi.exe to remove the icon right away without retarting, and then creates a shortcut to the remove dialog under start button\all programs\accessories. HideSRHi.zip

[Lee G. Veteran]

I have a replacement stobject.dll, it will get rid of the 'Safely Remove Hardware' icon, however it will rid of some of the default system tray icons such as volume and Internet connection. But I use it anyway and find it very useful, less clutter in the tray.

I've attached it if you want to try it out, use the program 'Replacer' to replace the stobject.dll in C:\Windows\System32\stobject.dll (it'll create a backup of the old dll).

[Cloud Constructors]

I have a replacement stobject.dll, it will get rid of the 'Safely Remove Hardware' icon, however it will rid of some of the default system tray icons such as volume and Internet connection. But I use it anyway and find it very useful, less clutter in the tray.

I've attached it if you want to try it out, use the program 'Replacer' to replace the stobject.dll in C:\Windows\System32\stobject.dll (it'll create a backup of the old dll).

Hmm I prefer not to replace any system files for the sake of system stability but thanks anyway.

I will try the program listed above.

Thanks guys

[Cloud Constructors]

Update: Just tried hidesrhi.exe, as suggested by ss6703. Not a complete solution but it does the job of hiding the icon (does not hide it initially right when the computer starts up but it does eventually after it executes during startup)

[Slimy]

I have a replacement stobject.dll, it will get rid of the 'Safely Remove Hardware' icon, however it will rid of some of the default system tray icons such as volume and Internet connection. But I use it anyway and find it very useful, less clutter in the tray.

I've attached it if you want to try it out, use the program 'Replacer' to replace the stobject.dll in C:\Windows\System32\stobject.dll (it'll create a backup of the old dll).

Thanks for the effort. I'd use it if it didn't disable those other icons though, I actually use them from time to time :p

[Bold_Fortune]

I just guessing here. Which is what I do a lot...lol. But do you suppose this might have something to do with the Service, Removable Storage?

I don't have that icon displayed on my system, but my daughter does on her Dell laptop. And I spent the better part of Christmas at her house trying to get rid of that nuisance.

I just now thought of trying to disable Removable Storage and rebooting, but I'm not near her computer right now...and I don't feel like driving 500 miles to Sacramento to try it out. So, if someone is willing to try it for me (looks at slimy...haha) and let me know if it works or not, you'd have a new best friend...me. :)

[Lee G. Veteran]

Thanks for the effort. I'd use it if it didn't disable those other icons though, I actually use them from time to time :p

Thanks :)

I didn't use it for a while for the same reason but then I decided to, it takes a bit longer to access things like Volume Controls and Internet Connections but I like the fact that I don't have too much in my tray and have grown used to not having the system tray icons.

[srb]

i try icon remover

[Slimy]

I just guessing here. Which is what I do a lot...lol. But do you suppose this might have something to do with the Service, Removable Storage?

I don't have that icon displayed on my system, but my daughter does on her Dell laptop. And I spent the better part of Christmas at her house trying to get rid of that nuisance.

I just now thought of trying to disable Removable Storage and rebooting, but I'm not near her computer right now...and I don't feel like driving 500 miles to Sacramento to try it out. So, if someone is willing to try it for me (looks at slimy...haha) and let me know if it works or not, you'd have a new best friend...me. :)

That service is deleted off my computer. Has nothing to do with services as far as I can tell.

[Bold_Fortune]

Thanks, slimy. :)

[underground_park]

i have a question ...

do i really have to stop my usb device in the safety remove hardware before i remove it ?

[wutang01]

I have a question.

In one situation, I plugged my USb2 HDD into my laptop before it fully loaded into Windows. And the "Safely Remove hardware" icon wasn't in the systray! I didn't know what to do, didn't how to safely remove it ...

So I had to shut down the laptop, unplug the HDD, then start the computer again.

Is there a way to avoid that? An alternative method?