Windows 7 another safely remove hardware issue...

[pentium]

Step 1: I insert a USB stick
Step 2: copy something FROM it to my hdd
Step 3: I right-click the safely remove icon from the system tray
Step 4: no USB devices are listed..... only the "open devices and printers" button is listed

frustrating....

Why?

Notes:
- I searched the forums for a solution already
- I am on win7pro64
- if I go to my computer I do see the USB stick and if I right-click on it the Eject function is there and works
- changing the cache policies does nothing (write-through or best performance)
- if I go to "devices and printers" all of them are listed and working but if right-click the USB stick no safely remove option is present
- I disabled comodo and avast just in case
- all services are started including the bluetooth one...
- sfc /scannow says there is nothing wrong
- I do run amd raidxpert (i have 2 wdc 1T black caviar in mirroring - raid 1)

It is like when the devicedisplayobjectprovider.exe is trying to build the devices list is somehow not considering the USB sticks as removable storage drives but more something like memory cards (that have only the eject option from what I know in win7)....

HELP! It's annoying...

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are encountering an issue where the USB sticks are not being listed as removable storage drives in the Safely Remove Hardware menu on Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. This can be frustrating, but there are some troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve this issue:

Possible Solutions:​

1. Check Group Policy Settings:
   • Ensure that the Group Policy settings related to removable storage devices haven't been altered. You can access this by typing gpedit.msc in the Run dialog and navigating to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Removable Storage Access.
   []Update Device Drivers:
   • Make sure your USB drivers are up-to-date. Sometimes outdated drivers can cause issues with the recognition of USB drives as removable storage.
   []Restart the "Shell Hardware Detection" Service:
   • Sometimes restarting this service can help in refreshing the list of connected devices. You can do this by:
     • Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
     • Locate the "Shell Hardware Detection" service, right-click on it, and select Restart.
   []Use a Third-Party Removal Tool:
   • If the built-in Safely Remove Hardware feature is not working correctly, you can try third-party tools like USB Disk Ejector to safely remove USB drives.
   []Check Windows Update:
   • Ensure that your system is up-to-date with all Windows updates. Sometimes, updates can contain fixes for device recognition issues.
   []Disconnect via Device Manager:
   • Another method to safely remove USB drives is through Device Manager:
     • Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
     • Expand the "Disk drives" section, right-click on the USB drive, and select "Disable" to safely remove the device.
   []Scan for Malware:
   • Run a thorough scan with your antivirus software to ensure that there are no malware or security threats affecting the recognition of USB drives.
2. Check BIOS Settings:
   • Verify that there are no settings in the BIOS that could be affecting how USB drives are recognized by the system.

     Additional Notes:​

   • The behavior you described with AMD RAIDxpert could potentially be related to how the RAID configuration is set up. Ensure that the RAID configuration is not interfering with the recognition of USB drives as removable storage. Try these steps and see if any of them help in resolving the issue with Safely Remove Hardware not listing USB drives properly. If the issue persists, feel free to provide more details for further assistance!