unwanted icon

[Guest]

I recently reinstalled XP. Then I installed a DSL modem. As soon as the
modem was installed, a new icon appeared in the active programs tray. This
Icon is labelled safely remove hardware, and when I click on it, it says it
can safely remove the modem. I don't want to remove the modem, and I don't
want the icon cluttering the screen. HOw do I get rid of it?

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Have you tried going to Run, type in msconfig and tell it OK. When the
System Configuration Utility comes up, click on the Startup tab at the top.
Look down the screen, to the left. there will be boxes with Check Marks in
them. Find the one that relates to your DSL modem and remove the check mark.
Tell it OK and Close. It will then ask you if you want to restart your
computer, tell it Yes and when it comes back up, hopefully the Icon will be
gone. It will not stop the use of of your program, that only removes it from
the startups. There are some programs that always bring it back, when you
use the program, others don't. We can hope this one will not come back each
time the modem is used. Most of them call also be removed by right clicking
and exiting out of it, if taking it out of startups is not a complete fix for
you. I hate anything down by my clock that does not have to be there, so
there is not much that I will not try to get out of there if I can.

I hope this helps.

Chloe Ann

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the idea, but that is the first place I went. The icon does not
offer an option to close or remove it, and I can find no application in the
startup section of msconfig that seems to address the modem. In fact, I
googled every name that wasn't an obvious reference (for example, if it said
something about Symantec), I knew I didn't have to check. At any rate, none
of the applications has any apparent reference to the modem.

 

[Guest]

There is only one thing else that I did do. I downloaded a screen saver that
actually put an Icon down by my clock and that was not staying there. For a
while I would right click it and tell it to exit, which I got tired of doing.
It also did not show in my startups, which really upset me.

I Searched that screen saver name and was actually able to identify the Icon
that was in my taskbar and I deleted it. I think, when I did the Search, the
Icon in question showed exactly where it was sitting, so I knew which one to
delete.

Of course, we don't want to knock out your modem and that was the only time
I have had that happen but it did work. Music Match insists on sitting by my
clock. I can remove it with msconfig but as soon as I use the program, it is
back. If all else fails, like it or not, sometimes we have to live with
these little things, as much as I hate to let anything beat me.

Try the Search, you might get lucky and find that Icon and it will give you
its location. If you find it and delete it, don't empty your recycle bin
until you are sure that you have not hurt anything and I doubt that it would.

My mother always said that "necessity is the mother of invention" so once in
a while we have to get a little creative.

Good hunting.

Chloe Ann

 

[Sharon F]

I recently reinstalled XP. Then I installed a DSL modem. As soon as the
modem was installed, a new icon appeared in the active programs tray. This
Icon is labelled safely remove hardware, and when I click on it, it says it
can safely remove the modem. I don't want to remove the modem, and I don't
want the icon cluttering the screen. HOw do I get rid of it?

The icon you describe appears when USB or firewire devices are attached.
Often these are used for data storage and the "safely remove" icon is
important to avoid file corruption when unplugging one of these devices.
Your modem is probably a USB modem. This would explain the appearance of
the icon. Unfortunately, the icon doesn't serve much purpose for this
device.

You could try customizing the icon in Taskbar Properties. Elect to hide
inactive icons. Then use the Customize button to "always hide." Warning:
"Always hide" isn't always effective for this icon but it's the only shot
(that I know of) that the Windows UI provides for you to hide the icon.

 

[Guest]

Sharon,

Thanks,
First, I DO have a USB connection to the modem so that my ethernet port can
be free to connect to another computer. I also found the taskbar properties
menu and selected "always hide." It isn't gone yet, but perhaps when I
reboot, it will be.
Bill

 

[Guest]

That icon appears as a safety feature when you unplug a piece of USB
hardware. Example: If you remove a card reader that has a card in it, it is
possible to corrupt the data on it. Remember that USB is electrically
powered. It is part of protecting your hardware and data - it is not clutter.