Safely remove hardware...

I have constantly got a safely remove hardware icon on my start menu. This is a new PC, I am using Vista Premium. Anyone got any ideas?

My thoughts were it may be for the card reader. HOwever nothing is plugged in to any of the USB ports or the card reader.

Thanks

 

Not sure about the Vista features, but in XP if I click on the icon it tells me what is connected, maybe a printer?

 

Some SATA controllers show up there I think...but yeah, as said before click and find out what it is.

 

No matter what is connected, do this:

Open "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties", then click the Customize button next to "Hide inactive icons".
Scroll down to the "Safely remove hardware", and choose "Always hide" from the drop-down list.

Of course, this is the case in XP.
I hope it's the same in Vista.

 

Thanks. I have got my inactive icons set to hide. Ive double clicked on it and it says USB Mass Storage Device. But there is nothing plugged into any of my USB ports.

Also it says USB Mass Storage Device at Port #0008. Hub #0005

This PC has an 11in1 card reader, could this be that? This has been here since I ran the PC for the first time.

 

Yup. Its the card reader.

 

Thank you

Why is it there, so when I put cards in I use that before removing them?

 

Any USB device will show up there. The OS cannot differ between whats internal and whats external. AFAIK, its not going to be of any particular use for the card reader.