Question about deleting USB drivers to fix lack of USB notification

[jimdagys]

I clicked on an exe that deals with low level formating of a USB flash drive. I did not actually start formatting the flash drive. I then deleted the exe (green software). However, now when I plug in any USB flash drive, the green notification doesn't appear (a different icon -see white circle at bottom of screenshot 1) appears for a few seconds and then goes away) and so there is no normal way to stop the USB flash drive before pulling it out. (clicking Eject doesn't work for all USBs that I tried). I searched around for solutions. It has nothing to do with "show hidden notifications". Even the dialogue box that is supposed to show attached USBs is empty (see screenshot). One possible solution I found is to delete USB drivers (see screenshot 2).
You can see there are 4 of them.
My question is: if I delete these drivers (which of the 4 should I delete?), and then restart Windows, will the drivers automatically re-install? I don't want to delete drivers if they won't come back automatically.
Also, in My Computer, I can access and use the USB flash as normal, I just can 't get the green notification to appear, which makes it hard to "stop" the device.

[aedipuss]

yes you can delete any devices and then on reboot windows will find it and re-install the driver.

may as well uninstall them all.

[jimdagys]

I deleted all 4 of the USB drivers, rebooted, the 4 drivers came back, but unfortunately, I still have the same problem (no green USB notification when USB is plugged in and consequently, no method for "Safe to remove".
That exe must have deleted something important. Any ideas I can try, besides restoring from image?
I tried deleting the driver for the particular USB, I then pulled out the USB and re-inserted. There was never any "Found new Hardware Message, ". After a few seconds longer, the USB was available to use, but still without the green USB notification.

[aedipuss]

your computer details are not filled in. what version of windows are you using?

[jimdagys]

Just filled in. I am running xp. I think some obscure driver/dll got erased when I clicked on that exe.
Since there is no green USB notification (and no "safe to remove"), I am wondering if there will be a situation that will cause problems. Of course, I can just make sure I am not writing or reading to the USB and then just pull it out without stopping it. Maybe I can live with that.

[aedipuss]

your idea of computer details leaves a bit to be desired....

anyway it might be the hotplug.dll that is missing or not working. check /system32 and see if it's there,

[freebird73717]

This doesn't really solve your problem but it does provide a work around

http://quick.mixnmojo.com/usb-disk-ejector

Put it in your start up folder and set it to start minimized to task bar. Then when you want to remove a drive just double click the icon to bring the program up and double click the drive you want.

[deckard8]

This little tool may be of help.
With it you can display/delete all installed usb devices.
After deletion, just re-insert usb device and it will be detected/installed again.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

[netmask56]

After you deleted the USB did you reboot with ALL of the USB devices removed from the computer? If not do it again and reboot with no USB devices connected. Then plug in device one at a time and note if Windows find them. Then check to see if the detach icon is present. This method often works if you have several USB devices connected and one has a faulty driver. Otherwise the tools described should help.

[jimdagys]

Thanks for the two "workarounds" which do work.
Both workarounds will stop the USB and then the USB drive is no longer visible in "My "Computer".
The second workaround also allows me to delete the USB software installation. Re-inserting the USB will then re-install the USB. No problems.
To try to solve the "no green USB notification", I again deleted all the USB drives ( see above screenshot)
disconnected all USB devices from the computer, rebooted, but that did not solve the problem.
Also, the "Safely remove hardware" dialogue box (see screenshot) is always empty ( one way to get this dialogue box to appear is type exactly Start>Run>RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll )
, even when there are active USBs inserted in the computer.
So to sum up, there are 2 strange things going on that I guess I can live with:
1) "Safely remove hardware" box is always empty, even when active USBs are connected
2) Never get green USB notification when active USB is connected

[hunter99]

Looks like you lost a registry key or keys. (Win7 has 2) Easy way is to make a .bat file and put it in your startup folder. Open notepad and put in what you wrote above -- "RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll" save as anyname.bat

That should work. To do it right do this --- If you have access to a XP box, just search for "hotplug.dll" export all keys found as .reg and copy then run in your box.
Good Luck, George

[ranchhand]

Probably the easiest and fastest thing is to do a Repair Reinstall with an XP system disk. Hopefully you own one but if you purchased your computer in the last 5 years you probably don't. Then borrow one the same type as your installation (either Pro or Home) and boot with it. When it asks for the key number use yours, not the owners, and it will proceed normally. You may have to redownload the service packs if they are not on the disk.

[jimdagys]

To do it right do this --- If you have access to a XP box, just search for "hotplug.dll" export all keys found as .reg and copy then run in your box.

I was wondering if someone would walk me through on this one. My ability to deal with the registry is limited to double clicking a .reg file.
So, if someone with a XP computer could make and post a reg file that would solve these 2 problems:
1) empty "Safely Remove Hardware" dialogue box, even when usb is connected,
2) no green usb notification when usb is connected

I would really appreciate that. Judging from other similar questions on the web, you would be helping other people too.
Also, if you could post another reg file that undoes the first reg file (in case the first reg file doesn't work) that would be useful.
Also, can you tell me what "XP box" is?

[hunter99]

Sorry if I was not too clear, by XP box I ment a comuter running Win XP.
Read these posts they may help you.I think the first one may.
I run Win7 so can't help with the registry keys, anyway on Win7 its more then just a couple of keys as I first thought.


See last post (by welshY) @
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-xp/518621-safely-remove-hardware-icon-missing.html

See post #11 @
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6142_102-0.html?threadID=106087
For more Google:
lost safely remove hardware icon

good luck, George