A USB flash disk is connected to your computer, for example a SanDisk Traveler 1GB. After you click the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon, a message pops up to tell you that you can disconnect the device safely.

However, the device it still powered; The LED light is still on. On the other hand, the device will be powered off in Windows XP when you click the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon.

When you connect a removable PCI Express device, such as an eSATA ExpressCard device, to a Windows Vista-based computer, the device does not appear in Safely Remove Hardware dialog box. Therefore, you cannot safely remove the device.

• Windows Vista SP1 Beta Confirmed
  A Windows Driver Kit beta is now available, and confirmation that the SP1 beta, or ‘preview’, is on the way.
  (tags: SP1 Drivers Beta )
• Microsoft starts priming the pump for Vista SP1 Preview
  Microsoft will be calling the SP1 beta a ‘SP1 Preview’. Sounds fancier.
  (tags: SP1 Beta )

Keep reading →

If you use Norton products, and you want to remove them, don’t use Norton’s ‘Removal Tool’. apparently it removes the Tunnel Interface Driver in Vista. Keep reading →

The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):

• TV Wonderâ„¢ 650
• TV Wonderâ„¢ 550
• Theater 550 PRO
• Theater 650 PRO
• Microsoft Windows Vista 32bit Edition
• Microsoft Windows Vista 64bit Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

Symptoms:
In the Windows system tray, the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon may list the ATI Unified Stream Driver. If the user attempts to stop the device, an error message will be given that the ATI Unified Stream Driver is in use.

Consider the following scenario. You erase a rewritable media disc by using an external optical drive that is attached to a Windows Vista-based computer. For example, you click Erase this disc to erase a CD-RW disc in the external optical drive. Then, you use the “Safely remove hardware” feature to remove the external drive. In this scenario, the external drive is not removed as expected. Additionally, you experience the following symptoms:

• You receive an error message that resembles the following:
  

  The device Device_Name cannot be stopped because a program is still using it. Close any programs that might be using the device, then try again later.

• The external drive may continue to work correctly. However, you cannot remove the drive by using the “Safely remove hardware” feature.

When you try to install Windows Vista, you cannot select the Upgrade option that is located in the Install Windows dialog box. Additionally, you receive the following error message in the dialog box:

Upgrade has been disabled

- You must rename or remove <FolderName> before upgrade can continue.

Note: In the error message, <FolderName> represents one of the following folders:

• Windows
• Users
• ProgramData

When you remove or repair a program in Windows Vista, you may receive the following notification message in the User Account Control dialog box:

An unidentified program wants to access your computer

When you click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the notification area on a Windows Vista based computer, and then you click Safely remove Device_name, the device may not be removed as expected. Additionally, you do not receive a message that verifies whether the device was safely removed.

Note: This problem occurs only when you left-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the notification area and then click Safely remove Device_name.

Some people don’t like any icons on their desktop. If this is you, simply right-click your desktop, choose View from the menu, and choose Show Desktop Icons, which will turn them off if they are currently on. Other people don’t mind the icons, they just would prefer not to have the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. In that case, here’s how to turn it off: Keep reading →