# Question about Vista (probably very easy)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-vista-probably-very-easy/431700>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 30, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-vista-probably-very-easy/431700 "2007-12-30T16:09:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-vista-probably-very-easy/431700/1 "2007-12-30T16:09:14Z")

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In Windows XP, when I have some additional hardware plugged in (like the flash drive, the camera, etc.), there’s a little green picture of a plug on the bottom tool bar. I’m supposed to click on that before unplugging the hardware, and then it tells me that it’s safe to unplug. And I’m warned that dire things can happen if I unplug without clicking on that.

OK, so my wife’s new computer has Vista (which has been a headache every step of the way.) My question: where’s the little icon for making it safe to unplug hardware? I can’t seem to find it anywhere.

Help, please?

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**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-vista-probably-very-easy/431700/2 "2007-12-30T16:58:16Z")

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On mine it’s down there in the lower right part of the toolbar with the other icons. It looks like a little USB plug with a green checkmark on it. Hovering over it gives me the usual “Safely Remove Hardware” tooltip.

It may be hidden so you may have to click the arrow to show hidden icons.

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**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-vista-probably-very-easy/431700/3 "2007-12-30T17:41:03Z")

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Running Vista Ultimate here. Same thing as **tanstaafl** , there’s a USB icon with a green check mark.

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-vista-probably-very-easy/431700/4 "2007-12-30T17:44:07Z")

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Just an FYI - You can turn off write cacheing for memory drives to make ‘unsafe’ removal a lot more safe…

I have to do this for devices I plug into my drive-bay card readers… If I was to safely remove the thing I’d actually be disabling the whole card-reader drive bay thing! when all I want to do is remove a mamory card from it.

edit: (tit-card? I meant ‘memory’ card)

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-vista-probably-very-easy/431700/5 "2007-12-30T20:11:46Z")

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That seems to have found it… thanks, all!