Safely Remove Hardware icon disappears!!

[Margot]

Hi,

Can someone help me?

I download my photos from my digital camera to my computer via a memory card however for some reason, this card, or the drive, won't read if the "safely remove hardware" icon isn't present in my task bar and I can't get my photos!!!
Does anyone know HOW to get the icon back (is it conflicting with something??) or how else I can get my photos.
I have a few photo editing programs but I can't "acquire" the photos as it doesnt even show that drive exists!!!

Thanks for your help..

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to TechSpot

What Windows version are you using? What sort of card-reader?
Go to Control Panel/System and check if there are any yellow or red signs in Device Manager.
Your USB-drivers might be corrupt.

 

[Margot]

I'm using windows XP. There is apparantly nothing wrong with my devices.. I've gone in there and had a look....

 

[quadramble]

My preferred solution

http://ask-leo.com/safely_remove_ha...w_do_i_safely_remove_hardware_without_it.html