Windows 10: Safely Remove Hardware icon with nothing plugged in, shows 3 dots(...)

Then I doubt the problem has anything to do with the card reader. It might your hard drive(s). Is your laptop running the default Microsoft AHCI/SATA drivers?

 

I assume yes. I have not installed it manually. Under 'IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers' there is 'Standard SATA AHCI Controller'.
My SSD and HDD are working fine though and they don't show in the Safely Remove Hardware icon (only the 3 dots).
I find it strange since I did not have this issue on Windows 7 before.

 

Try installing the Intel SATA AHCI drivers. You might be able to find them on the appropriate web page for your Lenovo laptop model.

 

Oh thank you So much for your help yogaID! Your guess was good! I was able to find a driver on the Intel Download Center for my Intel(R) 7 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller and, when I updated it in Device Manager and performed a restart, the icon FINALLY disappeared. *Biggrin
I don't know why I only concentrated on the card reader. *Smile

How can these little things be so frustrating. *Biggrin

Anyway here is the link for the drivers for anyone's reference. I don't know why but for me the latest version that the Device Manager accepted was 12.9.0.1001. from 2013. :O

Downloads for Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST)

 

Do you think I can update these drivers manually by just copying the .sys driver file to the 'windows/system32/drivers/' folder? (so i can try the latest version)

 

I wouldn't risk replacing system files like that. Glad to have been of assistance *Smile

 

If all else fails, you could save the following as a .bat and put it in your Startup folder:

reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\SysTray" /v "Services" /t reg_dword /d 29 /f
systray

(Not a solution either, but.......)

 

Hides the tray icon.
You have to run it manually every boot or put it in your Startup folder.

 

Thanks Edwin but the drivers (the SATA AHCI and possibly the card reader) finally solved it!