Windows 7: USB tray icon does not work ( more detailed )

I made some screenshots, to make things more clear.
First look at all the images below.

image 1

shows USB tray working correctly in "safe mode", under administrator (on the same computer)

image 2

shows all the services that are running in "safe mode", under administrator (on the same computer)

image 3

shows all the processes that are running in "safe mode", under administrator (on the same computer)


then:


image 4

shows all the services that are running in "normal mode", under administrator (on the same computer)

image 5

shows all the processes that are running in "normal mode", under administrator (on the same computer)


The problem:
Normal mode:
The removable usb tray icon does not work in normal mode!
i cannot click on it! nothing happens!

- true printers and devices, nothing shows!

Save mode
in save mode, under printers and devices, things show up! like the should!



how can i fix my problem!?!


- got no recovery points!
- not going to put back a backup yet!
- got windows 7 professional ( MSDN version )

For future reference - A Preferred Method of Uploading/Posting Screen Shots
as those links don't work now.

sorry. sorry.

not to be a smart azz. but they work. u need to copy paste them into your browser.
next time i will use the preferred method.

again sorry!

Your links DON'T work.

well thats just great. they work ar my opera and firefox browsers.
I will at them again then!


There we go.

sorry!

The few I tested work, but it's a pain to cut and paste all the links... so I didn't sorry.

Seems like the USB device is greyed out, Support4u some questions:
1. Can u access the USB devices that you plug in and use files on it?
2. Are you logged in as an administrative user?
3. If you open windows Exporer (Win+E) is the Eject option available whe you right click on the USB drive? If so, does this work?

Not in mine it didn't, anyway, much better, but haven't got a clue how to resolve it.

The original links still don't work...

1 yes i can, i can do anything i normaly can with a usb device.
2 yup. the one and only administrator account, i removed all other accounts
3 yes, but for usb flash drives only, and yes it works.
usb hdd's do not have a eject option. bummer!


so now what now

Tried these thru start-> run

"%windir%\system32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll"

and

"rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll"

both show me the remove dialog.

so only the damn tray icon doesent work!
what the hell! thats all i can keep on saying! its driving me nuts!

Wish I could test for you, but I'm travelling and on XP for another month, so I can't even look at my Win 7 box (which is on a ship on it's way to Singapore). But here's what I'd do to trouble shoot it

- Try a system repair? I.e. put in the windows 7 disk and repair the installation.
- Open an elevated command prompt and run an SFC/SCANNOW
- Browse through both the group (gpedit.msc) and security policy (secpol.msc) and check for anything that looks like it could be the issue (look up any entries that you are unsure of before you make changes, maybe enable system restore first).
- Lastly, I have a batch file that registers all dll's, as a last resort you set up system restore and then drop my batch into your system32 folder and run it and run it. It will re-register all the dll's and ocx's in that folder.

good luck.
PS: There's no particular order, they're all separate things to look at.

@FZ21Z - No idea about the links mate, I checked and they both worked.... mystery lol.