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Safely Remove Hardware.

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  • 05-10-2008 1:41am
    #1
    Gadgetman496
    Registered Users Posts: 8,363 ✭✭✭


    I have two machines & use an external HDD to backup stuff from both from time to time.

    Machine 1:

    I connect the Ext HDD & copy stuff across, when finished I use the safely remove hardware icon in the system tray to eject the HDD before I physically remove it and everything goes fine.

    Machine 2:

    Same as above except when I go to eject the Ext HDD via the safely remove hardware icon in the system tray, it fails & reports that the drive is still being accessed.

    All operations are finished at this stage as far as copying stuff is concerned but the light on the Ext HDD does remain lit???
    No matter how long I leave it the light remains lit, so I have no choice but to disconnect it anyway.

    I've looked at all the running processes in the Windows task manager but can't see anything obvious that might be causing it. I've killed some of the processes but I was basically chancing my arm :rolleyes: but none of those turned out the light on the Ext HDD.

    It's not like it's the end of the world or anything but it sure is annoying the hell out of me @ this stage :)

    What could be accessing it or how could I determine that?

    Could it be something being held in cache to be flushed later?

    -

    "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."



Comments

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    #2
    degsie
    Registered Users Posts: 8,740 ✭✭✭degsie


    Try downloading this software and see if it helps.


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    #3
    Gadgetman496
    Registered Users Posts: 8,363 ✭✭✭Gadgetman496


    degsie wrote: »
    Try downloading this software and see if it helps.

    Thanks degsie,

    Unfortunately that did not help. I have been using that program for ages now & find it great for the normal stubborn files/folders that are claiming to still be in use when you try to delete them. Appreciate the feedback though :)

    I think my problem might have more to do with a handler within a process rather than a process itself?

    The struggle continues ;)

    -

    "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."



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    #4
    stevenmu
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,689 Mod ✭✭✭✭stevenmu


    Have you tried disabling write caching for the drive ?

    Device Manager->Disk Drives->Properties->Policy


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    #5
    degsie
    Registered Users Posts: 8,740 ✭✭✭degsie


    Have you actually tried to right click on the drive letter and from the context menu clicking on 'unlocker'. It should show you what process is accessing the drive.


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    #6
    Gadgetman496
    Registered Users Posts: 8,363 ✭✭✭Gadgetman496


    degsie wrote: »
    Have you actually tried to right click on the drive letter and from the context menu clicking on 'unlocker'. It should show you what process is accessing the drive.

    Yes I have degsie but it reports no lock handler found.

    The USB drive is a 1TB drive which I have partitioned into four equal sections so it has four drive letters. I've tried safely removing each drive letter individually as well as the complete drive as a whole but it makes no difference.

    I did find THIS post relating to my issue but it has not helped either.
    PE (Process Explorer) is also reporting that there are no locking handlers found.

    All I'm concerned about is that I don't corrupt the data by unplugging the damn thing while it's reporting to be still accessed by something.

    -

    "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."



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    #7
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,425 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    I get the same thing occasionally with my external USB attached drive. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. Occasionally Unlocker will report an instance of Explorer accessing the drive and unlocking that allows me to unplug, sometimes it reports nothing at all, but still subsequently allows me to unplug. And then other times nothing seems to work .. nothing showing in Process Explorer either .

    The only thing that always seems to work is to just log off Windows and log on again.


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    #8
    Gadgetman496
    Registered Users Posts: 8,363 ✭✭✭Gadgetman496


    Alun wrote: »
    I get the same thing occasionally with my external USB attached drive. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. Occasionally Unlocker will report an instance of Explorer accessing the drive and unlocking that allows me to unplug, sometimes it reports nothing at all, but still subsequently allows me to unplug. And then other times nothing seems to work .. nothing showing in Process Explorer either .

    The only thing that always seems to work is to just log off Windows and log on again.


    I've tried the logging off & back on again but that doesn't release the drive in my case anyway.

    In my case the drive light appears to be solid on but doing nothing if you know what I mean.

    -

    "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."



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    #9
    Soundman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭Soundman


    I occasionally get this problem too. I usually find one of the following remedies it and allows me to eject the drive safely:
    1. Empty Recycle Bin before ejecting
    2. Close and media programs running (WMP, winamp, etc...)
    3. Close Torrent Client


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    #10
    Gadgetman496
    Registered Users Posts: 8,363 ✭✭✭Gadgetman496


    Soundman wrote: »
    I occasionally get this problem too. I usually find one of the following remedies it and allows me to eject the drive safely:
    1. Empty Recycle Bin before ejecting
    2. Close and media programs running (WMP, winamp, etc...)
    3. Close Torrent Client


    I tried all those suggestions Soundman but this drive is having none of it :(

    Thanks for the input though.

    -

    "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."



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    #11
    CiaranC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,300 ✭✭✭CiaranC


    You are closing the window(s) which display files on your ext drive, right?


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    #12
    Gadgetman496
    Registered Users Posts: 8,363 ✭✭✭Gadgetman496


    OK folks,

    I still don't know why I can't stop this drive using the conventional "Safely Remove Hardware" but I did come across this LITTLE GEM in my travels & it stopped it straight away.

    It's a neat little App with a 30 day trial (Costs €15 to buy).

    It has some nice features including:

    1. Stop a Device:

    2. Restart a Device without having to physically unplug & replug:

    3. If it's unable to stop a device it will immediately pop up a dialog box:
    containing a list of the processes that are preventing the device from
    being stopped:

    4. Show / Hide / Rename Devices Etc.

    Very user friendly too.

    Yet another example of a 3rd party software house showing Microsoft just "How it should & can be done"

    I just might hold onto this little App. :)

    -

    "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."



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    #13
    Gadgetman496
    Registered Users Posts: 8,363 ✭✭✭Gadgetman496


    CiaranC wrote: »
    You are closing the window(s) which display files on your ext drive, right?

    Yes I am CiaranC, although I'm sure that may have caught some people in the past. Sometimes it can be something that simple I guess? but not in this case.

    Cheers anyway.

    -

    "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."



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