Safely Remove Hardware - Eject Device

How to Use Safely Remove Hardware to Eject a Device in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to use Safely Remove Hardware in Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, and Windows RT to safely shutdown and eject a storage device before just unplugging or disconnecting it to help prevent accidental data loss if data were still being copied or saved to or from the device. For example, if you have write caching enable on the device.

   Tip

To have access to an external drive (ex: USB key) again after you have already ejected it using Safely Remove Hardware, you will just need to unplug it and plug it back in, or restart the PC.


Available Hotfix:

• USB Port Remains Active for Disabled or Safely Removed USB Device

   Warning

It is not recommended to eject an internal drive. If you do, then restarting the computer will allow you to have access to it again.

Here's How:
1. Make sure that anything that is being copied or saved to or from the storage device that you want to eject has finished.

2. Click/tap on the Safely Remove Hardware notification area icon, and click/tap on the Eject drive option for the listed drive that you want to eject, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)

OR

3. Open Devices and Printers.
A) Right click or press and hold on the storage device that you want to eject, then click/tap on Eject. (see screenshot below)

OR

B) Right click or press and hold on your computer device (ex: WINDOWS7-PC), select Eject, then click/tap on a listed storage device that you want to eject. (see screenshot below)

C) You will notice that your device will have a warning/alert overlay icon it now. This only indicates that you will not be able to use this device again unless you unplug it and then plug it in again. (see screenshot below)

4. When you see this notification message below, you can now safely remove the device from the computer. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Some devices (ex: USB flash drives) may still have their light on even after you ejected it. As long as you got this Safe to remove hardware message below, it will be safe to disconnect your device even though the light is still on.

   Tip

If you do not get the Safe to remove hardware notification message above, then for next time uncheck Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar (click on link) box and click on OK. Afterwards check the Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar box and click on OK. This will toggle these settings off an on to have it work again.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Enable or Disable Write-Caching for a Storage Device in Windows 7
• How to Open Devices and Printers in Windows 7
• How to Create a "Safely Remove Hardware" Shortcut in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Add "Safely Remove Hardware" to the Desktop Context Menu
• How to Disable "Do you want to scan and fix Removable Drive" Prompt in Windows
• How to Uninstall a Device in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[nate42nd]

Hello Nate,

Could you post a screenshot of this?

Strange, are you using a Aero theme, or a classic theme?

Brink, here is that screenshot. I still don't know why it's like this. It's the same with ALL removable devices.

 

[Brink]

Hi Nate,

Strange, I'm not sure why you have the old style icon for this instead. Especially since it's a clean install and you have a Aero theme selected.

 

[nate42nd]

Hi Nate,

Strange, I'm not sure why you have the old style icon for this instead. Especially since it's a clean install and you have a Aero theme selected.

Yes, all that is true. I will post back if I find the answer. Thanks for your time Brink.

 

[sunil31]

Hey Sunil!

Try seeing in Devices and Printers.

The problem is that the data cards contain a small amount of flash memory that hold the drivers and they are set to be emulated as CD drives.

Since they emulate CD drive, they autorun the driver installation without user input.

That is the reason why Sunil's screenie shows The CD Drive under his mobile.

Hope this helps.

P.S.: Post the screen of devices and printers and also take a screen shot with right click menu of your mobile.

Hi Dragor1,

I am not using mobile. I am using datacard in my desktop and laptop. The screenshot I have already posted in this forum.

Regards,

Sunil

 

[DaPiit]

can't eject External HD hooked up via USB

Hi,

This problem existed already on XP, so its a embarrasing that MS haven't solved it yet.

Wonder how much time and value is lost in the world by people waiting to be allowed to eject usb stick and similar, or in terms of data loss when people can't wait any longer and just disconnecting it anyway and it goes wrong.

In my case, I have a external HD via USB that I use for backups and even though everything is closed down, it says that "The device is curretnly in use. Close down....and try again.".. Doesn't matter how long I wait.

- What to do?

The most embarrasing thing is that this specific action, that most people do several times a day (USB sticks) works perfectly on Mac OS.

 

[sunil31]

I am still facing problem and no solution.

 

[thinsoldier]

I still have the ejecting problem too.

 

[Dave76]

Just a possible solution for anyone having this problem.

HotSwap - Friendly user interface equivalent to the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the notification area.

It does the same thing as you can remove device from Device Manager but it provides much friendly user interface as you remove the removable device from the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the notification area. It also ensures that all data are written and flushed to the disk before the device to be hot-swapped, so you can use SATA/eSATA drive as a removable device much alike USB/IEEE1394 drive.

It's worth a try.
I have used it for years for my eSATA external HDD.
Let us know if it works for you.

 

[ralphie02]

hi everyone,

im been reading through this thread and i noticed that Manoj and i have a similar problem.

i just purchased an msi u123 netbook and installed windows 7 ultimate through my WD external hard drive. after i finished a clean install (and do all the updates), i realized that whenever i plug in my external hard drive, i cannot access the "safely remove hardware" icon. for some reason this icon appears for my mini sd and when i use daemon tools, it doesnt show up for my kingston DTvault flash drive and my WD 2.5 external hard drive. i dont want to improperly remove the hard drive as i heard this is risky....

Please let me know if anyone can help....if you need more details, please let me know so that i can provide them.

Cheers!!

 

[Rocv]

Just a possible solution for anyone having this problem.

HotSwap - Friendly user interface equivalent to the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the notification area.

It does the same thing as you can remove device from Device Manager but it provides much friendly user interface as you remove the removable device from the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the notification area. It also ensures that all data are written and flushed to the disk before the device to be hot-swapped, so you can use SATA/eSATA drive as a removable device much alike USB/IEEE1394 drive.

It's worth a try.
I have used it for years for my eSATA external HDD.
Let us know if it works for you.

Thanks a lot Dave!
HotSwap worked perfectly for me! Now I can remove my 3g usb modem!

 

[Dave76]

Glad that it worked for you Rocv.

When I updated the BIOS on my laptop, the windows Safely Remove Hardware started working.

This might help in some cases.

 

[bubbleboy84]

Hi all,

I realised my cruzer micro 4GB thumbdrive could not do safety remove using U3 as well as the safety remove icon. But strangely, I can go to "My Computer" and rightclick both my U3 drive and thumbdrive to do a Eject, the U3 and safety remove icon are still in my notication area.

I tried to update my U3 lanchpad version, it doesnt help at all.. any idea to help me fix this problem please? I have other thumbdrive without U3, I am able to eject them using the safety remove at notication area. I have dual boot of windows 7(default boot) as well as windows XP

 

[hugga26]

Safely ejecting a device not working

There is no notification after I click on safely remove the device. The device won't eject properly. I hope you could help.

 

[Brink]

Hello Hugga, and welcome to Seven Forums.

What is the device, and is it still listed in Safely Remove Hardware after you eject it? Does it give you any type of message (ex: error)?

 

[hugga26]

Safely removing device not working

It is a Vodafone USB dongle. Yes, it is still listed in the safely remove device and there is no error message showing up.

 

[Brink]

Since it is a USB modem and not a storage device, you can always safely remove the device by just unplugging it.

 

[StupidUser]

Am I just plain thick, or did they remove the Eject and that other option from the device's explorer context menus? If not, why don't see it? If so, how do I get it back?

 

[Brink]

Hello StupidUser, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The "Eject" option is still available in "Devices and Printers" for listed storage devices only.

 

[iksyaj]

Hi,
I'm having problem on my cruzer micro (8gb) flash drive. It seems that when I safely remove it, the light on the flash drive doesn't stop. On other pc it does when safely remove.

I've tried the different ways to safely remove as on the 1st page. I noticed on "Devices and Printers", when I eject the flash drive, a warning appears on the icon that means "It needs troubleshooting".

 

[Brink]

Hello Iksyaj,

This happens with various USB drive sometimes. If you get the Safe to Remove Hardware notification pop-up message after ejecting the USB drive, then it will be safe to disconnect the USB drive even with it's light still on.

In "Devices and Printers", the warning icon just indicates that you will not be able to use this USB drive again unless you unplug it and then plug it in again. That's all. This is the troubleshoot report for mine with the same thing.



Hope this helps,
Shawn