I couldn't "safely remove" my USB external drive


  1. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Pro x64
       #1

    I couldn't "safely remove" my USB external drive


    Hello

    I have this problem in Windows 7. Always when I try to stop my external USB drive (HP pd 750a) system message appears that drive is in use by another process or application. There were no problem under Windows XP. What process I have to stop if I want to correctly "safely remove" my drive ?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 10,994
    Win 7 Pro 64-bit
       #2

    Hello Bataj and welcome to Seven Forums.

    See if this tutorial helps.

    Safely Remove Hardware - Eject Device
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 3,302
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
       #3

    Hi Bataj55

    Have a look at this.It will tell you what may be preventing your drive to be safely removed and allow you to end the processes LockHunter is a free 64/32 bit tool to delete files blocked by any processes

    Danny
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #4

    I've try three others usb external devices (samsung, WD and My HP) all of them has same problem in my Windows 7 x64 station. I couldn't safely remove them, seems like W7 doesn't recognize them as removable storage device.
      My Computer


  5. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #5

    I just remove the USB device. The "safely remove" protects you against incomplete writes. But if you wait a couple of minutes after the last write operation, you can be pretty sure that all writes are completed. The other method is to reboot which will free-up all the handles.

    If you want to be double certain, disable the write caching for the device (in Device Manager > Policies tab).
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thanks "whs"

    I switched caching off in policies as You recommend me and now I can "safely remove" external USB drive. However one question, there were no problem in WXP - means that WXP doesn't use caching during USB external drive operations ?

    Thanks.
      My Computer


  7. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #7

    Bataj55 said:
    Thanks "whs"

    I switched caching off in policies as You recommend me and now I can "safely remove" external USB drive. However one question, there were no problem in WXP - means that WXP doesn't use caching during USB external drive operations ?

    Thanks.
    No idea, I never used XP.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 1
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #8

    Hello Bataj

    You can also try USB Safely Remove. It replaces native Safely Remove Hardware and lets you display locking processes or forcibly stop a drive.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 2,578
    Vista 64 bit and 32 bit (SP2)
       #9

    Here are a few other potential solutions --- all depending on what the exact cause of the inability to safely remove is:

    In Windows Explorer, double-click on “Computer” in the Navigation Pane (left column) and in the
    RIGHT-HAND column, right-click on the device you want to remove. Click on “Safely remove” and it should allow you to do so.

    Check Task Manager to see if it shows that any USB files/programs are open. If so, of course check End Process to officially close that file/program.

    If Task Manager doesn't see anything open, go into your Start menu's Recent Items list, select the most recent item opened from the USB hard drive, and with that file open, go back into Task Manager. Highlight that file in Task Manager and “End Process.” Then go to Windows Explorer and you should be able to remove your USB drive with the Safely Remove link or Eject. You may have to repeat this process several times, each time selecting the next most recent item in the Recent Items list.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 339
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #10

    Isn't there something I can type in the cmd window to ask which process is preventing me from removing the EHD?
      My Computer


 

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