External Hard Drive Safe Removal Problem

[Enki40]

So I ejected my external Hard Drive and looked away from the taskbar, checked computer and the icon lost the bar, so I thought it must have safely removed. I unplugged it and then it decided to warn me that a program was using it.

Sorry I didn't copy the message. I'd try to get it, but I've done this to my drive twice and I'm afraid I'll lose my data.

Does M$ have some kind of hotfix or is there some kind of workaround so it will either properly remove my drive when I ask or so it warns me BEFORE I unplug my drive that something is wrong?

Thanks.

 

[Baddog22556]

You probably had/have a background program that works with the external drive like backup, for instance.
Download Process Explorer to check all background running programs. This little gem takes
up where Task Manager leaves off.
Good luck.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
The safest way to disconnect a external drive is to shut down
Then most will have a power on/ off switch turn it off or remove the drive and restart.

 

[Baddog22556]

I doubt you'll find a USB external drive with on/off switches anymore. Certainly shutting down the
complete system will force any background process to stop. Once CPU is powered off, pull drive off.
But using Eject USB to ATA/ATAPI Bridge always works for me as it is only used for system images
and when they're done it shows "Complete" so I know nothing is running in background to USB drive.

 

[ThrashZone]

I just bought a enterprise 4x it has a power switch
Probably nothing I'd use in a raid and it has some poor reviews but mostly from people using it as a raid

I personally simply shut down and turn the power switch off
Drives do not show unless power is on.
I bought it mainly because it had an esata port which my old Acer board has too and it was about all Fry's had that was reasonably priced about 80.us and does have a cooling fan.

 

[Baddog22556]

I just bought a enterprise 4x it has a power switch

But that is an enclosure system for 3.5 inch drives that are externally powered. I was more talking
about 2.5 inch USB only external drives. Whatever works, right?

 

[ThrashZone]

I don't believe it makes a difference external devices are pretty much the same usb/ esata
But in the properties of the device some have more options than others

If you specify flash or pin drives then yes those would be slightly different animal but now days are getting larger in capacity than early days
I have a PNY usb3 64gb's flash drive it has Linux mint mate 17.1 - 32 bit on it works well