Solved Safety Remove a HDD (SATA)

[skew]

In the icon tray, there is an icon for safety removing hardware and eject media. I'm using two HDDs. One where Windows 7 is installed and another where are some data are placed. By clicking on the icon, a context menu appears where my two HDDs are listed. If I click on the HDD where just my data are placed, I get an error message:

This device is currently in use. Close any programs or windows that might be using the device, and then try again.

There aren't any applications opened which are currently in use or accessing the drive. Also after restarting my computer and try it again, the error message appears.

The reason why I want to eject the device is that working with the HHD, the performance decreased. There must be a performance issue with Windows and the device. Why this doesn't work and is there a possibility to plug out the HDD without manually removing the cable?

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

Hello skew

Have a look at these applications. They may shed some light on what is preventing your HDD from been removed
LockHunter is a free 64/32 bit tool to delete files blocked by any processes
UNLOCKER 1.9.1 BY CEDRICK 'NITCH' COLLOMB

Danny

 

[strollin]

Is this an internal HDD or an external? Internal HDDs don't need to be ejected, just power down the computer and disconnect the hdd.

As far as the message, when I run into it occasionally when attempting to eject an external USB drive, I ensure that no open applications are referencing the drive and make sure there's no current disk activity then pull the cable. I have never had a problem from doing this.

You can also access the device Properties in Device Manager and on the Policies tab you can set "Quick Removal" which disables write caching on the drive which makes the "Safely Eject..." dialog irrelevant.

 

[garryggreen]

Strollin's comments 100% wrong

I've run across the street with my eyes closed 10 times and I'm still alive. UNLESS YOU SAFELY REMOVE A SATA DRIVE, THE EXACT SAME AS A USB DRIVE, YOU ARE RISKING DATA LOSS / CORRUPTION.

Anyone who tells you anything else is WRONG. Think about it - you are pulling the plug and the computer may be writing to the drive. Poof - data corruption. Just because the disk activity light isn't on when you reach to pull the cable does not mean while you are unplugging it, it didn't start to write something.

Further there is no functional difference between SATA and ESATA. The computer doesn't have a spy camera to see if the disk is internal or external, so anyone saying "it is this way for internal disks" and another way for external doesn't know what they are talking about either. An external SATA disk is the EXACT same as an internal sata disk, it just happens to be located inside the computer case. If you wrapped your external drive in a blanket, would that make it internal? Because SATA organization found that the plug for internal sata was too flimsy for external use, there is a recommended (different) cable for external - that is it.

The Windows policies should read: click here and device will show up in Safely Remove which must be used. Click here and device will NOT show up in Safely Remove and CANNOT be safely removed without shutting down the system.

PERIOD.

 

[strollin]

Strollin's comments 100% wrong
I've run across the street with my eyes closed 10 times and I'm still alive. UNLESS YOU SAFELY REMOVE A SATA DRIVE, THE EXACT SAME AS A USB DRIVE, YOU ARE RISKING DATA LOSS / CORRUPTION.

Anyone who tells you anything else is WRONG. Think about it - you are pulling the plug and the computer may be writing to the drive. Poof - data corruption. Just because the disk activity light isn't on when you reach to pull the cable does not mean while you are unplugging it, it didn't start to write something.

Further there is no functional difference between SATA and ESATA. The computer doesn't have a spy camera to see if the disk is internal or external, so anyone saying "it is this way for internal disks" and another way for external doesn't know what they are talking about either. An external SATA disk is the EXACT same as an internal sata disk, it just happens to be located inside the computer case. If you wrapped your external drive in a blanket, would that make it internal? Because SATA organization found that the plug for internal sata was too flimsy for external use, there is a recommended (different) cable for external - that is it.

The Windows policies should read: click here and device will show up in Safely Remove which must be used. Click here and device will NOT show up in Safely Remove and CANNOT be safely removed without shutting down the system.

PERIOD.

Can you reference any particular line in my post that was wrong? I doubt it since everything I said was 120% correct. I did not suggest unplugging a SATA drive without precautions, in fact what I said was "Internal HDDs don't need to be ejected, just power down the computer and disconnect the hdd." I did not advocate (nor would I) that you unplug a running internal SATA drive, not sure how you made the assumption that I said anything else. Please read a little more carefully next time, especially when replying to old posts from 2011!

 

[p1tcho0]

I've run across the street with my eyes closed 10 times and I'm still alive. UNLESS YOU SAFELY REMOVE A SATA DRIVE, THE EXACT SAME AS A USB DRIVE, YOU ARE RISKING DATA LOSS / CORRUPTION.

Anyone who tells you anything else is WRONG. Think about it - you are pulling the plug and the computer may be writing to the drive. Poof - data corruption. Just because the disk activity light isn't on when you reach to pull the cable does not mean while you are unplugging it, it didn't start to write something.

Further there is no functional difference between SATA and ESATA. The computer doesn't have a spy camera to see if the disk is internal or external, so anyone saying "it is this way for internal disks" and another way for external doesn't know what they are talking about either. An external SATA disk is the EXACT same as an internal sata disk, it just happens to be located inside the computer case. If you wrapped your external drive in a blanket, would that make it internal? Because SATA organization found that the plug for internal sata was too flimsy for external use, there is a recommended (different) cable for external - that is it.

The Windows policies should read: click here and device will show up in Safely Remove which must be used. Click here and device will NOT show up in Safely Remove and CANNOT be safely removed without shutting down the system.

PERIOD.

External Usb drive have adaptor for the power, when the hdd is internal its not the same way.
Buisness company dont buy hotswap equipment for nothing

Please read this
http://www.ti.com/lit/ml/slup119/slup119.pdf

 

[bobafetthotmail]

Hotswap equipment is just a way to swap HDDs without risk of damaging the HDD's own connectors (not designed for a lot of plugging-unplugging).
Power corruption happens when the device is yanked away from the data connection while there was still data being written. But the drive itself (the hardware) will be fine regardless.

 

[garryggreen]

Stand by what I said

You (not I) said that you have "pull the cable". I'm not disputing that you've pulled the cable. I'm sure you have. And if you don't give a damned about your data, good for you. Pulling a cable while data is being transferred, unless you have a magical disk that can continue to transfer wirelessly, will cause data corruption. So you've been lucky - congrats. I stand by what I and MS say - unless you tell the OS that it should flush and cease transferring data to the disk, data transfer can be occurring and if you pull the plug at that time.............

Suppose you say "hey I haven't copied any data to that disk for at least 5 minutes so it should be safe". Well there are several background tasks that MAY be accessing your disk. May be writing to the disk. So you check the disk activity light - it is not on. You reach out and start to (your words) "pull the cable". Your hand touches the cable and you start to pull. But you haven't told the OS not to use the disk. As you start pulling, the OS starts writing. Tada - data corruption. The POLICIES MINIMIZES the risk for those that like gambling with their data. All I said was that you like to gamble with your data and others might not realize this and start losing data.

You also said (not me) that setting the Policy for Quick Removal means the Safely Remove is irrelevant. So you tell the OS not to write cache. So how do you know when the OS is finished writing to the disk? How do you know that some background task (see above) won't start writing to the disk at the same time that you reach out to unplug the disk? You don't, nor does the OS. To safely remove a SATA disk, the OS MUST be told, otherwise you risk corruption. You may get lucky sometimes, but eventually you will get caught. Its like taking backups. No one likes to until they need to restore.

YOU MUST TELL THE OS USING SOME METHOD TO STOP WRITING TO THE DISK BEFORE REMOVING IT. POLICY Quick Removal minimizes the risk - it does not eliminate it. Take the extra 3 seconds to SAFELY REMOVE the disk.

Pitch001 - read what I wrote. We are talking about DATA CORRUPTION. Do you think Windows knows if you have internal or external power? Whether the adapter is blue or red? Duh!!! The OS does not know if the disk is internal or external. Regarding data loss, there is NO DIFFERENCE between internal and external. There is no camera inside your PC to tell the OS. There is no signal that a disk sends saying it is internal or external. The cable WAS exactly the same and often still is - some external sata disk's use a newer more robust external sata cable, but again, the PC doesn't have a camera to report this, so the OS doesn't know. Not getting into a flaming war - this thread was about data corruption, data loss and safely removing your disk. SATA disks were from day 1 designed to safely allow unplugging them (hot swap) without removing the power, without causing electrical sparks and physical destruction of the disk and maybe the mainboard due to plug and electrical specs. So you won't destroy your disk/mainboard by unplugging while there is power. This has NOTHING to do with this thread, so please try to stay on topic. This is about after NOT destroying your disk by sparks, whether the data on the disk is safe.

Too many people say either "just pull it" or "wait 1 minute after using the disk then just pull it" or "change the Policy for Quick Removal and then just pull it". This is not safe and it says so in the MS Policy settings.

Strollin - maybe I was too harsh, but your implication was that you can safely just yank the cable. You can't. You can yank it.................but.

 

[strollin]

Again, I said POWER DOWN THE COMPUTER and remove the drive.

 

[p1tcho0]

In the icon tray, there is an icon for safety removing hardware and eject media. I'm using two HDDs. One where Windows 7 is installed and another where are some data are placed. By clicking on the icon, a context menu appears where my two HDDs are listed. If I click on the HDD where just my data are placed, I get an error message:

This device is currently in use. Close any programs or windows that might be using the device, and then try again.

There aren't any applications opened which are currently in use or accessing the drive. Also after restarting my computer and try it again, the error message appears.

The reason why I want to eject the device is that working with the HHD, the performance decreased. There must be a performance issue with Windows and the device. Why this doesn't work and is there a possibility to plug out the HDD without manually removing the cable?

When i was on windows xp in the pas it was the same thing, you can turn off the session and reopen it and try to Safe removal stuff.. It was my trick for usb key or external hdd.

The hdd is used when the computer boot in the os, the os use it ! That it !

If you want performance buy a SSD 6gbs and a controller to run it.

And who said the performance is decreased because you have a second hdd with data ?

I have 3 hdd and a ssd and before i had only 3 hdd. My performance will not decrease because i have

many.

Southbridge control them, yes This device is currently in use because windows use it.<

Strolling is right just shut down the comp and un plug it. If you dont do, maybe it will damage something

even we say sata can be unplugged while running The psu unit is not dedicated to be unplugged while

running and for sata cable too, if yes show me a real study and some example that proof my say.

PS:`being mad in a forum is not acceptable its free to dont read and s*fo

Im polite and respectful, so please I think anyway its the idea of the forum

 

[p1tcho0]

You (not I) said that you have "pull the cable". I'm not disputing that you've pulled the cable. I'm sure you have. And if you don't give a damned about your data, good for you. Pulling a cable while data is being transferred, unless you have a magical disk that can continue to transfer wirelessly, will cause data corruption. So you've been lucky - congrats. I stand by what I and MS say - unless you tell the OS that it should flush and cease transferring data to the disk, data transfer can be occurring and if you pull the plug at that time.............

Suppose you say "hey I haven't copied any data to that disk for at least 5 minutes so it should be safe". Well there are several background tasks that MAY be accessing your disk. May be writing to the disk. So you check the disk activity light - it is not on. You reach out and start to (your words) "pull the cable". Your hand touches the cable and you start to pull. But you haven't told the OS not to use the disk. As you start pulling, the OS starts writing. Tada - data corruption. The POLICIES MINIMIZES the risk for those that like gambling with their data. All I said was that you like to gamble with your data and others might not realize this and start losing data.

You also said (not me) that setting the Policy for Quick Removal means the Safely Remove is irrelevant. So you tell the OS not to write cache. So how do you know when the OS is finished writing to the disk? How do you know that some background task (see above) won't start writing to the disk at the same time that you reach out to unplug the disk? You don't, nor does the OS. To safely remove a SATA disk, the OS MUST be told, otherwise you risk corruption. You may get lucky sometimes, but eventually you will get caught. Its like taking backups. No one likes to until they need to restore.

YOU MUST TELL THE OS USING SOME METHOD TO STOP WRITING TO THE DISK BEFORE REMOVING IT. POLICY Quick Removal minimizes the risk - it does not eliminate it. Take the extra 3 seconds to SAFELY REMOVE the disk.

Pitch001 - read what I wrote. We are talking about DATA CORRUPTION. Do you think Windows knows if you have internal or external power? Whether the adapter is blue or red? Duh!!! The OS does not know if the disk is internal or external. Regarding data loss, there is NO DIFFERENCE between internal and external. There is no camera inside your PC to tell the OS. There is no signal that a disk sends saying it is internal or external. The cable WAS exactly the same and often still is - some external sata disk's use a newer more robust external sata cable, but again, the PC doesn't have a camera to report this, so the OS doesn't know. Not getting into a flaming war - this thread was about data corruption, data loss and safely removing your disk. SATA disks were from day 1 designed to safely allow unplugging them (hot swap) without removing the power, without causing electrical sparks and physical destruction of the disk and maybe the mainboard due to plug and electrical specs. So you won't destroy your disk/mainboard by unplugging while there is power. This has NOTHING to do with this thread, so please try to stay on topic. This is about after NOT destroying your disk by sparks, whether the data on the disk is safe.

Too many people say either "just pull it" or "wait 1 minute after using the disk then just pull it" or "change the Policy for Quick Removal and then just pull it". This is not safe and it says so in the MS Policy settings.

Strollin - maybe I was too harsh, but your implication was that you can safely just yank the cable. You can't. You can yank it.................but.

I think the controller have to recognized which interface the disk use.
Example I have a kind of this
Amazon.com : SATA/PATA/IDE Drive to USB 2.0 Adapter Converter Cable for 2.5 / 3.5 Inch Hard Drive / 5 inch Optical Drive with External AC Power Adapter : Computer Cables & Interconnects : Computers & Accessories

The drive is internal and yes the os install a usb bridge to recognize the hdd.

Its very dangerous to unplug the stuff while computer is running the material is not dedicated for and if you dont think im right

When we were in class the instructor of A+ said sata was hotplug and could disconnect while running.

The teacher didnt trust him they try and after that the hdd was defect and the board too.

That it !

 

[p1tcho0]

Performance get SSD and controller like this
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124045

 

[TrevorLaneRay]

Offline your drive in Disk Management for removal.

I know this is kinda an old thread, but I figured I'd chip in some useful info for the Googlers that come through here...

Everyone is correct in that you shouldn't just "pull the cable" during disk idle time.
The premise is that you tell the os "Okay, I'm needing to remove the drive; finish all your activity."
For SATA drives that don't show up in the "Safely Remove Hardware" list, this is how you hotswap a drive without powering off the computer...

(Quick step-by-step here.)

First, open Disk Management (Run > diskmgmt.msc).

Then, identify which drive it is that you want to remove.

Right-click the drive you wish to remove (the drive itself, not any of its partitions), and click "Offline" to cease all activity.

When the drive is marked as "offline," it is safe to remove.

Once you pull the cables (or the drive from its bay), it will vanish from the list.
If it stays in the list, just refresh the view to see the updated list.

As for plugging in any SATA drives while powered on, I do recommend you plug the power cable in first, and allow the drive to fully spin up. This way, once you connect the data cable, the drive is ready for it, and Windows will quickly recognize it.

Hope this helps.
Personally tested on Vista/7/8/8.1/and 10.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I know this is kinda an old thread, but I figured I'd chip in some useful info for the Googlers that come through here...

Everyone is correct in that you shouldn't just "pull the cable" during disk idle time.
The premise is that you tell the os "Okay, I'm needing to remove the drive; finish all your activity."
For SATA drives that don't show up in the "Safely Remove Hardware" list, this is how you hotswap a drive without powering off the computer...

(Quick step-by-step here.)

First, open Disk Management (Run > diskmgmt.msc).

Then, identify which drive it is that you want to remove.

Right-click the drive you wish to remove (the drive itself, not any of its partitions), and click "Offline" to cease all activity.

When the drive is marked as "offline," it is safe to remove.

Once you pull the cables (or the drive from its bay), it will vanish from the list.
If it stays in the list, just refresh the view to see the updated list.

As for plugging in any SATA drives while powered on, I do recommend you plug the power cable in first, and allow the drive to fully spin up. This way, once you connect the data cable, the drive is ready for it, and Windows will quickly recognize it.

Hope this helps.
Personally tested on Vista/7/8/8.1/and 10.

Most, if not all, MOBOs now have a Hot Swap setting in the BIOS or UEFI, making all that folderol completely unnecessary.

 

[TrevorLaneRay]

Most, if not all, MOBOs now have a Hot Swap setting in the BIOS or UEFI, making all that folderol completely unnecessary.

Ooh, yeah. Forgot about that. Think it requires AHCI though, right?
Also, I think AHCI has to be enabled prior to Windows being installed, as changing it later will prevent Windows from booting?
That, and not all BIOSes have the AHCI option... only AMD/Intel chipsets, amirite? :sarc:

All in all, I prefer just to stick to Disk Management.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Most, if not all, MOBOs now have a Hot Swap setting in the BIOS or UEFI, making all that folderol completely unnecessary.

Ooh, yeah. Forgot about that. Think it requires AHCI though, right?
Also, I think AHCI has to be enabled prior to Windows being installed, as changing it later will prevent Windows from booting?
That, and not all BIOSes have the AHCI option... only AMD/Intel chipsets, amirite? :sarc:

All in all, I prefer just to stick to Disk Management.

Yes, AHCI is required. Normally, it has to be enabled prior to installing Windows but there are ways around that. See here for one way.

There are very few computers anymore that use chipsets other than Intel or AMD. Most, if not all, MOBOs with SATA ports instead of IDE have it available.

It's your choice if you want to use antiquated hardware and technology but most of us prefer something more up to date.