Guest Noozer Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and still I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of different drives. I've tried using a process viewer to see what is accessing the drive, but haven't had much luck. Is there any way I can force the safely remove hardware icon to shut down a device? Windows has no problem shutting the device down when I shutdown Windows, so why can't I get it the shutdown the device when asked? Windows XP Pro with SP2 and all recent updates.
Guest Doug W. Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? If you go to Windows Task Manager...Ctrl/Alt/Delete and end process for "explorer" and then goto Run and type in "Explorer", you should be able to "Safely Remove Hardware". I do it all the time when some USB devices can't be removed. No sweat. - Doug W. - "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message news:QXIFi.151948$fJ5.83256@pd7urf1no... > About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells > me that I cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, > so nothing should be accessing the drive. I wait a while > (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and still I cannot safely > remove the drive. This happens on a number of different > drives. > > I've tried using a process viewer to see what is accessing the > drive, but haven't had much luck. > > Is there any way I can force the safely remove hardware icon > to shut down a device? Windows has no problem shutting the > device down when I shutdown Windows, so why can't I get it the > shutdown the device when asked? > > Windows XP Pro with SP2 and all recent updates. >
Guest Uwe Sieber Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? Noozer wrote: > About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I > cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be > accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and still > I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of different > drives. > > I've tried using a process viewer to see what is accessing the drive, but > haven't had much luck. > > Is there any way I can force the safely remove hardware icon to shut down a > device? Windows has no problem shutting the device down when I shutdown > Windows, so why can't I get it the shutdown the device when asked? > > Windows XP Pro with SP2 and all recent updates. When XP shuts down then it stops all services. If one of the services is the one who accesses the drive, then the drive becomes free... You can try my commanline tool RemoveDrive: http://www.uwe-sieber.de/files/removedrive.zip Sample to remove X: removedrive x: -L -L make it loop until success. While it loop you can stop step by step all running Programs and then services until it is successfully prepared for safe removal. Uwe
Guest vinceu@sbcglobal.net Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? On Sep 11, 7:22 pm, "Noozer" <dont.s...@me.here> wrote: > About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I > cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be > accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and still > I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of different > drives. > > I've tried using a process viewer to see what is accessing the drive, but > haven't had much luck. > > Is there any way I can force the safely remove hardware icon to shut down a > device? Windows has no problem shutting the device down when I shutdown > Windows, so why can't I get it the shutdown the device when asked? > > Windows XP Pro with SP2 and all recent updates. Here is some information that you might find helpful...along with other USB related material: http://www.5starsupport.com/faq/usb-faq.htm#1-2 I hope it helps! -Vince
Guest bojimbo26@aol.com Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:22:24 GMT, "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote: >About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I >cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be >accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and still >I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of different >drives. > >I've tried using a process viewer to see what is accessing the drive, but >haven't had much luck. > >Is there any way I can force the safely remove hardware icon to shut down a >device? Windows has no problem shutting the device down when I shutdown >Windows, so why can't I get it the shutdown the device when asked? > >Windows XP Pro with SP2 and all recent updates. > Can`t give you a proper answer ; I use the plug and play system . Plug it in , use it , and when the light stops flashing , unplug it .
Guest Opinicus Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote > About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I > cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be > accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and > still I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of > different drives. > I've tried using a process viewer to see what is accessing the drive, but > haven't had much luck. > Is there any way I can force the safely remove hardware icon to shut down > a device? Windows has no problem shutting the device down when I shutdown > Windows, so why can't I get it the shutdown the device when asked? Be sure that System Restore and the Recycle Bin are NOT turned on for your USB drives. (Turning them off is easy; keeping them turned off is not.) -- Bob http://www.kanyak.com
Guest RalfG Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? Anything from the USB drive that is in the Recycle bin can lock the drive. I find that if Media Player is running, or Media Center, those will also lock the removable drive. Besides using Process Explorer to manually find files that Explorer.exe has locked, I have a handy little utility called Unlocker which searches for locked files in drives or folders from the Explorer context menu. "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message news:QXIFi.151948$fJ5.83256@pd7urf1no... > About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I > cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be > accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and > still I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of > different drives. > > I've tried using a process viewer to see what is accessing the drive, but > haven't had much luck. > > Is there any way I can force the safely remove hardware icon to shut down > a device? Windows has no problem shutting the device down when I shutdown > Windows, so why can't I get it the shutdown the device when asked? > > Windows XP Pro with SP2 and all recent updates. >
Guest dobey Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message news:QXIFi.151948$fJ5.83256@pd7urf1no... > About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I > cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be > accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and > still I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of > different drives. > > I've tried using a process viewer to see what is accessing the drive, but > haven't had much luck. > > Is there any way I can force the safely remove hardware icon to shut down > a device? Windows has no problem shutting the device down when I shutdown > Windows, so why can't I get it the shutdown the device when asked? > > Windows XP Pro with SP2 and all recent updates. > Provided no data is actually being written to the drive you can just unplug it. Check the things listed in the other replies, system restore etc... sometimes just the fact you have opened a file on a removeable drive and a link exists in the "recently opened" menu of some programs can cause problems. I get this with some devices. Mainly extenal HDDs, but flash drives seem OK. Anyway, if you have finished with the drive, and nothing is accessing it, just unplug.
Guest Rich Barry Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? See if this helps any http://ask-leo.com/safely_remove_hardware_where_did_the_icon_go_how_do_i_safely_remove_hardware_without_it.html "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message news:QXIFi.151948$fJ5.83256@pd7urf1no... > About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I > cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be > accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and > still I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of > different drives. > > I've tried using a process viewer to see what is accessing the drive, but > haven't had much luck. > > Is there any way I can force the safely remove hardware icon to shut down > a device? Windows has no problem shutting the device down when I shutdown > Windows, so why can't I get it the shutdown the device when asked? > > Windows XP Pro with SP2 and all recent updates. >
Guest Noozer Posted September 12, 2007 Posted September 12, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? "dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message news:OP6%23%23cV9HHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... > > "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message > news:QXIFi.151948$fJ5.83256@pd7urf1no... >> About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I >> cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be >> accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and >> still I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of >> different drives. > I get this with some devices. Mainly extenal HDDs, but flash drives seem > OK. > > Anyway, if you have finished with the drive, and nothing is accessing it, > just unplug. It's not good to just unplug it. I know for a fact that Windows doesn't always flush the buffer after writing data to a USB drive. For example, I plug an SD card into my reader. I drag 10 files to it, then drag 5 files to it. Wait 30 minutes. Pull the SD card and install it in my MP3 player. I can only see and play the first 10 songs. The device is set for quick removal, not performance, so it SHOULD have been flushed SOMETIME in those 30 minutes, but wasn't. I did find a solution though... Haven't had to use it yet, so can't say how well it works. Unlocker here: <http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/>
Guest Smirnoff Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message news:gdZFi.163957$rX4.62638@pd7urf2no... > > "dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message > news:OP6%23%23cV9HHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >> >> "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message >> news:QXIFi.151948$fJ5.83256@pd7urf1no... >>> About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me >>> that I cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing >>> should be accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes >>> or more) and still I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on >>> a number of different drives. > >> I get this with some devices. Mainly extenal HDDs, but flash drives >> seem OK. >> >> Anyway, if you have finished with the drive, and nothing is accessing >> it, just unplug. > > It's not good to just unplug it. I know for a fact that Windows > doesn't always flush the buffer after writing data to a USB drive. > > For example, I plug an SD card into my reader. I drag 10 files to it, > then drag 5 files to it. Wait 30 minutes. Pull the SD card and install > it in my MP3 player. I can only see and play the first 10 songs. The > device is set for quick removal, not performance, so it SHOULD have > been flushed SOMETIME in those 30 minutes, but wasn't. Could you expand a bit on "Set for quick removal, not speed", please. I seem to remember that there was a setting for either option in XP. I notice you say the "device" is set, not XP. If I remember correctly, when I set my niece's iPod to Quick Removal, I didn't see the Safely remove Hardware again. Can't remember how I did it now, does this option only appear when a device is detected and shown in My Computer? > > I did find a solution though... Haven't had to use it yet, so can't > say how well it works. Unlocker here: > <http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/> > >
Guest Smirnoff Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? "Smirnoff" <someone@nospam.invalid> wrote in message news:051AB99E-E17A-4531-977B-DDFC9A1E7856@microsoft.com... > > > "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message > news:gdZFi.163957$rX4.62638@pd7urf2no... >> >> "dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message >> news:OP6%23%23cV9HHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >>> >>> "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message >>> news:QXIFi.151948$fJ5.83256@pd7urf1no... >>>> About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me >>>> that I cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so >>>> nothing should be accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 >>>> minutes or more) and still I cannot safely remove the drive. This >>>> happens on a number of different drives. >> >>> I get this with some devices. Mainly extenal HDDs, but flash drives >>> seem OK. >>> >>> Anyway, if you have finished with the drive, and nothing is >>> accessing it, just unplug. >> >> It's not good to just unplug it. I know for a fact that Windows >> doesn't always flush the buffer after writing data to a USB drive. >> >> For example, I plug an SD card into my reader. I drag 10 files to it, >> then drag 5 files to it. Wait 30 minutes. Pull the SD card and >> install it in my MP3 player. I can only see and play the first 10 >> songs. The device is set for quick removal, not performance, so it >> SHOULD have been flushed SOMETIME in those 30 minutes, but wasn't. > > Could you expand a bit on "Set for quick removal, not speed", please. > I seem to remember that there was a setting for either option in XP. > I notice you say the "device" is set, not XP. > If I remember correctly, when I set my niece's iPod to Quick Removal, > I didn't see the Safely remove Hardware again. > Can't remember how I did it now, does this option only appear when a > device is detected and shown in My Computer? > >> Have Googled and found the answer for anybody who may be interested. The device has to be connected. Open My Computer and right click device, select properties. Then click Hardware tab, select device and then click properties again. In the Policies tab you will find the two options. If you select Quick Removal, you won't have to use Safely Remove Hardware every time you disconnect. I have no idea if this is the best option or if it may pose risks of corrupting data but that is how to do it if you wish.
Guest RalfG Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message news:gdZFi.163957$rX4.62638@pd7urf2no... > > "dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message > news:OP6%23%23cV9HHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >> >> "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message >> news:QXIFi.151948$fJ5.83256@pd7urf1no... >>> About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I >>> cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be >>> accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and >>> still I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of >>> different drives. > >> I get this with some devices. Mainly extenal HDDs, but flash drives seem >> OK. >> >> Anyway, if you have finished with the drive, and nothing is accessing it, >> just unplug. > > It's not good to just unplug it. I know for a fact that Windows doesn't > always flush the buffer after writing data to a USB drive. > > For example, I plug an SD card into my reader. I drag 10 files to it, then > drag 5 files to it. Wait 30 minutes. Pull the SD card and install it in my > MP3 player. I can only see and play the first 10 songs. The device is set > for quick removal, not performance, so it SHOULD have been flushed > SOMETIME in those 30 minutes, but wasn't. > > I did find a solution though... Haven't had to use it yet, so can't say > how well it works. Unlocker here: <http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/> > That's the one I use, convenient and quick. Lost the web link for it.
Guest Noozer Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? > Have Googled and found the answer for anybody who may be interested. > The device has to be connected. > Open My Computer and right click device, select properties. > Then click Hardware tab, select device and then click properties again. > In the Policies tab you will find the two options. > If you select Quick Removal, you won't have to use Safely Remove Hardware > every time you disconnect. > I have no idea if this is the best option or if it may pose risks of > corrupting data but that is how to do it if you wish. That's the right place... But I find that, even when set for quick removal, it still doesn't always flush the contents quickly.
Guest Ron Hardin Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? Noozer wrote: > > > Have Googled and found the answer for anybody who may be interested. > > The device has to be connected. > > Open My Computer and right click device, select properties. > > Then click Hardware tab, select device and then click properties again. > > In the Policies tab you will find the two options. > > If you select Quick Removal, you won't have to use Safely Remove Hardware > > every time you disconnect. > > I have no idea if this is the best option or if it may pose risks of > > corrupting data but that is how to do it if you wish. > > That's the right place... But I find that, even when set for quick removal, > it still doesn't always flush the contents quickly. Does anybody know if ``sync'' in Cygwin (running under XP) does the necessary flush? It appears to hit the HD and my passport external HD when I do it. (It has long become a null command on UNIX, but perhaps has been resurrected for this application, by Cygwin.) -- rhhardin@mindspring.com On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.
Guest M.I.5¾ Posted September 20, 2007 Posted September 20, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message news:gdZFi.163957$rX4.62638@pd7urf2no... > > "dobey" <a@v.nox> wrote in message > news:OP6%23%23cV9HHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... >> >> "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message >> news:QXIFi.151948$fJ5.83256@pd7urf1no... >>> About 75% of the time, the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon tells me that I >>> cannot remove my USB drives. No programs are open, so nothing should be >>> accessing the drive. I wait a while (sometimes 30 minutes or more) and >>> still I cannot safely remove the drive. This happens on a number of >>> different drives. > >> I get this with some devices. Mainly extenal HDDs, but flash drives seem >> OK. >> >> Anyway, if you have finished with the drive, and nothing is accessing it, >> just unplug. > > It's not good to just unplug it. I know for a fact that Windows doesn't > always flush the buffer after writing data to a USB drive. > > For example, I plug an SD card into my reader. I drag 10 files to it, then > drag 5 files to it. Wait 30 minutes. Pull the SD card and install it in my > MP3 player. I can only see and play the first 10 songs. The device is set > for quick removal, not performance, so it SHOULD have been flushed > SOMETIME in those 30 minutes, but wasn't. > If the device is set for quick removal, then there should be no requirement for a flush to take place at all. Quick removal makes the OS write direct to the device (i.e. not via the cache). It is the performance option that causes written data to be written to the cache, then requiring a flush to be forced via 'Safely remove hardware'.
Guest M.I.5¾ Posted September 20, 2007 Posted September 20, 2007 Re: Force "Safely remove hardware"? "Noozer" <dont.spam@me.here> wrote in message news:EUhGi.168391$rX4.132167@pd7urf2no... >> Have Googled and found the answer for anybody who may be interested. >> The device has to be connected. >> Open My Computer and right click device, select properties. >> Then click Hardware tab, select device and then click properties again. >> In the Policies tab you will find the two options. >> If you select Quick Removal, you won't have to use Safely Remove Hardware >> every time you disconnect. >> I have no idea if this is the best option or if it may pose risks of >> corrupting data but that is how to do it if you wish. > > That's the right place... But I find that, even when set for quick > removal, it still doesn't always flush the contents quickly. Something is wrong with your set up because quick removal should not write via the cache and thus does not require a flush (that is why you can remove the device once the write has finished).
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