USB 2 External Drive Problem

Hi,
Everytime I try to use the "Safely Remove Hardware" for a USB 2 external drive, I get the following message:

"Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Device "
"The Device "Generic Volume" cannot be Stpped Right Now. Try Stopping the Device Again Later "

I tried using "Process Explorer" as described in Microsoft Article ID: 555665 and also the "Unlocker" but neither one corrects the problem. If I run either one and then try the "Safely Remove Hardware ", I get the same message again.
I have also tried different USB external hard drives but still get the same message.

Does anyone know how to correct this problem?

Thanks.

 

When you use Process Explorer does it show that anything is using the drive?

Has the external drive got a drive letter assigned to it?

Have you tried leaving it for any length of time to see if the error goes away?

The most common problem, if you have been using Exlorer, is not closing it as that will cause the issue.

 

Hi PeteC,
I am using Diskeeper Lite but I don't think they have the auto feature.

The drive removal policy is already set for quick removal.

Thanks for the reply.

 

Hi Markmadras,
The external USB drive has "J" assigned to it when I plug it in and it does show up in Process Explorer.

Yes, I tried leaving the external USB drive plugged in and then trying the Safely Remove Hardware but then I get the same message again.

Thanks for the reply.

 

jslow, as PeteC suggested, a running background task is a common source of the failure to get disconnect clearance.

Running Windows Explorer at the same time guarantees you will be refused permission-- provided Explorer also has recognized your USB device.

In your later posts, you did not specifically state Windows Explorer was not running when you attempted to disconnect.

In your responses, you did mention you had set each USB device to allow a quick disconnect, but this setting addresses only the problem of possible data loss from a sudden, unauthorized disconnect.

In terms of disconnection from the system, it does not free you from the need to terminate Windows Explorer and/or other concurrent apps.

 

Hi.
In addition to what's already mentioned , this is what I found to cause "hangups" as well.
System Restore - If you have SR turned on ,check if it's monitoring this drive.
Turning it off for the drive will help.
AV or anti-malware programs - If they are running in the background and quietly scanning or monitoring the drive.
Indexing service.AutoPlay for all types of content and any service
listed under Properties tabs.

As mentioned, Explorer is often the culprit and disabling AutoPlay for all types
of content, will give you a head start.If you open files on the drive, it will take a few minutes after you close an Explorer window ,before it unloads the files from memory.
Same goes for media players etc. If you eg. play a movie or music file,
you have to close the player ,before it releases its "hold" on the drive.

Just like PeteC and alphaa10 said, anything that monitors or scans the drive
will cause the message that the drive can't be stopped.
If after taking the appropriate steps with the items mentioned above ,the drive still shows activity, the safest way is to log off ,then unplug the drive.

You may get away with just unplugging while still logged on ,but sooner or later you will experience data loss with that practice.

These are my personal experiences as I tracked down what the hangups were caused by

Pete E.

 

Jslow, you replied to this questions saying that the drive appears but you have not said what processes show (if any).

Can you also confirm that Windows Explorer is shut down when you have tried to use Seafely Remove Hardware.

Having checked all the suggestions that have been made you could use Task Manager to see what is running in the background and switch off any process that could be using the drive untill it will allow you to safely remove.

I forgot to ask earlier, are you using a USB hub?

 

Hi Markmadras,
No, I am not using a USB hub. I am using a 500 GB USB external drive to back up my computer. I just plug it in when I'm ready to make a back up.

This USB drive shows up with a J drive letter.

When I used the Process Explorer, one item showed up as using the J drive.

How do you safely confirm that Windows Explorer is shut down when you want to use the Safely Remove Hardware. When I checked the processes running in Task Manager, I did find one explorer.exe and one iexplorer.exe listed in the processes but I could not find any drive associated with these.

 

Hi jslow, as mark has asked, what item? This information is crucial to answering your query.

 

Hi wildfire,

The item that showed up in Process Explorer is:

"J:\ systemvolumeinformation\EfaData\SYMEFA.DB "

Thanks

 

Once you have set your system restore to stop monitoring the extrnal drive you should find your can safely disconnect it. I asked about what was using the drive in Process Explorer back in post 3.

My suggestion to use task manager was as a last resort if nothing else worked. Explorer shows in Task Manager running in the background, it is only if you have left it open after transferring files to the external drive that it can cause a problem.

 

I had to connect my external USB 2 drive (J) and then reboot before it would show up in System Restore. At this time I could turn System Restore off for this drive.

But this didn't solve the problem. I still get the same message as I mentioned in my original post.

 

The USB drive will only show in System Restore when it is connected, that is to be expected. You just need to be sure that System Restore no longer monitors the USB drive.

So, please check what is now showing in Process Explorer and report back with the details. Something must still be actively connecting to the drive, you could also try disabling anti virus software.

 

Hi markmadras,

I have already tried disabling Norton AntiVirus but that didn't help.

I ran process explorer and found the following per Find Handle or DLL dialog box:
J:\systemvolumeinformation\EfaData\SYMEFA.DB (two entries)
J:\$extend\$Objld
J:\System Volume Information\Tracking.Log
J:\Recycler\NProtect\NProtect.log (two entries)
J:\BackUpDrives (from back ups made on 11-26-10) (several)

When I looked in system process tree view I couldn't find any of the above neither by drive letter or description.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks

 

System Volume Information is the system restore still monitoring the drive, you still need to switch this off. Recycler Nprotect is the Noton protected recycle bin which you should also be able to switch off somewhere in the Norton UI (I am not familiar with Norton so you will have to figure that out yourself) The other processes you just need to suspend in Process Explorer, there must be some control in there to do that.

Once all these processes are suspended or disabled you should be able to safely eject the USB drive. All the time that Process Explorer shows anything using the J drive you will not be able to eject it.

 

Hi, jslow

I've been following this tread, but what surprises me is that my recommendations in post #7 are being ignored.We're at post #17 now and still
dealing with what to turn off.

BTW, don't stop or terminate your AV, just set it not to do any background scanning for drive "J ".
Also ,no need to terminate Explorer.exe.
If you follow the recommendations Explorer won't have a hold on drive J,
if you close any windows that showed or dealt with drive J.
What helps too is to open a window showing files on C.
Windows has a tendency to hold on to the last Explorer window opened,
so if it was for J , it will be reluctant to unload after closing the Explorer window.
Changing to another drive will help that process.

Your backup program is still monitoring drive J or it's an Explorer instance
if you were checking or backing up to "BackupDrives" folder

Pete E

 

Hi,

Just in case anybody is interested, an upgraded version of SafelyRemove,
called Zentimo is available for free for a limited time -1st -7th Dec,2010
No upgrades or support, but if SafelyRemove was any indication of the added
benefits of a USB manager, Zentimo is more advanced.

(my time )
http://zentimo.com/giveawayd10.htm

Read more about Zentimo http://zentimo.com/index.htm

Or its predecessor SafelyRemove for comparison.
http://safelyremove.com/?sm=mainmenu&ver=4.1.5.806&vertype=pro

Pete E.

 

Hi,
I have tried the following suggestions noted by various replies:

• Shutdown Norton AntiVirus-which was accomplished
• Turned off System Restore for the USB External Drive-which was accomplished but then the next time I plugged in this drive, it was again monitoring this drive.
After several hours (while still plugged in) this drive was noted to be offline so I tried the Safely Remove Hardware again and I still got the same message as I noted in my original post.
• Norton Protected Recycle Bin
Turned off protection for this external USB drive, but the next time I plugged in this drive, the protection was then on again.
• Process Explorer
Tried this program per instructions in Microsoft Article 555665 but this didn’t solve the problem-I still got the original message again.
• Unlocker
Tried this Program as mentioned in MS Article: 555665 but this didn’t solve the problem.
• Drive Removal Policy
This was already set for quick removal.
• Windows Explorer-I previously posted a question regarding closing Windows Explorer as follows:
“How do you safely confirm that Windows Explorer is shut down when you want to use the Safely Remove Hardware. When I checked the processes running in Task Manager, I did find one explorer.exe and one iexplorer.exe listed in the processes but I could not find any drive associated with these."

It appears that this question is a lost cause.

It's typical for Microsoft to provide a tool to prevent you from unplugging an external drive too soon but then they do not provide the means to determine what application is holding the external drive from being prevented from being shut down safely.
The resolution given in Microsoft Article 555665 as well as the Unlocker that they suggested in this article did not provide the means to determine what application has a hold on the external drive.