Windows XP will not let me eject my usb device

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I recently purchased a workstation with all the latest updates of Windows XP
Pro. All is working fine except when it comes to safely ejecting a Sandisk
USB flash drive. I click on the safely remove hardware icon, but, receive a
message saying that there was a problem ejecting the drive since it is in
use. However, there is no other application or service accessing it. The
only way to remove the device is to completely shutdown the workstation.
I've checked the USB device on other machinese and it is working fine. I
have not problems accessing the device while it is plugged into the
workstation in question. I have also tried using other USB flash drives on
the said workstation, but, I encounter the same issues. Is there a solution
to this? Or, do I attempt to reinstall Windows XP once again. If anyone has
suggestions, please kindly post. I know this is a small issue, but, it is
annoying.

Thanks in advance

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Somewhere within the Properties screens for the device is a selection
to be made between "performance" and "safety", or somesuch words. If
you have "Performance", change to the other option. Perhaps somebody
can provide more precise wording, as I'm not on an XP system right now.

---
It's easy to make a decision when there are no options.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Have you tried just pulling the drive out, XP is much more forgiving on this than 2000 was.
--
Dave Vair
CNE, CNA, MCP, A+, N+
Computer Education Services Corp. (CESC)

"Sockeye" <Sockeye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5F3E79B0-1506-4E4B-9891-CE285AE45D85@microsoft.com...
>I recently purchased a workstation with all the latest updates of Windows XP
> Pro. All is working fine except when it comes to safely ejecting a Sandisk
> USB flash drive. I click on the safely remove hardware icon, but, receive a
> message saying that there was a problem ejecting the drive since it is in
> use. However, there is no other application or service accessing it. The
> only way to remove the device is to completely shutdown the workstation.
> I've checked the USB device on other machinese and it is working fine. I
> have not problems accessing the device while it is plugged into the
> workstation in question. I have also tried using other USB flash drives on
> the said workstation, but, I encounter the same issues. Is there a solution
> to this? Or, do I attempt to reinstall Windows XP once again. If anyone has
> suggestions, please kindly post. I know this is a small issue, but, it is
> annoying.
>
> Thanks in advance

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

If you don't see light flashing on your USB stick, then you can pull it out.
Nothing will happen.
if you see light flashing, than wait till it's off.
Also disable write caching for it.
you should select option "optimaize for quick removal" under properties for
usb stick


"Sockeye" <Sockeye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5F3E79B0-1506-4E4B-9891-CE285AE45D85@microsoft.com...
> I recently purchased a workstation with all the latest updates of Windows
XP
> Pro. All is working fine except when it comes to safely ejecting a
Sandisk
> USB flash drive. I click on the safely remove hardware icon, but, receive
a
> message saying that there was a problem ejecting the drive since it is in
> use. However, there is no other application or service accessing it. The
> only way to remove the device is to completely shutdown the workstation.
> I've checked the USB device on other machinese and it is working fine. I
> have not problems accessing the device while it is plugged into the
> workstation in question. I have also tried using other USB flash drives
on
> the said workstation, but, I encounter the same issues. Is there a
solution
> to this? Or, do I attempt to reinstall Windows XP once again. If anyone
has
> suggestions, please kindly post. I know this is a small issue, but, it is
> annoying.
>
> Thanks in advance

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Zibby,

Thanks for the suggestions. How do you disable write caching? I don't see
"optimize for quick removal" in properties. Help please...

"zibby" wrote:

> If you don't see light flashing on your USB stick, then you can pull it out.
> Nothing will happen.
> if you see light flashing, than wait till it's off.
> Also disable write caching for it.
> you should select option "optimaize for quick removal" under properties for
> usb stick
>
>
> "Sockeye" <Sockeye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:5F3E79B0-1506-4E4B-9891-CE285AE45D85@microsoft.com...
> > I recently purchased a workstation with all the latest updates of Windows
> XP
> > Pro. All is working fine except when it comes to safely ejecting a
> Sandisk
> > USB flash drive. I click on the safely remove hardware icon, but, receive
> a
> > message saying that there was a problem ejecting the drive since it is in
> > use. However, there is no other application or service accessing it. The
> > only way to remove the device is to completely shutdown the workstation.
> > I've checked the USB device on other machinese and it is working fine. I
> > have not problems accessing the device while it is plugged into the
> > workstation in question. I have also tried using other USB flash drives
> on
> > the said workstation, but, I encounter the same issues. Is there a
> solution
> > to this? Or, do I attempt to reinstall Windows XP once again. If anyone
> has
> > suggestions, please kindly post. I know this is a small issue, but, it is
> > annoying.
> >
> > Thanks in advance
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

go to Device Manager (under system)
expand "disk drivers"
right click on USB stick (whatever name it will show up under) and select
properties
then go to Policies and will have 2 options.




"Sockeye" <Sockeye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:03FD8E24-133A-48A7-B997-EB715D41142B@microsoft.com...
> Zibby,
>
> Thanks for the suggestions. How do you disable write caching? I don't
see
> "optimize for quick removal" in properties. Help please...
>
> "zibby" wrote:
>
> > If you don't see light flashing on your USB stick, then you can pull it
out.
> > Nothing will happen.
> > if you see light flashing, than wait till it's off.
> > Also disable write caching for it.
> > you should select option "optimaize for quick removal" under properties
for
> > usb stick
> >
> >
> > "Sockeye" <Sockeye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:5F3E79B0-1506-4E4B-9891-CE285AE45D85@microsoft.com...
> > > I recently purchased a workstation with all the latest updates of
Windows
> > XP
> > > Pro. All is working fine except when it comes to safely ejecting a
> > Sandisk
> > > USB flash drive. I click on the safely remove hardware icon, but,
receive
> > a
> > > message saying that there was a problem ejecting the drive since it is
in
> > > use. However, there is no other application or service accessing it.
The
> > > only way to remove the device is to completely shutdown the
workstation.
> > > I've checked the USB device on other machinese and it is working fine.
I
> > > have not problems accessing the device while it is plugged into the
> > > workstation in question. I have also tried using other USB flash
drives
> > on
> > > the said workstation, but, I encounter the same issues. Is there a
> > solution
> > > to this? Or, do I attempt to reinstall Windows XP once again. If
anyone
> > has
> > > suggestions, please kindly post. I know this is a small issue, but,
it is
> > > annoying.
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance
> >
> >
> >

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Found it. Thanks. I guess this just lets me pull the device off without
using the safely remove option. It doesn't, however, resolve the underlying
issue of why XP is refusing to eject the usb device.

Does anyone think if there could be a link with XP's compatability with the
use of SATA drives (like my workstation) and/or the use of motherboards which
support SATA drives only? Just a thought....



"zibby" wrote:

> go to Device Manager (under system)
> expand "disk drivers"
> right click on USB stick (whatever name it will show up under) and select
> properties
> then go to Policies and will have 2 options.
>
>
>
>
> "Sockeye" <Sockeye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:03FD8E24-133A-48A7-B997-EB715D41142B@microsoft.com...
> > Zibby,
> >
> > Thanks for the suggestions. How do you disable write caching? I don't
> see
> > "optimize for quick removal" in properties. Help please...
> >
> > "zibby" wrote:
> >
> > > If you don't see light flashing on your USB stick, then you can pull it
> out.
> > > Nothing will happen.
> > > if you see light flashing, than wait till it's off.
> > > Also disable write caching for it.
> > > you should select option "optimaize for quick removal" under properties
> for
> > > usb stick
> > >
> > >
> > > "Sockeye" <Sockeye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > news:5F3E79B0-1506-4E4B-9891-CE285AE45D85@microsoft.com...
> > > > I recently purchased a workstation with all the latest updates of
> Windows
> > > XP
> > > > Pro. All is working fine except when it comes to safely ejecting a
> > > Sandisk
> > > > USB flash drive. I click on the safely remove hardware icon, but,
> receive
> > > a
> > > > message saying that there was a problem ejecting the drive since it is
> in
> > > > use. However, there is no other application or service accessing it.
> The
> > > > only way to remove the device is to completely shutdown the
> workstation.
> > > > I've checked the USB device on other machinese and it is working fine.
> I
> > > > have not problems accessing the device while it is plugged into the
> > > > workstation in question. I have also tried using other USB flash
> drives
> > > on
> > > > the said workstation, but, I encounter the same issues. Is there a
> > > solution
> > > > to this? Or, do I attempt to reinstall Windows XP once again. If
> anyone
> > > has
> > > > suggestions, please kindly post. I know this is a small issue, but,
> it is
> > > > annoying.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks in advance
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I'd say this "advice" is less good than it should.
"David Vair" <dvair@nycap.rr.com> wrote in message
news:RV6Ue.66482$EX.16681@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
> Have you tried just pulling the drive out, XP is much more forgiving
> on this than 2000 was.
>

"Just pulling out" is dangerous and you easily could end with losing all
the data & reformatting USB-drive.

More accurate way is to try find who (which process) holds open handles
on the device.
Below are few links to process/handles viewing tools:
> http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html
> http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Handle.html
> http://www.ints.ru/~aresh/ntpv.zip

(suppose, USB-drive is locked by yet unknown virus ... huh?)

Also good practice (for me is disabling data caching for USB drives.
HTH

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Well, I went back to the problem workstation and found, unknown to me, a
third party application called Diskeeper Lite running. It looks like it was
loaded along with the Intel application bundle. Nonetheless, after
uninstalling this app, the USB flash drive is working and ejecting normally.

Thanks to everyone for there comments.

"Sockeye" wrote:

> I recently purchased a workstation with all the latest updates of Windows XP
> Pro. All is working fine except when it comes to safely ejecting a Sandisk
> USB flash drive. I click on the safely remove hardware icon, but, receive a
> message saying that there was a problem ejecting the drive since it is in
> use. However, there is no other application or service accessing it. The
> only way to remove the device is to completely shutdown the workstation.
> I've checked the USB device on other machinese and it is working fine. I
> have not problems accessing the device while it is plugged into the
> workstation in question. I have also tried using other USB flash drives on
> the said workstation, but, I encounter the same issues. Is there a solution
> to this? Or, do I attempt to reinstall Windows XP once again. If anyone has
> suggestions, please kindly post. I know this is a small issue, but, it is
> annoying.
>
> Thanks in advance