Disconnected USB device before “safely” removed

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Is there a program I can purchase that will retrieve information on a USB drive where an idiot (that would be me) unplugged the drive too quickly?

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There are several and I am sure that Google will help with this. I have had partial success with Recuva.
None are perfect, however there are things you can do to prevent this in the future, or at least minimize the chance. You can turn off the Write Cache to USB drives. Also this is a good reminder to us all that anything we put on a USB drive, should not be the “only” copy available.

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Unfortunately, it appears from my use, Recuva only recovers damaged files. I am trying to recover the entire drive.

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If you are able to run a checkdisk on the drive from a boot environment, I would suggest running checkdisk with the “R” switch as a first step. The drive would have to be at least recognized from the boot environment.

Other potential sites with solutions:
Storage: Oops, I accidentally unplugged my USB hard drive, now I can’t access it.
Google: unable to access usb drive+pulled drive

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I usually have to resort to Testdisk (free) or RecoverMyFiles ($$) in your scenario; most freeware programs are not much more than ‘undeleters’ in my experience. Treat the drive as if it has been formatted.

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If you are VERY quick off the mark, you can download “wGXe Data Recovery Professional” FREE, provided you do so TODAY (03 Sep 10) at the following web page:

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/

Notes to the program state:

“wGXe Data Recovery Professional is an advanced data recovery tool, which can recover lost data of all types, including Word, Excel, Access, Power Point, audio , etc. Data can easily be recovered from NTFS, FAT file systems”

My Rig: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-Core CPU; ASUS Cross Hair VIII Formula Mobo; Win 11 Pro (64 bit)-(UEFI-booted); 32GB RAM; 2TB Corsair Force Series MP600 Pro 2TB PCIe Gen 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSD. 1TB SAMSUNG 960 EVO M.2 NVME SSD; MSI GeForce RTX 3090 VENTUS 3X 24G OC; Microsoft 365 Home; Condusiv SSDKeeper Professional; Acronis Cyberprotect, VMWare Workstation Pro V17.5. HP 1TB USB SSD External Backup Drive). Dell G-Sync G3223Q 144Hz Monitor.

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CHKDSK worked. I did not know the correct syntax at first. But discovered it is CHKDSK /r p: where p: is the affected drive.

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Great
Sometimes checkdisk can recover from hard drive corruption related to power failures.
Pulling the cord from an external USB drive can be tantamount to this, if the right conditions exist.
It is also possible that the drive was being written to by some process of the operating system, or a software
backup program that come as part of the drive at the moment it was pulled, thereby corrupting data.

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Not to be a Pollyanna about this, but here is an example of why you need to use the “Safely Remove” feature in Windows before removing external devices. Luckily, your only damage was to your file system on the device. I have seen SD Camera Cards and Flash Drives literally fried by yanking then out without first doing the “safely remove” routine.

-- rc primak

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Not to be a Pollyanna about this, but here is an example of why you need to use the “Safely Remove” feature in Windows before removing external devices. Luckily, your only damage was to your file system on the device. I have seen SD Camera Cards and Flash Drives literally fried by yanking then out without first doing the “safely remove” routine.

There is another way – if you plug in your USB drive, then go to Control Panel/Device manager and locate the USB device in the Disk Drives section. Now double click, or right click/Properties, select the Policies tab you can choose to have the drive able to be removed safely without having to do a “safely remove”. There is a slight performance hit in that it disables write caching for the drive, but this is not usually significant. It’s still a bad idea to pull the drive while the writing is actually happening, but when things have quieted down you can pull it safely without having to use the safely remove. It is device specific however, you need to do it for each specific USB drive, but where you have an important drive it does give some belt and braces protection.

Justin

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Not to be a Pollyanna about this, but here is an example of why you need to use the “Safely Remove” feature in Windows before removing external devices.

I am pretty good about remembering to use the “safely remove” feature when working with USB drives. Fortunately, my several “Oooops” have never cost me any data loss or other problems.

One problem I do run into though is frequent error messages saying the device cannot be stopped, close software using it and try again. I check and nothing in the systray (notification area) or taskbar should be using it. Hmmmmm. And yes, I check the hidden icons also. I close literally everything there and try again. Error message again. *&@%%#$ The only way to safely remove the device is to turn off the computer to force closure of whatever hidden software is using the device, remove it and then turn it back on to continue. Just rebooting sometimes restarts the software that is using the device so shutdown is the only reliable way to do it.

Is there any way to identify exactly what is using the device so I can close it or better yet disable it or uninstall it?

Thanks,
Don

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The only way to safely remove the device is to turn off the computer to force closure of whatever hidden software is using the device, remove it and then turn it back on to continue. Just rebooting sometimes restarts the software that is using the device so shutdown is the only reliable way to do it.

Thanks,
Don

Try logging off (not shutdown). While logged off, remove the USB device. Then log on again. That is faster than rebooting.

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Try logging off (not shutdown). While logged off, remove the USB device. Then log on again. That is faster than rebooting.

Thanks. Had not thought of that. Will try it next time. I suspect this may have the same problem as rebooting has sometimes though.

Don

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Try logging off (not shutdown). While logged off, remove the USB device. Then log on again. That is faster than rebooting.

Probably the simplest & safest way to do it.

I also have an XP computer that does not always display the Safely Remove Hardware icon. I wonder what causes it to not appear when an external USB drive is attached while the PC boots up? What can we do to force it to appear in the SysTray?

Look in the control panel or the root directory for this and short cut it to your “Toolbox” location, if you use one.

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Probably the simplest & safest way to do it.

Look in the control panel or the root directory for this and short cut it to your “Toolbox” location, if you use one.

I am in Control Panel, but there is no icon for Safely Remove Hardware. I have all icons showing, in Classic view (XP Pro). Do you know the file name for the cpl icon?

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I am pretty good about remembering to use the “safely remove” feature when working with USB drives. Fortunately, my several “Oooops” have never cost me any data loss or other problems.

One problem I do run into though is frequent error messages saying the device cannot be stopped, close software using it and try again. I check and nothing in the systray (notification area) or taskbar should be using it. Hmmmmm. And yes, I check the hidden icons also. I close literally everything there and try again. Error message again. *&@%%#$ The only way to safely remove the device is to turn off the computer to force closure of whatever hidden software is using the device, remove it and then turn it back on to continue. Just rebooting sometimes restarts the software that is using the device so shutdown is the only reliable way to do it.

Is there any way to identify exactly what is using the device so I can close it or better yet disable it or uninstall it?

Thanks,
Don

I have experienced this problem going back at least ten years to Windows 98 and, yes, it still occurs with Windows 7. In my case it involves a DOS batch file that I use to backup a number of files and folders from the HD to the USB drive. After running the batch file, I almost (!) always get the “can’t be stopped” message when I click on “safely remove” the USB drive. There is NO WAY to identify what causes this message in my situation — I’ve gone through the entire litany of normal and abnormal reasons for this message – none apply. I’ve found that the message will often persist even after a totally cold restart of the machine.

However, there is a workaround that I have successfully used for several years now: Click on safely remove, wait for the bogus message about the drive can’t be stopped, pull the USB drive from the computer and immediately plug it back in. Run a check on the drive and test a file or two to be sure the data are OK. In my case, the data have always been OK. One way to explore this is to examine messages in Event Viewer. If you get warning messages for the USB drive, it is probably (but not always) damaged. If you do NOT wait for the bogus message before pulling the drive the data on it WILL be damaged but can be reloaded.

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To remove a USB drive that Windows will no ‘let go of,’ install Unlocker: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

Once installed, open “My computer” (“Computer in Vista and 7) and right click the USB drive. Choose Unlocker.

When Unlocker opens, click “Unlock All.” Now the “Safely Remove” utility will work.

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To remove a USB drive that Windows will no ‘let go of,’ install Unlocker: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

Once installed, open “My computer” (“Computer in Vista and 7) and right click the USB drive. Choose Unlocker.

When Unlocker opens, click “Unlock All.” Now the “Safely Remove” utility will work.

Thanks. I had seen this before but all the details about it refers to files and folders not drives. I will install and try it the next time that problem occurs.

Don

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Perhaps “slightly” off topic, but I had recent occasion to copy a file from one machine to another, so I inserted my flash drive and copied the file. Since I’ve had previous data loss I’m a stickler for using “safely remove…”, however, in this case it wasn’t available. So I waited several minutes before removing the drive. When I inserted it into the other computer – nothing – the drive wasn’t seen at all, not even in the disk manager. Knowing the drive just worked in the other machine I took it back and plugged it in, and immediately the activity light on the drive started blinking. Once it stopped there was still no option for safe removal, but upon removing it and putting it in the target machine, it was recognized correctly and all files were there.

One other thing I’ve seen is that Windows doesn’t like assigning a drive letter higher than G to usb drives. Whether this is normal behavior or something peculiar to the system image that I use for corporate computers I can’t say, but opening the disk manager will show the drive without a letter assignment, which must be added manually in order for it to function.

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Perhaps “slightly” off topic, but I had recent occasion to copy a file from one machine to another, so I inserted my flash drive and copied the file. Since I’ve had previous data loss I’m a stickler for using “safely remove…”, however, in this case it wasn’t available. So I waited several minutes before removing the drive. When I inserted it into the other computer – nothing – the drive wasn’t seen at all, not even in the disk manager. Knowing the drive just worked in the other machine I took it back and plugged it in, and immediately the activity light on the drive started blinking. Once it stopped there was still no option for safe removal, but upon removing it and putting it in the target machine, it was recognized correctly and all files were there.

One other thing I’ve seen is that Windows doesn’t like assigning a drive letter higher than G to usb drives. Whether this is normal behavior or something peculiar to the system image that I use for corporate computers I can’t say, but opening the disk manager will show the drive without a letter assignment, which must be added manually in order for it to function.

I also have an XP computer that does not always display the Safely Remove Hardware icon. I wonder what causes it to not appear when an external USB drive is attached while the PC boots up? What can we do to force it to appear in the SysTray?

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Perhaps “slightly” off topic, but I had recent occasion to copy a file from one machine to another, so I inserted my flash drive and copied the file. Since I’ve had previous data loss I’m a stickler for using “safely remove…”, however, in this case it wasn’t available. So I waited several minutes before removing the drive. When I inserted it into the other computer – nothing – the drive wasn’t seen at all, not even in the disk manager. Knowing the drive just worked in the other machine I took it back and plugged it in, and immediately the activity light on the drive started blinking. Once it stopped there was still no option for safe removal, but upon removing it and putting it in the target machine, it was recognized correctly and all files were there.

One other thing I’ve seen is that Windows doesn’t like assigning a drive letter higher than G to usb drives. Whether this is normal behavior or something peculiar to the system image that I use for corporate computers I can’t say, but opening the disk manager will show the drive without a letter assignment, which must be added manually in order for it to function.

If the safely remove icon is missing from your windows notification area, try the following (on an XP box, I don’t know the answer for Vista or Windows 7):
RESTORE SAFELY REMOVE HARDWARE ICON
Run Command – enter the following:
rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll

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Best free all-round USB removal tool: http://quick.mixnmojo.com/usb-disk-ejector

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How to make a “Safely Remove Hardware” icon

For Windows XP & it also works for Windows 7:

Start, Run, type (or copy/paste):
RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll

or

Right click on your desktop, click on New, and then click on Shortcut. In the resulting dialog box enter that “RunDLL32” command listed above.
That will bring up the “Safely Remove Hardware” dialog box…

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For Windows XP & it also works for Windows 7:

Start, Run, type (or copy/paste):
RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll

or

Right click on your desktop, click on New, and then click on Shortcut. In the resulting dialog box enter that “RunDLL32” command listed above.
That will bring up the “Safely Remove Hardware” dialog box…

Clint;
Thank you very much! That is what I needed. I now have a desktop shortcut to use when Windows forgets to display the ejection icon.

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Clint;
Thank you very much! That is what I needed. I now have a desktop shortcut to use when Windows forgets to display the ejection icon.

Clint, Although I rarely have the above mentioned problem, I thought that I would try out your suggestion. For some reason when I click on “Shortcut”, nothing happens.
Win7 32 No problems with anything else in there however.

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Here is a Windows 7 example:
Right click anywhere on the desktop and select “create shortcut”.
Paste “RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll” in the location item box.
Click next. Then name your shortcut: “Safely Remove Hardware”.
Your shortcut ought to appear on your desktop, simply drag it to your toolbox or other location of choice.

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Change the icon when you get your shortcut setup…

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Since you mentioned using corporate computers, are you sure your company hasn’t implemented a policy setting that prevents the use of USB drives? Many companies have done so to protect against Virus infections and against loss of intellectual property.

Jerry

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Well, I finally got chkdsk to fix the problem with the USB portable hard drive. The files were recovered and copied to another disk. I then formatted the USB and copied the files back to it. Everything is fine now except the icon is quite different: I would like the (P:) drive icon to look like the (F:) drive icon. Any suggestions?

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Hello Clint.

>>> Probably the simplest & safest way to do it.

My simplest way is to right-click on the key and click on Eject, this in My Computor.

Sinatra’s song : Do it my way !

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