Safe Ejection of USB Drives

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I have my USB Drives set for quick removal (i.e., in the Device Manager, I’ve checked Disk Drives | Properties | Policies tab | Quick Removal). Because I was unaware of that setting, after I first made the change, out of habit I still clicked the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon when I wanted to eject a drive. I discovered that when I did that, I frequently (maybe over 25% of the time) got the message that “The device is currently in use,” meaning no “quick removal” for me after all. Consequently, I haven’t been “quickly removing” my external drives, for fear I’m going to bring badness down on my head.

This is the case with both my desktop and my laptop, both of which are Win 10 Pro version 1909 with the latest updates. It’s also true for all of the several external drives that I use. So the phenomenon evidently isn’t specific to particular hardware.

There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason for the message. It can happen, say, if all I’ve done is copy a text file to a drive, even if I then wait several minutes before clicking the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon. (Most times waiting does do the trick, but there have been times where I’ve waited a really long time, and the message still came up. I don’t (intentionally) have any background processes set to run when I have an external drive plugged in, so the reason for and significance of this message baffles me.

Thus my question. Why do I get that message, and can I ignore it? Does it suggest that the drive actually is “currently in use,” or does some quirk of Win 10 simply generate the message even when it’s not appropriate?

Thanks.

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[Microfix]

Can’t speak for W10 although on our Win8.1’s ejecting the usb device via taskbar icon and immediately thereafter uninstalling the usb device from ‘printers and devices’ avoids this issue completely.
Have been doing this as a matter of habit for years which avoids that ridiculous ‘scan device for errors’ on insertion. From memory, there was nothing wrong with the usb devices
Only an opportunity for subsystem nosey telemetry data?

edit: For those with Win7, use usbdeview to uninstal the usb device after ejecting. This also avoids that issue. Uninstalling the usb device forces the OS to re-install once inserted avoiding the same ‘scan device for errors’. Can also be done via device manager ‘show hidden devices but, it’s quicker with the utility.

Keeping IT Lean, Clean and Mean!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Microfix.

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Myst, BobStr

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Thanks for the reply, but I don’t entirely follow you.

On my Win 10 machines, I click the pen drive-looking icon in the system tray. That produces a little pop-up, where I can click on “Eject < whatever that particular drive is called >”. If it ejects OK, then the icon simply disappears and I can unplug the drive; if it doesn’t eject, then I get the message that “The drive is currently in use.”

From your response my understanding is that in Win 8, you do have to click on an icon, but then you have to do something in addition in a place called “printers and devices.” Of the things I’m familiar with, the latter phrasing is most nearly similar to “devices and printers”, which is located in the Control Panel. Which to me suggests that in order to eject a drive in Win 8, what you’re doing is, first, clicking on a system tray icon as I do, then second, having to do something in the Control Panel.

But since the tenor of your response is that it’s a simple process, I’m guessing that I’m actually missing the point, and that you don’t go through such step. I’m not saying this to be pedantic, but only to explain why I’m confused. So could you please explain further?

Also, my original question was basically this: having gone into the Device Manager and set up my external drive for “quick removal,” why can’t I (or can I) simply, and always, just unplug a drive without clicking on anything? Restated, why isn’t “quick removal” in fact “quick removal”? Or is it, so I can simply ignore the icon in the system tray?

Thanks again.

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If you have File Explorer open and the USB device is visible in File Explorer, File Explorer is the process that is “using” the device.

In File Explorer I just right-click on the device in the left column and select “Eject”.  It disappears from File Explorer, and that’s the cue to remove it.  I don’t ever use the Taskbar icon.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

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BobStr

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bbearren wrote:

In File Explorer I just right-click on the device in the left column and select “Eject”.  It disappears from File Explorer, and that’s the cue to remove it.

I just had it happen today and it happens quite often when I am cloning a drive to a USB drive. I tried right clicking the USB drive in Explorer and there was no “eject” option on the menu.

The only solution left is to just shut down the machine and unplug the USB drive before booting up again as far as I know.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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WSEvelynMitchell, BobStr

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That seems to be what my machine requires too. The only difference is that, instead of rebooting, I put the PC into hibernation, since I can get things running again more quickly that way than by shutting down everything.

I did try “sleep” instead of “hibernate”, but that left a light on on the external drive, which made me cautious about unplugging. So I’ve stuck with hibernate when I’m confronted with a “The device is currently in use” message that won’t go away.

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WSEvelynMitchell

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I normally don’t have File Explorer open. When I have the issue I’ve described, I get the “The device is currently in use” message even if absolutely nothing (excluding background processes) is open.

After I saw your response, I plugged in an external drive, opened File Explorer and right clicked on the drive. The pop-up didn’t include an option for “eject.” I’m familiar with that process from my Win 7 machine, but it apparently isn’t here on my Win 10 unit.

But in any case, isn’t the entire point of the “Quick Removal” setting in the Device Manager that an external drive can be removed quickly, without having to click on anything — whether in the system tray, File Explorer or elsewhere? If not, then what’s the point of the “Quick Removal” option?

Thanks.

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But in any case, isn’t the entire point of the “Quick Removal” setting in the Device Manager that an external drive can be removed quickly, without having to click on anything — whether in the system tray, File Explorer or elsewhere?

Yes:

Quick removal: This policy manages storage operations in a manner that keeps the device ready to remove at any time.

Change in default removal policy for external storage media in Windows 10, version 1809

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[Vincenzo]

I agree with your “what’s the point?”. And I have also shut down computers when they would not cooperate.
Something I’ve used successfully is to open task manager, right click on Windows Explorer, and select Restart. Then safely remove will give a success message.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Vincenzo.

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Vincenzo wrote:

Something I’ve used successfully is to open task manager, right click on Windows Explorer, and select Restart. Then safely remove will give a success message.

It doesn’t work for me. No matter what I do (other than shutting down) doesn’t release the USB drive.

Just a point, I never had the problem to this extent until the July updates, it happens on every computer I have, all of which has 18363.959 1909 on them.

I looked in Event Viewer>windows Logs>System and it looks like MS Defender is putting a hold on them which very seldom in the past was the case. Obviously something has changed because this action is consistent instead of rare now.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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I just figured out the fix for this. If I shut down/quit MalwareBytes before using any USB attached storage, It doesn’t happen. Evidently MB’s puts some kind of hold on ejecting the drive even though Event Viewer say’s it’s WD. So now, after safely ejecting the USB storage, I just go to Start>MalwareBytes and start it again.

Hope this helps

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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That’s some nice detective work.

I wonder if there’s a way to restart Win Defender to see if that releases it.

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Vincenzo wrote:

I wonder if there’s a way to restart Win Defender to see if that releases it.

I wonder if this is another side effect from Defender Platform 4.18.2007.8 that was previously reported.

The only thing is that I haven’t seen any wide spread reports of this problem.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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I’ve found this a nuisance in the past.
If you check the properties of the drive it may well be indexing. This takes time, so just untick the index box and you may find instant ejection is possible.

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I often have the same issue on my Windows 10 Pro.  When the “in use” message pops up, there is usually also a ‘Try again” button. More often than not if I click on that button, the system then releases and ejects the USB stick, allowing removal.

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JimT777 wrote:

I often have the same issue on my Windows 10 Pro.  When the “in use” message pops up, there is usually also a ‘Try again” button. More often than not if I click on that button, the system then releases and ejects the USB stick, allowing removal.

All of my machines are Win 10 Pro and I have never seen a “Try again” button anywhere. The only option is to close the message.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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CADesertRat wrote:

JimT777 wrote:

I often have the same issue on my Windows 10 Pro.  When the “in use” message pops up, there is usually also a ‘Try again” button. More often than not if I click on that button, the system then releases and ejects the USB stick, allowing removal.

All of my machines are Win 10 Pro and I have never seen a “Try again” button anywhere. The only option is to close the message.

Here it is…see for yourself.  🙂

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CADesertRat, Paul T

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That message is different than mine since I do not get the extra choices. I have never seen those choices on any of my machines over the years. Interesting to say the least.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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One thing I haven’t seen anyone address: is there any chance that when the “Quick Removal” setting has been enabled, the “The device is currently in use” message is essentially a “false positive.” That is, can the message beignored because the “Quick Removal” setting ensures that it’s safe to unplug the the drive?

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How would you know?
Windows says it’s in use and you have no other way to check.

cheers, Paul

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I wouldn’t know, which is why I asked the question.

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That’s odd. I’m on Windows 10 Pro, 2004. I suffer this bug (which goes back at least to Windows 7, if not further) a LOT, and I only ever get the supremely ironic “OK” button, not “Try Again” or “Continue”

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I am on Win 10 Home v1903 and that is exactly what I see – “OK”.

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This article may enlighten W10 users.

Keeping IT Lean, Clean and Mean!

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Matador, CADesertRat

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