Windows "safely remove device" thingie

[Armando]

[...]count to ten, then unplug.

-mrainey (April 15, 2007, 09:58 AM)

Aaaaahhhh! So that's the trick! 

[Armando]

Reviving this old thread because I found EjectUSB.


It's free (donations welcome...).

And there's a review on Appaholic.

So... For those who need some help with their USB stuff.

[Stoic Joker]

Also, if you get the "device busy, cannot unmount" error, try using the handle tool from sysinternals - it will often show you which program is the sinner. Doesn't always work though, which puzzles me; I'd really like to know what has the device locked in those situations.

-f0dder (April 13, 2007, 04:43 PM)

I've had a Command Prompt do that to me a few times, if it's open on that drive letter with nothing running for awhile.

[cchian]

I don't know how safe this is but it works for me most of the time: In cases when attempts to safely eject the device does not work, I open Task Manager and terminate explorer.exe. I would then select the Applications tab and click on New Task, type in "explorer" (or explorer.exe) and hit OK.

Some people may not be aware that you can eject the device either by right-clicking or left-clicking on the icon, left-clicking being faster.

A tool I have not used recently, but which I think would also help is the free utility Unlocker which can be found here: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

[Stoic Joker]

A tool I have not used recently, but which I think would also help is the free utility Unlocker which can be found here: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

-cchian (July 25, 2008, 01:43 PM)

Unlocker, truly one of my favorites and it works on x64. 

Actually left clicking (having three less steps) is a hell of a lot faster.

[jgpaiva]

Unlocker, truly one of my favorites and it works on x64. 

-Stoic Joker (July 25, 2008, 02:16 PM)

It works for you?

Does unlocker work on Windows XP 64 or Vista 64? Not yet, I am working on it.

-from unlocker's webpage

I tried it some time ago, and it didn't work on my system (vista 64). Would it be that it was updated and now works? That'd be great

[Shades]

@jgpaiva:

If Unlocker doesn't do it for you and your 64-bit system...there is always: file-assassin. If memory serves me well, there is a 64-bit version.
http://www.malwareby...org/fileassassin.php

You can find quite some interesting other goodies as well.

[kartal]

file-assassin is not very successful under 64bit. I try using it here and there and the success rate is somewhere between 20-40 percent. And it only works on one file at a time.

[lanux128]

another tool with similar functions: USBDeview.

• USBDeview - Guaranteed eject of your USB drive

[Stoic Joker]

Unlocker, truly one of my favorites and it works on x64. 

-Stoic Joker (July 25, 2008, 02:16 PM)

It works for you?

Does unlocker work on Windows XP 64 or Vista 64? Not yet, I am working on it.

-from unlocker's webpage

I tried it some time ago, and it didn't work on my system (vista 64). Would it be that it was updated and now works? That'd be great

-jgpaiva (July 25, 2008, 02:31 PM)

Crap, I was posting from the office (comp there is x86) and forgot I didn't have it running at home (x64). I spend so much time jumping between virtual/remote desktops & networks I spend half of my time trying to remember where the hell I'm at.

Sorry...

[jgpaiva]

@jgpaiva:

If Unlocker doesn't do it for you and your 64-bit system...there is always: file-assassin. If memory serves me well, there is a 64-bit version.
http://www.malwareby...org/fileassassin.php

-Shades (July 25, 2008, 06:40 PM)

I've been using process explorer's "find handle"/"close handle" feature, and it works great. I just wanted the simplicity of Unlocker, a few clicks and you're done
I'll look at file-assassin, thanks