Re: Problems disconnecting usb storage device


"Steve" <Steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4A040743-23BD-422B-821A-32BB1BFEEA08@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hello,

I'm working with Win XP Home (SP2). Sometimes I have problems
disconnecting
my usb storage devices properly.

Here's what happens. Although I follow the proper procedure -- by clicking
on the icon in the system tray, and then selecting the device in the
dialogue
box that appears -- I often will get an error message stating that it is
impossible to disconnect the device because it is still in use, or (I
think)
because another programme the device uses is still in use. However, the
device itself is clearly closed, as is Windows Explorer. No other
programmes
are open on the desktop.

It seems there is some kind of conflict which blocks the shut down
procedure. And this leaves me blocked, because I can't dismount the device
properly. Even if I try to eject the device from inside Windows Explorer,
I
get the same error message. I end up having to shut down the computer in
order to dismount the device (which I gather is not a great idea).

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Stephen


Stephen:
What you've experienced is a common problem in XP. For all practical
purposes, it's really *not* a problem (in the practical sense) at all. For
some unexplained reason (we've never gotten a clear explanation from MS re
this anomaly) the system generates this "unable to disconnect" message even
though there's no problem with physically disconnecting the USB device from
the system.

Unless the installation instructions that accompanied the USB device
*specifically* instruct you to use the Safely Remove Hardware icon at all
times before removing the device from the system, we generally advise users
to access Device Manager > right-click on "Disk drives" > select the USB
device > Policies tab, and select the "Optimize for quick removal" option.

We've never experienced any problems in terms of physical damage to the
device or loss or corrupted data by disconnecting a USB device from the
system without invoking the SRH icon. Obviously you're not going to
disconnect the device while it's in "play", e.g., in the process of copying
large amounts of data.
Anna


.

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