Drive Locked by External Process Close Programs Using Drive and Try Again
Windows will not permit me to safely remove my drive. Information technology keeps reporting the drive is decorated or in use
When you cannot safely remove a drive successfully, the cause is usually a plan that is trying to read from the drive. This article explains.
Information technology is always considered a safe removal to shut downwardly/reboot the computer and turn off/disconnect the bulldoze while the computer'due south power is down, merely that is not e'er a convenient solution. This certificate will explore several possible resolutions for the trouble.
Footstep 1: Endeavor the drive on some other calculator so as to endeavor to isolate the problem. If the problem does not repeat itself on the second estimator, and so it might well be system-related. If the problem follows the bulldoze, then continue troubleshooting.
Step 2: A process that tin can hold upwardly the bulldoze is explorer.exe . This is because of the Windows Recycle Bin.
The Recycle Bin may demand to be disabled.
- Right-click on theRecycle Bin on the desktop.
- SelectProperties.
- Select theGlobal tab.
- SelectConfigure drives independently (instead ofUse i setting for all drives).
- Select the USB drive letter of the alphabet tab on the top.
- Put a check in thePractise not motion files to the Recycle Bin checkbox.
- ClickOK.
Disabling the Recycle Bin will cause deleted files to be permanently deleted immediately.
This option may not be available in Windows Vista or Windows 7.
Step iii: If you have Norton System Works installed, the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the Arrangement Tray will non piece of work with the external drive because of the Norton Protected Recycle Bin. If your Windows Recycle bin on the desktop has an "N" with a shield, then Norton is running a special software on your organisation.
This is a known consequence.
Pace 4: Other software like antivirus programs, or whatsoever programs or paradigm files that remain open up on the bulldoze (even Windows Explorer if its window is open and displaying the contents of the external drive) can prevent prophylactic removal. Close all programs and whatever open files or windows displaying the bulldoze contents and effort to remove the drive again.
Step v: In Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000, please follow these directions:
- Right-click on (My) Computer.
- SelectManage.
- SelectDevice Director.
- Open upDisk Drives.
- Double-click on the difficult drive's model number.
- Get to thePoliciestab.
- Check whether the drive is prepare toOptimize for Quick Removal.
If so, the difficult drive does not need to be Safely Removed manually from the system. Only turn off the hard bulldoze or disconnect it at your convenience whenever the hard drive is not busy transferring information.
This style there is only a slim chance that the sectionalization volition exist corrupted by a removal. This carries no run a risk for the bulldoze hardware, but it does put your data at a small risk.
Please call up that you would exist very unwise to put yourself in a situation where that is a concern for you. If this bulldoze were to experience a sudden mechanical or electronic failure or if it should fall, or if the drive'due south partition should become corrupted, your data could be lost and data recovery is very expensive. Recall that this is abackup drive, and a backup is defined as "a second copy of data in a second storage media".
Whether on a second external hard bulldoze, a CD or DVD, an internal hard drive, a network difficult drive, or tape, make a 2d copy of your datatoday and go on information technology.
If non, delight proceed.
Step 6: If the Windows Media Player Library is configured to monitor a folder on the external drive for new content it will not let a Prophylactic Remove.
Instructions may vary depending on the version of Media Player.
- Open Media Player.
- From the top bill of fare, chooseTools, and thenOptions.
- Choose theLibrary tab.
- Click theMonitor Folders push.
- View theAvant-garde Options.
- Remove items that point to the drive letter used by the external drive (ie, E: or F:).
Other multimedia applications may take like problems if they automatically add new music to their library by monitoring file locations, specifically on the external drive.
Step 7: If Windows Media Centre is ready to record shows, podcasts, etc. to the external drive, Windows may not allow the removal of the external drive.
Stride eight: If Windows Indexing Service is turned on, Windows may not allow the removal of the external drive, since it causes Windows to constantly watch the drive.
For Windows 7/Vista:
- Click the Windows start button in the bottom left of your screen. SelectControl Panel, and thenPrograms and Features.
- SelectTurn Windows features on or off.
- Confirm that theIndexing Service is unchecked. If it is checked, uncheck it and clickOK.
- Double-click onCalculator to open up it, then right-click on the external drive'south bulldoze letter (for example, Due east:) and selectProperties.
- Uncheck theAllow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties box.
- Then retry the Safety Removal.
For Windows XP:
- Click on the Start carte du jour on the bottom left of your screen. SelectControl Panel and soAdd/Remove Windows Components.
- Confirm that theIndexing Service is unchecked. If it is checked, uncheck it and clickOK.
- Double-click onMy Computer to open information technology, and so right-click on the external bulldoze's drive letter (for example, E:) and selectProperties.
- Uncheck theLet Indexing Service to alphabetize this disk for fast file searching box.
- And so retry the Condom Removal.
Step 9: For the SeagatePocket bulldoze - The Pocket bulldoze Toolkit is constantly updating the free space of the drive and other information in gild to display it to the user.
Yous can utilise the Eject option in the Toolkit or get out the Toolkit software:
- Right-click on the Toolkit icon in the Arrangement Tray
- CullExit.
This will release the bulldoze and may allow yous to safely remove the drive.
Also, please see the linked-to Microsoft Support article on this topic.
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Source: https://www.seagate.com/support/kb/windows-will-not-allow-me-to-safely-remove-my-drive-it-keeps-reporting-the-drive-is-busy-or-in-use-205071en/