Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Device "This device is currently in use. Close any programs or windows that might be using the device, and then try again."

Anonymous

Original title:Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Device

When I try to safely eject my external hard drive safely I get an error message with this title telling me that "This device is currently in use. Close any programs or windows that might be using the device, and then try again." I have done this. I have also tried closing every program running on the computer and it does not help. I have also tried restarting the computer and this also does nothing. If anyone has any ideas that would be helpful please let me know.

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Anonymous

Hi A. Cook,

1) How long have you been facing this issue?

2) Is this issue confined to any specific USB device?

This behavior can occur if there are open handles with any files in the USB (Universal Serial Bus) Mass Storage Device are in use by another program.

Method 1:

a) Download Process Explorer from the link below

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653

b) Click Find, Find Handle or DLL (Dynamic Link Library) in the tool menu.

c) Type the drive letter of the USB device in the Handle or DLL substring textbox, and press Search Button.

d) Find the process and its PID (Process Identifier) in the following box.

e) In system process tree view, find the process according to the Find Handle or DLL dialog box.

f) Press Ctrl + H to show Handles in Lower Pane View.

g) Find the File according with the drive letter, and right click it, choose Close Handle.

Reference:

Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Devicehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/555665

Note: Using Third Party Software, including hardware drivers can cause serious problems that may prevent your computer from booting properly. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Third Party Software can be solved. Using Third Party Software is at your own risk.

**Method 2:**You may refer the steps provided by Diana D in the link below

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_vista-hardware/problem-ejecting-usb-mass-storage-deviceits-in-use/fd56805c-ed8e-491f-8a2b-39ed1c988a71

Method 3: Run an online scan for any threat and try to fix them

**http://onecare.live.com/site/en-Us/center/cleanup.htm**

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53 additional answers

Anonymous

2015-04-10T10:54:38+00:00

The reason it has not been fixed is because those folks at Microsoft STILL do not quite grasp the idea that they work for the customer not the other way around.
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Anonymous

2015-01-18T02:22:17+00:00

Why can't the OS let you know what app is using the drive, even after all this time? Seriously, even APPLE lets you know what application is using the device. Why can't windows?

Thanks. I'm seeking answers not more questions I can't answer. But I did, inadvertently, discover a solution work-around. Go to Start, then computer, then highlight the device and then right click, choose eject and then choose continue. It's worked every time
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Anonymous

2015-01-18T01:02:29+00:00

Why can't the OS let you know what app is using the drive, even after all this time? Seriously, even APPLE lets you know what application is using the device. Why can't windows?
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Anonymous

2014-11-16T01:47:20+00:00

Hi JohnM333.

I fully understand your frustration with this very annoying issue. I think every computer user in the world encounters this problem at some time as it is so widely reported. I have had this same problem with my two previous Windows computers and, due to yet another hard drive failure, (both Dells believe it or not), I had to buy a third new laptop, HP this time, running Windows 8.1, four weeks ago. I bought a WD 1TB external HDD along with it and would you believe that when I connected the HDD to my new computer to try it out I couldn't safely eject it! I thought Microsoft would have sorted the issue out with Windows 8.1 but no that was too much to hope for. I thought to myself, I'll get to the bottom of this for once and for all and so I contacted HP Technical support and asked for their advice on the matter. The technician told me to shut the computer down and "safely eject" the drive by hand! Naturally it worked and the HDD was OK, so I'll be using the shut down method from now on if I can't eject a drive in the normal way. By the way, the reboot method didn't work with my new HP. The problem was still there after restart.

I hope this will be of help to you and to others as well.

Best wishes.
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