I'm having some trouble with my powered external HDD that I primarily use for game storage. After transferring files, it just won't let me eject it. I've checked with File Locksmith, which says no processes are using it. I've also closed most programs via Task Manager and even tried logging out and back in, but nothing seems to work. The only workaround I've found so far is to turn off my PC, unplug the drive, and restart. Is there a better, less disruptive way to handle this?
1 Answer
Have you tried using Process Explorer? It can help identify any processes that might be blocking the ejection. I’ve found that often, File Explorer itself is the culprit. I usually open a file explorer window, then go to Task Manager and restart it; that often frees up the drive for ejection.
I tried Process Explorer and it didn't show anything using the drive. Restarting File Explorer didn't work for me either. I even logged out but had a blank screen for ten minutes, so I had to shutdown and unplug to get it to eject.