Can't Stop External Hard Drive

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Robert Lee

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I have a Western Digital 250 gb external hard drive connected via USB port.

I am also running Outlook 2007, which I believe has a function

searchindexer.exe that searches all my drives to index the files on them.



I want to be able to unplug the drive without first turning off my computer.

But I get messages saying that the drive can't be stopped. It used to be

that if I stopped searchindexer.exe, I could stop the drive. But that's

stopped working.



Here are two questions:



1. What is preventing me from stopping the drive?;



2. What is the worst that can happen if I remove it without stopping it

first?



Thanks.
 
Do you have the 'safely remove hardware' icon in your tray?

"Robert Lee" wrote in message

news:7CD3D543-F68E-4003-8C5A-6F0305AC53A4@microsoft.com...

>

> I have a Western Digital 250 gb external hard drive connected via USB

> port.

> I am also running Outlook 2007, which I believe has a function

> searchindexer.exe that searches all my drives to index the files on them.

>

> I want to be able to unplug the drive without first turning off my

> computer.

> But I get messages saying that the drive can't be stopped. It used to be

> that if I stopped searchindexer.exe, I could stop the drive. But that's

> stopped working.

>

> Here are two questions:

>

> 1. What is preventing me from stopping the drive?;

>

> 2. What is the worst that can happen if I remove it without stopping it

> first?

>

> Thanks.
 
On 3/13/2010 10:11 AM On a whim, Robert Lee pounded out on the keyboard



> I have a Western Digital 250 gb external hard drive connected via USB port.

> I am also running Outlook 2007, which I believe has a function

> searchindexer.exe that searches all my drives to index the files on them.

>

> I want to be able to unplug the drive without first turning off my computer.

> But I get messages saying that the drive can't be stopped. It used to be

> that if I stopped searchindexer.exe, I could stop the drive. But that's

> stopped working.

>

> Here are two questions:

>

> 1. What is preventing me from stopping the drive?;

>

> 2. What is the worst that can happen if I remove it without stopping it

> first?

>

> Thanks.



Hi Robert,



I have one drive that does that. Have you tried right clicking on the

drive in Explorer and selecting "Eject"? Works for me.









Terry R.

--

Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.

Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.
 
It could be your antivirus or antispyware tools scanning your drive. Try

turning them off first.



Use Process Explorer:

Why do I get "device ... cannot be stopped right now" trying to safely

remove my USB drive?

http://ask-leo.com/why_do_i_get_dev...now_trying_to_safely_remove_my_usb_drive.html



Use your Task Manager to end suspected running programs accessing the drive.



--

Rey





"Robert Lee" wrote:



>

> I have a Western Digital 250 gb external hard drive connected via USB port.

> I am also running Outlook 2007, which I believe has a function

> searchindexer.exe that searches all my drives to index the files on them.

>

> I want to be able to unplug the drive without first turning off my computer.

> But I get messages saying that the drive can't be stopped. It used to be

> that if I stopped searchindexer.exe, I could stop the drive. But that's

> stopped working.

>

> Here are two questions:

>

> 1. What is preventing me from stopping the drive?;

>

> 2. What is the worst that can happen if I remove it without stopping it

> first?

>

> Thanks.
 
Thanks to everyone who responded. Rey, you were right: if I turn off my

Norton Antivirus, I'm able to stop the drive.



Terry, I don't have an "Eject" option when I click on the external hard

drive using Windows Explorer.



Also, what's the worst that can happen if I unplug the drive without getting

the "Safe" message?



"Robert Lee" wrote:



>

> I have a Western Digital 250 gb external hard drive connected via USB port.

> I am also running Outlook 2007, which I believe has a function

> searchindexer.exe that searches all my drives to index the files on them.

>

> I want to be able to unplug the drive without first turning off my computer.

> But I get messages saying that the drive can't be stopped. It used to be

> that if I stopped searchindexer.exe, I could stop the drive. But that's

> stopped working.

>

> Here are two questions:

>

> 1. What is preventing me from stopping the drive?;

>

> 2. What is the worst that can happen if I remove it without stopping it

> first?

>

> Thanks.
 
Thanks to everyone who responded. Rey, you were right: if I turn off my

Norton Antivirus, I'm able to stop the drive.



Terry, I don't have an "Eject" option when I click on the external hard

drive using Windows Explorer.



Also, what's the worst that can happen if I unplug the drive without getting

the "Safe" message?

"Rey Santos" wrote:



> It could be your antivirus or antispyware tools scanning your drive. Try

> turning them off first.

>

> Use Process Explorer:

> Why do I get "device ... cannot be stopped right now" trying to safely

> remove my USB drive?

> http://ask-leo.com/why_do_i_get_dev...now_trying_to_safely_remove_my_usb_drive.html

>

> Use your Task Manager to end suspected running programs accessing the drive.

>

> --

> Rey

>

>

> "Robert Lee" wrote:

>

> >

> > I have a Western Digital 250 gb external hard drive connected via USB port.

> > I am also running Outlook 2007, which I believe has a function

> > searchindexer.exe that searches all my drives to index the files on them.

> >

> > I want to be able to unplug the drive without first turning off my computer.

> > But I get messages saying that the drive can't be stopped. It used to be

> > that if I stopped searchindexer.exe, I could stop the drive. But that's

> > stopped working.

> >

> > Here are two questions:

> >

> > 1. What is preventing me from stopping the drive?;

> >

> > 2. What is the worst that can happen if I remove it without stopping it

> > first?

> >

> > Thanks.
 
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