External HDD will not release

[bawldiggle]

I use an external USB powered HDD for data storage (on my laptop)
HDD is connected to a mains powered hub > laptop

Occassionally (like now) "USB Safely Remove" warns of impending doom.
No apps nor files open. Trying to close down the laptop.

What am I doing wrong ?

Thank you

external HDD.PNG (21.41 KiB) Viewed 38881 times

[Techland]

You did not read this forum nor Googled that string. It's a problem caused by MS. See for example here:

http://safelyremove.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=479

http://safelyremove.com/forum/viewtopic ... tions#p647

[bawldiggle]

I have logged a thread with sevenforums.com without much response in the last 24 hours. Which is not like them, a very active forum.

A DuckDuckGo search found this "http://www.compucarolina.net" item ...
Access Deny for RmMetaData suggests a registry tweak, but I am not knowledable enough to apply it. Yet!
My PC is standalone laptop

2. You can set the registry key to exclude these files during File Level Backup. These files are used for NTFS file system, and there is no harm to ignore them.
1.Go to
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToBackup
2.Adding a Multi-String Value named IgnoreNTFS with data \$Extend\* /s under FilesNotToBackup.
3.Restart the server.

All other finds are dated circa 2009, nothing after 2010 that I could find.

I will report back here with any updates.