USB Flash Drive

[jb]

iMac G5 rev.A OS 10.4.11

Sometimes after using my USB Flash Drive, either for writing to it or read from it, trying to unmount it by dragging it to the Trash Can, results in a window that says I cannot unmount the Drive because it is in use and to try to close applications. Well even with no applications running, I get the same message. What I find I have to do is to do a Restart. I am then able to drag the Drive to the Trash to unmount it.

Is there a way I can unmount the Drive without having to do a Restart?

jb

[jcarter]

Good question!  Ive been able to unmount mine with no problem, but I know others are having this problem,
I am awaiting the answer to send it on to my family and friends.
Jane

[ADSR]

It could be spotlight indexing the flash drive...?

Try desabling the drive in spotlight preferences

GR

[Jack W]

jb,

I've found frequently when I've had a similar problem, all I had to do was give it a second chance to unmount.
(Drag it to the trash again).

If that failed, I log out, remove the flash drive and log back in.
Or, log out and back in and then try again to unmount.

HTH, Jack

[Gregg]

Mine refuses to be "ejected" and gives me the same error. As Jack says, often a second attempt is successful, without doing anything else in between. Sometimes, I open an application, quit out of it, and then eject the flash drive. Since I use Excel most of the time before using the flash drive, I had assumed it had something to do with the Evil Empire.

I've also learned to be patient with the flash drive. When I first got it, and Eject didn't appear to do anything, I clicked Eject again. (I usually right click and select Eject) Now, I wait about 10 seconds, and when the icon disappears, I wait another ten seconds before I pull the flash drive out.

[Parker]

I've had problems with removable disks as well. Sometimes, they won't eject in the finder, but if you unmount and eject them in Disk Utility you won't have a problem. I also remember using a terminal script once to do a "force eject." (i'll try to find the script)

[jb]

Thanks all. Somewhat I'm glad I'm not the only one with this minor problem. Nevertheless I followed ADSR's suggestion and disabled the drive in Spotlight preferences. I will advise if that makes any differences.

jb

[chriskleeman]

Hi jb,

Not to be cheeky, but I use the "Eject" command from the "File" menu and have rarely seen any problems ejecting my flash drive.

If I've got my scroll mouse connected, then sometimes I right-click to the "Eject" command like Gregg, but usually no problems at all using either. Just takes a moment before the drive icon disappears, and then it's safe to take it out.

I trashed the contents of a flash drive once by not ejecting it, that won't happen again!!!  

HTH,

CK

[Gregg]

QUOTE(jb @ May 26 2008, 11:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nevertheless I followed ADSR's suggestion and disabled the drive in Spotlight preferences. I will advise if that makes any differences.

I'm going to look into that as well. Merci!

QUOTE(chriskleeman @ May 27 2008, 10:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I trashed the contents of a flash drive once by not ejecting it, that won't happen again!!!

I did that also, by pulling it out too soon. Then I notice the light still flashing after the icon disappeared. From that time on, I have waited longer before pulling it out.

[Gregg]

QUOTE(jb @ May 26 2008, 11:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

... I ... disabled the drive in Spotlight preferences.

Ok, how did you do that?

I don't see anything in Spotlight preferences to disable a removable drive.

[Paddy]

Gregg, it would have to be mounted for the option to appear. It's in the Privacy settings for Spotlight - you just click the "+" button and then add the flash drive. I just did it for one of mine.

I actually usually don't have issues with ejecting so much as lately they've been mysteriously improperly "put away" - even though I haven't touched them. Then a few minutes later, they just as mysteriously remount themselves. This has happened in both the USB slots in my Dell monitor and the USB slot on the front of the G5. I'm not sure if the issue is confined to just one of the flash drives or both of them - I've been too darn busy to do anything but dismiss the messages and carry on! And the other day, one of them flat out refused to mount on the G5 no matter what slot I tried. Put it in the MacBook Pro and no problems at all. Then put it back in the G5 later, after a restart and everything was fine again. However I am a little suspicious of the integrity of this particular drive.

[jb]

Gregg, I did it exactly as described in Paddy's second sentence of her first paragraph.

jb

[Gregg]

QUOTE(ADSR @ May 26 2008, 08:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try disabling the drive in spotlight preferences

QUOTE(Paddy @ May 27 2008, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gregg, it would have to be mounted for the option to appear. It's in the Privacy settings for Spotlight - you just click the "+" button and then add the flash drive. I just did it for one of mine.

What am I missing here. Aren't the above contradictory? Or is "adding" the flash drive the same as disabling it? This hurts my brain! Everyday when it's quitting time at work, I have to click on the Start button!!!

I did close the Spotlight Preferences and insert the flash drive, then reopen SP. I did look in the Privacy settings.

[Xairbusdriver]

1. Open Spotlight Pref Panel
2. Select the "Privacy" tab
3. Insert/mount a flash drive
4. Check that it shows in the "Devices" section of a Finder Window (edit your Finder prefs if required to show "External Disks")
5. Click the "+" button on the Spotlight Pref Panel
6. Wait for the Navigation Dialog to appear
7. Select the flash drive shown in the "Devices" column of the Nav Dialog
8. Count to ten, it may take a few seconds for the flash drive to appear in the list of places to not search
9. Quit System Prefs
10. Relax

You can actually skip the last three steps if you run short on fingers...

[Gregg]

Thanks, Jim. I'll give it a go tonight, or soon...