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    Unplug sata drive

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Sp3ctrum, Jan 6, 2010.

  1. Sp3ctrum

    Sp3ctrum Notebook Consultant

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    In my dell M4400 I have a drive in the modular bay but when I click on safely unplug hard-drive like I do for USB pen it says windows can't remove volume. Is there something I missed ?
     
    Sp3ctrum, Jan 6, 2010
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  2. Hiker

    Hiker Notebook Deity

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    Hiker, Jan 6, 2010
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  3. Sp3ctrum

    Sp3ctrum Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks but it's sort of the opposite of my problem he want to hide the drive so he does not unplug it by mistake and I want to unplug it
     
    Sp3ctrum, Jan 6, 2010
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  4. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    This happens to me on USB HDDs sometimes...

    Its possibly some sort of programme that thinks it still needs to access it...

    In my case this happens only if I moved files to/from my USB HDD drive.

    So under what circumstances does your problem occur? :)
     
    DetlevCM, Jan 6, 2010
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  5. Sp3ctrum

    Sp3ctrum Notebook Consultant

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    All the time even if I did not use the HD, I have never managed to unplug while the laptop is running which is lame cause when I went to brag about my second HD I have to close the laptop :p
     
    Sp3ctrum, Jan 6, 2010
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  6. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I'm thinking... I could be wrong... but have you got AHCI enabled? I think that is required for SATA hot-swapping.
     
    DetlevCM, Jan 6, 2010
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  7. Sp3ctrum

    Sp3ctrum Notebook Consultant

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    I'm pretty certain it is enabled ( I have installed the driver properly but I did not verify if it was enabled in the bios )
     
    Sp3ctrum, Jan 6, 2010
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  8. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    What driver?
    Intel Matrix Storage Manager?

    Don't think that installs in IDE mode...hmmm
     
    DetlevCM, Jan 6, 2010
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  9. Bullit

    Bullit Notebook Deity

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    That only happens to me when the drive is being used by some program.
     
    Bullit, Jan 6, 2010
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  10. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    That's how its supposed to work...

    But it doesn't.

    I can move files to two external USB drives via Windows Explorer - one I can safely remove the other not...
    Its not perfect.

    But the OP stated he cannot safely remove even if he didn't use the drive.
    And that's odd....

    Unless.... any indexing running on that drive, any Media Programme building a library?
     
    DetlevCM, Jan 7, 2010
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  11. Sp3ctrum

    Sp3ctrum Notebook Consultant

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    Stupid me I installed IMSM driver and thought I already was in AHCI but I was in IRRT although when I choose AHCI in the bios I get a BSOD
     
    Sp3ctrum, Jan 8, 2010
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  12. KimoT

    KimoT Are we not men?

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    I get this on removable drives when Windows decides to make restore points, defrag, or index the contents in the background. Any of these will prevent removing the disc.
     
    KimoT, Jan 8, 2010
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  13. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Yepp, normal, there is a little registry edit you need to do.

    See here :) http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976 (hope it comes up ENglish, mine comes up German in a German browser)
     
    DetlevCM, Jan 8, 2010
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  14. Sp3ctrum

    Sp3ctrum Notebook Consultant

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    By the way I just managed to switch from IRRT to AHCI by following this thread .Only necessary for people who clean installed there vista. Factory installed vista will work in ahci without any tweak
     
    Sp3ctrum, Feb 14, 2010
    #14