Disconnecting USB Drives Issue

[SkiBum]

I noticed an issue with my external USB Hard Drives. Seems that if I leave Smart Defrag running (minimized), it keeps a "handle" open to "device\harddisk_" which results in my later being informed by Windows XP when I choose to disconnect it that it cannot because it is in use, and that I should try again later. After I right-click and shut down Smart Defrag from the taskbar, Windows thereafter sees it as released and allows me to disconnect it/them gracefully.

 

Might want to consider adding an option to ignore certain drive letters and/or devices. I rotate my external USB harddrives weekly as part of a backup rotation and it would be nice to be able to tell it to ignore certain drive letters [i use "USB Drive Letter Manager v4.2.3 (Freeware)" to always set up my USB Hard Drives as the same drive letter] or devices.

 

So far I really like the program. Nice work. This little tweak/mod would just make it IMO better.

[TGray]

I have similar problem disconnecting a NAS drive

 

I seem to have the same problem as SkiBum, as I use an Ximeta NAS drive for my Acronis backups, which sends a command to mount/unmount the NAS drive (mapped as drive "N" with Windows XP's Disk Manager) before/after the backup is performed, respectively.

 

Now that I've installed Smart Defrag, the unmount command fails, telling me a program is still using the drive. If I "exit" Smart Defrag with the toolbar icon, the NAS drive will then unmount OK.

 

If I open the Smart Defrag window and select the "Defrag now" view, I can see the N drive appear when the drive is commanded to mount. An option to ignore selected drive letters would be appreciated.

 

I've only had Smart Defrag installed on XP Home for a week, but it appears to be a very good program, much faster than XP's defrag.

 

NAS: I suppose that it in this context means "Network Attached Storage"

[KcLKcL]

Uninstalled, waiting bug to be fixed

 

This really annoying if my friend/family put a External HD on my computer..

I had to unlock the drives if i want to disconnect an External HD

 

*Uninstalled* :(

 

This program is very nice, I'm gonna install it after this bug is fixed :)

[solbjerg]

Hi KcL

Do you mean the secure removal of an external harddisk?

If so it works like any other usb connection, if you right click on it - it will ask you to stop the application first, if you just left click and then left click on the message, it will tell you that you can now remove the application.

It's a Windows function.

Cheers

solbjerg

 

This really annoying if my friend/family put a External HD on my computer..

I had to unlock the drives if i want to disconnect an External HD

 

*Uninstalled* :(

 

This program is very nice, I'm gonna install it after this bug is fixed :)

[blathum9]

Yes this is true but if you try to dismount the quick way left click on removal icon you get cannot dismount. I have got around this problem but think of all those end users (yes the pretty pictures you have on the website) how are they going to figure this one out?????

 

You have to make it easier for windows users????

[solbjerg]

Hi blathum

:-) This subject has been discussed at lenght in the forum, try searching for it through the forums menu line "Search".

Cheers

solbjerg

 

Yes this is true but if you try to dismount the quick way left click on removal icon you get cannot dismount. I have got around this problem but think of all those end users (yes the pretty pictures you have on the website) how are they going to figure this one out?????

 

You have to make it easier for windows users????

[joelpietersen]

I have the same problem. Would really appreciate your help on this. Thanks.

[Ted]

There's a neat little tool named: Unlocker which will do the job nicely from the Context Menu.

[SkiBum]

Unlocker utility or simply adding exclusions

 

There's a neat little tool named: Unlocker which will do the job nicely from the Context Menu.

 

Thanks for the recommendation. Looks like a really nice tool to have just in case.

 

I also appreciate the earlier tip about right-clicking from My Computer.

 

Nevertheless, I still would like to see the ability to exclude certain drive letters and/or devices from Smart Defrag access. For some reason, and I have been in computing since noone respectable used windoze and 486s seemed amazingly fast, I still feel the urge/need to take the easiest way out when removing USB devices/drives and the built-in Windows XP "Safely Remove Hardware" icon that appears just seems so tempting/inviting/EASY. 8)

 

Best regards,

SkiBum

[ScottN]

Option to exclude badly needed

 

This has also been a BIG issue for me - the unlocker works great, but its another step that needs to be done and yet another program to have.

 

I agree with other posters, it would be nice to have option to exclude external drives.

 

It would also be nice to ondemand defrag an external drive. So the best of both worlds.

[bvo]

Its a bug, not a feature!

 

The same issue applies to virtual drives, i.e. TrueCrypt volumes.

 

The question is, since SmartDefrag only ever auto-defrags drive c, why in the world does it keep this handle on each drive in the first place?

 

Using some unlocker tool is simply not an option. What if at one instance there is a handle open on a real file and my virtual volume is damaged?

 

The windows _feature_ that keeps me from disconnecting drives that are in use should not be rendered unusable by a _bug_ in an otherwise quite useful defrag tool.

 

Please fix this.

[solbjerg]

hi bvo

Do you have a checkmark in c: - just in C: - in your settings?

Cheers

solbjerg

 

The same issue applies to virtual drives, i.e. TrueCrypt volumes.

 

The question is, since SmartDefrag only ever auto-defrags drive c, why in the world does it keep this handle on each drive in the first place?

 

Using some unlocker tool is simply not an option. What if at one instance there is a handle open on a real file and my virtual volume is damaged?

 

The windows _feature_ that keeps me from disconnecting drives that are in use should not be rendered unusable by a _bug_ in an otherwise quite useful defrag tool.

 

Please fix this.

[bvo]

hi bvo

Do you have a checkmark in c: - just in C: - in your settings?

Cheers

solbjerg

 

Hi solbjerg,

 

I'm not sure to which settings you are referring....

If you mean the "Defrag Now" settings, that's a yes.

And that's really the only settings I can find where I can checkmark drives - apart from "Schedule" ... :wink:

 

cheers,

bvo.

[solbjerg]

hi bvo

In the option settings there is also the possibility to choose drives in

the schedule section.

cheers

solbjerg

 

Hi solbjerg,

 

I'm not sure to which settings you are referring....

If you mean the "Defrag Now" settings, that's a yes.

And that's really the only settings I can find where I can checkmark drives - apart from "Schedule" ... :wink:

 

cheers,

bvo.

[bvo]

hi bvo

In the option settings there is also the possibility to choose drives in

the schedule section.

cheers

solbjerg

 

Yes, I saw that after posting...

 

In the schedule section, no drive is checkmarked at all.

[solbjerg]

Hi bvo

They are (IObit) looking into the issue concerning scheduled defrag.

Hopefully they will have an update that adresses this issue in the near future.

Cheers

solbjerg

 

Yes, I saw that after posting...

 

In the schedule section, no drive is checkmarked at all.

[bvo]

Hi bvo

They are (IObit) looking into the issue concerning scheduled defrag.

Hopefully they will have an update that adresses this issue in the near future.

Cheers

solbjerg

 

Hi solbjerg,

 

sorry, I fail to see the connection between "scheduled defrag" and the open file handle issue that is being discussed in this thread?

 

ok,

Benno

[solbjerg]

Ok, Benno

You are right, sorry! Must have been thinking about that issue. :-)

But we strayed briefly into that area I think

Cheers

solbjerg

 

 

Hi solbjerg,

 

sorry, I fail to see the connection between "scheduled defrag" and the open file handle issue that is being discussed in this thread?

 

ok,

Benno

[Defragclive]

I noticed an issue with my external USB Hard Drives. Seems that if I leave Smart Defrag running (minimized), it keeps a "handle" open to "device\harddisk_" which results in my later being informed by Windows XP when I choose to disconnect it that it cannot because it is in use, and that I should try again later. After I right-click and shut down Smart Defrag from the taskbar, Windows thereafter sees it as released and allows me to disconnect it/them gracefully.

 

Might want to consider adding an option to ignore certain drive letters and/or devices. I rotate my external USB harddrives weekly as part of a backup rotation and it would be nice to be able to tell it to ignore certain drive letters [i use "USB Drive Letter Manager v4.2.3 (Freeware)" to always set up my USB Hard Drives as the same drive letter] or devices.

 

So far I really like the program. Nice work. This little tweak/mod would just make it IMO better.

 

I also had this problem with drive letters not being released when disconnected.

I found the solution in Smart Defrag Options was to untick "do not display flash drivers or solid state drivers (Recommended". This allows me to disconnect my external HD and drive letter is cleared from "My Computer" and maintains same letter when reconnected.

 

Hope this helps