An open community 
of Macintosh users,
for Macintosh users.

FineTunedMac Dashboard widget now available! Download Here

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
removing external HD icon
#50584 12/01/18 09:01 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
OS 10.12.6. I back up quite often but every time I try to remove the icon, it says it can't remove it because other programs may be using it. This happens even after I restart twice when I know it is not being used. When I force quit, I get a warning about data being damaged or words to that effect. I use command E to eject. Is there another method of ejecting? Not a big problem but a little annoying. Any ideas?

jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: removing external HD icon
jaybass #50585 12/01/18 09:55 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Launch Disk Utility and select the external. Click Unmount. DU may tell you which process is using it. Once you know that, launch Activity Monitor and quit that process. Then, eject the disk.

This has worked for me.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: removing external HD icon
jchuzi #50586 12/01/18 10:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jon,

I connected my external HD and using D/U and clicking unmount, it said that it was IN USE as opposed to MAYBE in use using command E. I highlighted the icon first as I believe I should. D/U never told me about any process so of course I couldn't launch Activity Monitor.

After force quitting, is there any way of knowing if any data is actually corrupted?

jay bass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: removing external HD icon
jaybass #50589 12/01/18 11:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Offline
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Originally Posted By: jaybass
After force quitting, is there any way of knowing if any data is actually corrupted?

  1. Reboot your system from the Recovery Drive by holding down Command+R (⌘R) when you boot
  2. Launch Disk Utility on the Recovery Drive
  3. Run First Aid against each of the drives that were mounted when you did the forced shut down
NOTE 1: Steps 1 and 2 are necessary ONLY if you want to check the boot drive otherwise simply launch Disk Utility from your boot drive.

NOTE 2: I have had to do many a unplanned shut down over the years and have not encountered any file or volume damage in probably ten years. There is a window of vulnerability for damage, but it is a VERY small window.

Last edited by joemikeb; 12/01/18 11:25 PM. Reason: add note

If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: removing external HD icon
jaybass #50590 12/01/18 11:41 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Another thing you might try is to "force quit" the Finder, then eject the drive.


iMac (19,1, 3.1 GHz i5, 12.7.4, 40 Gb RAM); MacBook Air (1.8 Ghz, 8 Gb RAM, 10.14.6, 256 Gb SSD) Vodafone router and Devolo Wi-Fi Extender, Canon TS8351 printer/scanner.
Re: removing external HD icon
jaybass #50592 12/02/18 03:39 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
If you're not intimidated by or otherwise averse to /Applications/Utilities/Terminal, try this:
  • Launch Terminal
  • Enter "sudo lsof | grep" at the prompt. (Use copy & paste, but without the quotes.)
  • Leave a space after the p, then drag the icon of the volume in question to the Terminal window. (The volume's path will be automatically pasted in for you.)
  • Click "Return"
Note that Terminal will ask for your password, but WILL NOT display anything, not even dots, as you enter it; that's SOP. (More: Before Terminal allows you to enter your password it will pop up an "Are you sure you want to do this?" warning if you've never used sudo before; just click past it.)

Terminal's output should tell you what's in use on your drive.

Last edited by artie505; 12/02/18 10:41 PM. Reason: More

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: removing external HD icon
jaybass #50594 12/02/18 11:12 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
If you don't mind having the external disconnected, shut down and then unplug it while the computer is off.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: removing external HD icon
joemikeb #50597 12/03/18 04:28 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
I mounted the external HD and re booted from the recovery drive. Launched D/U and ran first aid...no problems and then unmounted the external HD. I then restarted but the HD was still on the desktop. Then command E with the usual window saying it may be in use. I force quit but the warning about data damage did not not appear. I assume that was because first aid had been run.

Question: After clicking 'unmount', and then restarting, is it normal for HD to still be on the desktop?

Thanks for the info and the other responses.

jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: removing external HD icon
jaybass #50598 12/03/18 05:05 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
If you have your Finder preferences set to show external disks on the desktop, this is normal.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: removing external HD icon
jchuzi #50599 12/03/18 09:40 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Post deleted.

Last edited by artie505; 12/04/18 09:36 AM. Reason: Reading comprehension issue

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire

Moderated by  alternaut, cyn 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.061s Queries: 34 (0.053s) Memory: 0.6183 MB (Peak: 0.7043 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-29 09:45:00 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS