Safely remove the USB flash drive: why do you need it, how to make it and fix some problems

Most users of computers and laptops know that the USB drive should not just be pulled out of the port to complete its use in the system, but also run a special procedure of so-called safe extraction. If the flash drive is removed without safe removal, the consequences can be catastrophic (data loss, file system errors and even device failure). Let's take a look at some simple methods that allow such a procedure to be performed, and also to restore such a Windows tool if it for some reason is lost or inaccessible.

Safely remove the USB flash drive: why is it needed?

When removing a USB drive from the corresponding computer terminal, it is important to understand one thing. Safely removing the USB flash drive in Windos 10 or in any other system is akin to the standard procedure for shutting down the computer itself.

In this case, all processes associated with the device are terminated and power is cut off. Thus, the drive can be secured from the appearance of many problems. An analogue is the shutdown of a working computer from the network. Many in fact noticed that after this the system is restored. So here, only restore workability will have to be manually, which can be much more complicated than the automated processes in Windows.

Basic Methods for Safely Remove USB Devices

So, safe extraction of a flash drive can be made by some of the simplest methods that are provided in Windows-systems.

The easiest way is to click the left mouse button on the USB icon in the system tray with the selection of the appropriate line. If the icon is not displayed for some reason, click on the up arrow to display the hidden icons.

The second method, which allows to safely remove the USB flash drive, is to use "Explorer" or double click on the computer icon where the USB device is selected, and through the right click select the extraction item in the menu. With this, most questions do not arise.

Safely remove the USB flash drive: USB Safely Remove program

In some cases, if someone does not like the standard method, you can use a small program called USB Safely Remove (this is useful in cases where the system reports that access to the device can not be stopped or there is no device icon in the tray) .

After installation, the program creates its own icon in the tray as a green arrow, clicking on which, you can see all the USB devices currently connected to the computer system. There is also a section of hidden devices (USB camera, external network cards, disks, etc.). It is enough to choose your drive and specify a safe removal of the flash drive.

Completing processes that use the drive

Sometimes, however, the system gives an error. In this case, you should close all files opened from the device, and applications that are currently using the drive, go to the "Task Manager" and forcefully complete all processes associated with USB.

In this case, you should first use the mapping of all user processes, then - hide Microsoft services. After that, the extraction can be repeated.

What should I do if access to safe extraction is lost?

Now let's see how to proceed if the safe removal of the USB flash drive from both the system tray and the device properties in the computer section or "Explorer" is gone.

In the simplest case, you need to open the drive properties in any of the above sections or in the corresponding manager and go to the hardware tab. In the box, select your device and click on the properties button below. Next, click the property change button and go to the policy tab, where you can see the hyperlink to safe extraction. We press it, and the flash drive can be removed. At the same time, incidentally, the work of the drive will accelerate.

An alternative method for restoring safe extraction

There is another way to restore the original parameters, then to make a safe extraction of the USB flash drive.

This option is somewhat more complicated, but it gives an almost one hundred percent guarantee of restoring access to the procedure. To do this, you call the console "Run" with the rights of the administrator.

In it you need to write the following:

• RunDll32.exe shell32.dll, Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll (it is mandatory exactly as specified in the above original command).

After executing the command, a new dialog box appears, in which you must first select the device you are looking for, and then click the "Stop" button below.

Instead of the total

In principle, this is the main methods that allow you to safely remove any USB-device from the corresponding port, and also to eliminate some possible problems related to the impossibility of performing such a procedure due to lack of access. In the simplest case, you can simply remove the device from the port and insert it again. Perhaps the system will see it.

However, such methods are suitable only for regular situations and are the simplest for users. If the drive initially has physical damage or file system failures, you will have to use completely different methods related to restoring the drive's performance, the information stored on it, or even re-flashing its microcontroller. But this is a separate topic.