VeraCrypt / Forums / Technical Topics: Veracrypt won't let me dismount my external hard drive

sulaco - 2019-03-12

I have a Veracrypt encrypted container on my external hard drive. When I am finished with it and try to dismount it I get the message "Some volumes contain files or folders being used by applications or system. Force dismount?". I say yes, and that dismounts my container. However when I go to safely remove my external hard drive I get "this device is currently in use".

I don't see any processes related to Veracrypt in task manager. So my only option to safely remove my hard drive is turn off my computer which is tedious.

I found this topic nearly 3 years old with the same issue. Mounting my container as removable made no difference.
https://sourceforge.net/p/veracrypt/tickets/23/

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Testoslav - 2019-03-13

I have no idea wheter it still works under current version of windows, but I used unlocker a (long) while ago. It should tell you which process still occupies your container and even kill it. www.emptyloop.com/unlocker/

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sulaco - 2019-03-20

I tried that software but still couldn't eject my drive. In my opinion this is a pretty big security issue not being able to eject your drive in time.

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Yorkhesan - 2019-04-05

My problem is similar to sulaco's regarding ejecting my portable hard drive after dismounting the VeraCrypt containers.
I tried Unlocker with very bad results, my disk ended up being blocked by Windows and there was a CRC error(Cyclic Redundancy Check). After all, I don't recommend the use of Unlocker or any other unlocker app type for such a situation, those applications are only for folders and files, not for drives.
I hope someone will find an effective solution to this problem with portable drives and the use of VeraCrypt.

Last edit: Yorkhesan 2019-04-05

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Brock Savage - 2019-04-09

It's possible that the issue is not VeraCrypt. I use USB drives frequently, and most of the time, when VeraCrypt or Windows say it is in use, I can free it by closing other programs. File Explorer, Everything Search, and any disk utility (e.g. the ones that come with SSB drives) typically scan all the drives on the system, and retain a link to them. Closing those programs will usually free the drive.

Sometimes, though, that doesn't work. It still doesn't mean you need to shut down the system to remove the drive. If you are SURE that it is not being used and that all writes have been completed, it is safe to disconnect it even when Windows says it is in use, as of Windows 10 version 1809:
https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/8/18300734/microsoft-safely-remove-eject-usb-flash-drive-not-needed-windows-10?fbclid=IwAR27RG6-nGH6uCJnb540AG7zI8PNXJ_N863wVCkSNGSQdprPSbSmDZAeVDo

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Yorkhesan - 2019-10-04

This works for Windows 7: https://safelyremove.com/es

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Jofifi - 2019-10-12

I have the same problem, and it seems to be caused by VeraCrypt:

When I connect various external USB-HDDs to Windows 7 (and don't mount VC-containers from these HDD), I can dismount them easily.

But when I mount a VC-container which is located on one of those HDDs, and after use dismount the HDD-container (without error), then I can't dismount the USB-HDD afterwards, getting just the windows error "this device is currently in use".
Even when I wait half an hour, it still says it is in use... Same problem for several USB-HDD.
In resource monitor, the only application is something with NTFS master-table... but only sporadic traffic on the HDD.

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- Mounir IDRASSI - 2019-10-12
  
  @Jofifi: You can try mounting the volumes in VeraCrypt using the mount option "Mount volume as removable medium". This will make Windows flush data more quickly to the disk and also Windows system components will avoid leaving opened handles.
  
  smime.p7s
  
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  - sulaco - 2019-10-29
    
    Mounting as removable medium does not solve the issue which I stated in my OP. This is definitely a problem with Veracrypt.
    
    I really hate having to restart my computer just to safely remove my hard drive. I have had silent corruption in the past by ejecting a supposedly inactive drive, so I won't ever take that chance again.
    
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Philip Smith - 2019-10-29

You say you tried unlocker, what did it show as locking the file open?

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Jofifi - 2019-12-31

For me, the problem seems solved since using Windows 10. I never had the message so far, no matter if I use "mount as removable medium" or not.

So it seems the problem was somehow caused by Windows 7.

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glex - 2021-07-01

Can someone please fix this Veracrypt problem for windows 7? Please? I don't plan on updating to windows 10 or 11 because it's clunky. Please fix this bug? Read OP and this thread. This problem is reproducable.

Last edit: glex 2021-07-01

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glex - 2021-07-01

figured it out: the culprit was due to avast free antivirus. uninstalled it and everything is fine!! sign. installed Microsoft defender for windows 7, and no issue with usb-harddrive ejection too.

👍
1

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- James - 2023-06-02
  
  Thanks a lot @glex ! It worked for me ;)
  I removed the Avira antivirus and was able to disconnect my external hard drive and unmount my volume cleanly.
  
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crbrac - 2021-07-01

What I normally do in such a situation is to temporarily set "Auto dismount volume after no data is written/read" to 1 minute in the settings. That does the trick. Is it the same as a Force dismount (unlikely), I don't know, but never have had an issues with this approach. Waiting for Windows to behave is a futile exercise,

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Veracrypt won't let me dismount my external hard drive