WinEject — Fast USB Ejection Tool for Windows

WinEject Troubleshooting: Fix Common Eject Errors QuicklyWinEject is a lightweight utility designed to simplify removing external storage devices from Windows systems. While it usually makes ejection fast and reliable, users still sometimes encounter errors that prevent safe removal. This article walks through common eject problems, explains why they happen, and gives step‑by‑step fixes and preventative tips so you can eject without stress.

Common eject errors and what they mean

• “The device is currently in use” — Windows detects open handles or active processes accessing files on the device.
• “Windows can’t stop your ‘Generic volume’ device because a program is still using it” — Similar to the previous message; an application, background service, or system process holds a lock.
• “Device is not recognized” or “Device not accessible” — Hardware, cable, or driver problems prevent Windows from talking properly to the device.
• Eject button in WinEject is greyed out / unresponsive — The utility cannot communicate with the device, or required permissions are missing.
• Drive reappears after ejection — Windows or the device’s firmware remounts the drive (power settings, faulty docking station, or quick-connect hubs can cause this).

Quick checks to run first

1. Physically inspect cables and ports — try a different USB port or cable.
2. Close obvious programs that might be using the drive (file managers, editors, media players).
3. Wait 10–20 seconds and try ejecting again — writes or file-system flushes may be finishing.
4. If the device is bus-powered, try disconnecting other USB devices or plug into a powered hub.

How to find and stop processes that block ejection

1. Use Task Manager:
   • Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc → Processes tab → sort by Disk or CPU to spot apps accessing the drive. End the process if safe.
2. Use Resource Monitor:
   • Open Task Manager → Performance → Open Resource Monitor → Disk tab → look for File Handle column showing paths on your drive. Right-click process → End Process.
3. Use the built-in handle utilities:
   • Download and run Sysinternals Process Explorer. Use Find → Find Handle or DLL… and search the drive letter (e.g., E:). Close the handle or kill the owning process.
4. Use the command line to see open files (requires admin):
   • Run in elevated PowerShell:

     
     Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.Modules | Where-Object { $_.FileName -like "E:*" } } 

     (Note: listing modules like this can be slow and may not list all open handles.)

5. If a service is blocking the device (e.g., antivirus, backup, indexing), temporarily pause or stop that service then eject.

Fixing “Device not recognized” or driver-related errors

• Replug the device into a different USB port (preferably a USB 2.0 vs 3.x port to test).
• Try another computer to rule out device failure.
• In Device Manager:
  • Press Win+X → Device Manager → find the device under Disk drives or Universal Serial Bus controllers.
  • Right-click → Uninstall device. Then unplug and replug the device to force Windows to reinstall the driver.
  • Update the driver if the manufacturer provides one.
• If the device uses an SD/CF card or enclosure, test the card in another reader to isolate the issue to the media or enclosure.

Using WinEject-specific options and permissions

• Run WinEject as Administrator if ejection fails due to permission issues. Right-click the WinEject shortcut → Run as administrator.
• Ensure WinEject is targeting the correct device (drive letter vs. volume GUID). If ambiguous, use device manager to confirm the correct identifier.
• Enable force-eject only as a last resort — this may interrupt pending writes and cause data loss. Prefer to stop processes cleanly.

Workarounds when standard eject fails

• Use Safely Remove Hardware from the system tray: click the icon → select the device and eject. Sometimes Windows’ native tool succeeds where third-party utilities don’t.
• Use Disk Management to offline the drive:
  • Win+X → Disk Management → right-click the disk → Offline (for removable disks this option may be unavailable). After offline, you can unplug safely.
• Use PowerShell to dismount a volume:
  • Elevated PowerShell:

    
    Dismount-Volume -LiteralPath "E:" 

    or find the volume first:

    
    Get-Volume -DriveLetter E | Dismount-Volume 

  • Note: Dismount‑Volume will fail if files are in use.
• Use the command-line mountvol to remove the mount point:

  
  mountvol E: /D 

  This removes the drive letter mapping; the physical device may still be in use by processes, so use with caution.

Preventive measures to avoid future eject errors

• Always close applications and file explorers before ejecting.
• Pause or disable background tasks (cloud backup, antivirus scans, indexing) while copying large amounts of data.
• Use “Safely Remove Hardware” after large transfers and wait for transfer indicators to finish.
• Keep device firmware and host USB drivers up to date.
• Prefer powered USB hubs for bus-powered devices to avoid power negotiation problems.
• Configure Windows to not index removable drives (Settings → Search → Searching Windows → Excluded folders).

When to suspect hardware failure

• Device disconnects randomly, shows I/O errors, or is not recognized on multiple computers.
• SMART diagnostics for external SSDs/HDDs show failing attributes. Use manufacturer tools or third‑party utilities (CrystalDiskInfo, manufacturer diagnostics) to check health.
• If suspected, stop using the device and clone data to a healthy device as soon as possible.

Example step-by-step: fix “device in use” and eject safely

1. Close File Explorer windows and any apps that might use the drive.
2. Open Task Manager → more details → Processes → sort by Disk. End any process writing to the device.
3. If still blocked, run Process Explorer (admin) → Find Handle → search “E:” → close handles or terminate offending process.
4. Try ejecting in WinEject (Run as admin). If it still fails, run elevated PowerShell:

   
   Dismount-Volume -DriveLetter E -Force 

   (Only use -Force if you accept potential data loss.)

5. Physically remove the device after the command completes and Windows shows the device as removed.

When to contact support or replace equipment

• If the device repeatedly fails on multiple computers, contact the device manufacturer for support or RMA.
• If the device contains critical data and shows signs of failure, consult a professional data recovery service before heavy troubleshooting.

Quick reference checklist

• Check cables/ports and try another PC.
• Close apps, stop backup/indexing/antivirus temporarily.
• Use Task Manager, Resource Monitor, or Process Explorer to find locks.
• Run WinEject as Administrator.
• Use Dismount-Volume or mountvol as alternatives.
• Check device health and firmware; back up if suspect.

Fixing eject errors usually comes down to finding what’s holding the device and stopping it cleanly. Use administrative tools when necessary, prefer safe shutdowns over forceful removals, and back up critical data before troubleshooting hardware faults.