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Can't Eject a Volume

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  Can't Eject a Volume nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid (Nick Naym) - 2014-02-18 14:32 -0500
    Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-18 14:48 -0500
    Re: Can't Eject a Volume billy@MIX.COM - 2014-02-18 19:52 +0000
      Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Baker <alangbaker@telus.net> - 2014-02-22 12:05 -0800
        Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-22 21:25 +0000
          Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Baker <alangbaker@telus.net> - 2014-02-22 21:03 -0800
    Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-18 20:13 +0000
    Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Ralph <alan.ralph@gmail.com> - 2014-02-18 20:18 +0000
      Re: Can't Eject a Volume Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-20 15:13 +0000
        Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Ralph <alan.ralph@gmail.com> - 2014-02-20 21:07 +0000
          Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-20 21:52 +0000
            Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-21 06:27 -0500
              Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-21 16:53 +0000
                Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-21 13:07 -0500
                  Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2014-02-22 12:38 -0500
                    Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-22 21:24 +0000
                Re: Can't Eject a Volume Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-21 22:51 +0000
          Re: Can't Eject a Volume Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-21 01:35 +0000
            Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-21 06:27 -0500
            Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-21 17:02 +0000
              Re: Can't Eject a Volume Tim Streater <timstreater@greenbee.net> - 2014-02-21 17:10 +0000
                Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-21 17:21 +0000
                Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-21 13:07 -0500
              Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-21 13:07 -0500
                Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-21 19:14 +0000
                  Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-21 14:49 -0500
                    Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-21 22:13 +0000
                      Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-22 00:29 -0500
                        Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-22 16:59 +0000
                        Re: Can't Eject a Volume Barry OGrady <atheist@hotmail.com.au> - 2014-02-25 16:49 +1100
                Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2014-02-21 18:28 -0500
                  Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-22 00:29 -0500
                    Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2014-02-22 10:02 -0500
                      Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2014-02-22 10:22 -0500
                        Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-22 17:01 +0000
                          Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2014-02-22 12:13 -0500
                            Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-22 17:16 +0000
                              Re: Can't Eject a Volume Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> - 2014-02-22 12:34 -0500
                                Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-22 21:23 +0000
                                Re: Can't Eject a Volume Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-22 21:46 +0000
                                  Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-22 21:53 +0000
                      Re: Can't Eject a Volume Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-22 17:00 +0000
    Re: Can't Eject a Volume M-M <nospam.m-m@ny.more> - 2014-02-18 20:37 -0500
      Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-19 02:13 +0000
        Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-18 21:42 -0500
          Re: Can't Eject a Volume Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2014-02-19 04:21 +0000
            Re: Can't Eject a Volume nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2014-02-18 23:35 -0500
    Re: Can't Eject a Volume Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-02-20 15:13 +0000

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#56663 — Can't Eject a Volume

I have a 2TB WD "My Book Essential" (read that as "cheap piece of crap")
external drive on which I created two 1TB partitions. Initially, I used
one simply as a place to store selected (drag & dropped) folders from my
internal drive; the other for a SuperDuper clone. I got the thing a
couple of years ago when my previous iMac's HD was failing, simply to
have an additional (to my TM and clone backups on two external LaCie d2
Quadras) backup.

Recently, I erased the one that contained the dragged & dropped folders
and used it to create a second SuperDuper clone.

When I plug the drive in (that's right, there's no on/off switch...you
turn it on/off by plugging/un[plugging it into the AC), both volumes
appear on the desktop, and both can be accessed. Oddly, however,
virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.

Any ideas? 



-- 
iMac (27", 3.2 GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 1 TB HDD) • OS X (10.8.5)

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#56664

In article
<1lh9o11.jdr30za7497aN%nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid>, Nick
Naym <nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid> wrote:

> When I plug the drive in (that's right, there's no on/off switch...you
> turn it on/off by plugging/un[plugging it into the AC), both volumes
> appear on the desktop, and both can be accessed. Oddly, however,
> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.

one or more files is still open. 

you can use the command line utility lsof to find out what file that is.

it also could just be yet another finder bug.

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#56665

Nick Naym <nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid> writes:

> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.

After the failed attempt to eject it, launch the Terminal program and
try this command -

  lsof | grep Volumes

and see what shows up.  lsof = list open files...

Billy Y..
-- 
        sub     #'9+1   ,r0             ; convert ascii byte
	add     #9.+1   ,r0             ; to an integer
	bcc     20$                     ; not a number

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#56839

On 2014-02-18 19:52:02 +0000, billy@MIX.COM said:

> Nick Naym <nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid> writes:
> 
>> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
>> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
>> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
>> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
>> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
>> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.
> 
> After the failed attempt to eject it, launch the Terminal program and
> try this command -
> 
>   lsof | grep Volumes
> 
> and see what shows up.  lsof = list open files...
> 
> Billy Y..

Better yet:

lsof | grep <someUniquePartOfTheVolumeInQuestion'sName>

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#56847

On 2014-02-22, Alan Baker <alangbaker@telus.net> wrote:
> On 2014-02-18 19:52:02 +0000, billy@MIX.COM said:
>
>> Nick Naym <nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid> writes:
>> 
>>> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
>>> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
>>> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
>>> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
>>> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
>>> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.
>> 
>> After the failed attempt to eject it, launch the Terminal program and
>> try this command -
>> 
>>   lsof | grep Volumes
>> 
>> and see what shows up.  lsof = list open files...
>> 
>> Billy Y..
>
> Better yet:
>
> lsof | grep <someUniquePartOfTheVolumeInQuestion'sName>

Or just:

lsof /Volumes/volume_name_here

-- 
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

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#56881

On 2014-02-22 21:25:24 +0000, Jolly Roger said:

> On 2014-02-22, Alan Baker <alangbaker@telus.net> wrote:
>> On 2014-02-18 19:52:02 +0000, billy@MIX.COM said:
>> 
>>> Nick Naym <nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid> writes:
>>> 
>>>> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
>>>> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
>>>> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
>>>> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
>>>> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
>>>> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.
>>> 
>>> After the failed attempt to eject it, launch the Terminal program and
>>> try this command -
>>> 
>>> lsof | grep Volumes
>>> 
>>> and see what shows up.  lsof = list open files...
>>> 
>>> Billy Y..
>> 
>> Better yet:
>> 
>> lsof | grep <someUniquePartOfTheVolumeInQuestion'sName>
> 
> Or just:
> 
> lsof /Volumes/volume_name_here

Cool!

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#56669

On 2014-02-18, Nick Naym <nicknaym@_remove_this_gmail.com.invalid> wrote:
> I have a 2TB WD "My Book Essential" (read that as "cheap piece of crap")
> external drive on which I created two 1TB partitions. Initially, I used
> one simply as a place to store selected (drag & dropped) folders from my
> internal drive; the other for a SuperDuper clone. I got the thing a
> couple of years ago when my previous iMac's HD was failing, simply to
> have an additional (to my TM and clone backups on two external LaCie d2
> Quadras) backup.
>
> Recently, I erased the one that contained the dragged & dropped folders
> and used it to create a second SuperDuper clone.
>
> When I plug the drive in (that's right, there's no on/off switch...you
> turn it on/off by plugging/un[plugging it into the AC), both volumes
> appear on the desktop, and both can be accessed. Oddly, however,
> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.
>
> Any ideas? 

Sure. If you want to know which applications have opened files on the
volume in question, this simple terminal command will show you:

lsof /Volumes/[name of volume]

-- 
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

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#56672

On 18/02/2014 19:32, Nick Naym wrote:
> When I plug the drive in (that's right, there's no on/off switch...you
> turn it on/off by plugging/un[plugging it into the AC), both volumes
> appear on the desktop, and both can be accessed. Oddly, however,
> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.
>
> Any ideas?

It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select 
'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then 
wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works 
for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.

Alan.

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#56749

In message <le0f64$i8t$1@dont-email.me> 
  Alan Ralph <alan.ralph@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 18/02/2014 19:32, Nick Naym wrote:
>> When I plug the drive in (that's right, there's no on/off switch...you
>> turn it on/off by plugging/un[plugging it into the AC), both volumes
>> appear on the desktop, and both can be accessed. Oddly, however,
>> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
>> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
>> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
>> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
>> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
>> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.
>>
>> Any ideas?

> It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select 
> 'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then 
> wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works 
> for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.

Don't do this.

-- 
A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope

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#56768

On 20/02/2014 15:13, Lewis wrote:
> In message <le0f64$i8t$1@dont-email.me>
>    Alan Ralph <alan.ralph@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 18/02/2014 19:32, Nick Naym wrote:
>>> When I plug the drive in (that's right, there's no on/off switch...you
>>> turn it on/off by plugging/un[plugging it into the AC), both volumes
>>> appear on the desktop, and both can be accessed. Oddly, however,
>>> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
>>> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
>>> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
>>> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
>>> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
>>> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.
>>>
>>> Any ideas?
>
>> It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select
>> 'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then
>> wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works
>> for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.
>
> Don't do this.

Care to expand on why you think it's the wrong course of action?

Alan

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#56770

On 2014-02-20, Alan Ralph <alan.ralph@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 20/02/2014 15:13, Lewis wrote:
>> In message <le0f64$i8t$1@dont-email.me>
>>    Alan Ralph <alan.ralph@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 18/02/2014 19:32, Nick Naym wrote:
>>>> When I plug the drive in (that's right, there's no on/off switch...you
>>>> turn it on/off by plugging/un[plugging it into the AC), both volumes
>>>> appear on the desktop, and both can be accessed. Oddly, however,
>>>> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
>>>> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
>>>> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
>>>> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
>>>> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
>>>> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.
>>>>
>>>> Any ideas?
>>
>>> It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select
>>> 'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then
>>> wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works
>>> for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.
>>
>> Don't do this.
>
> Care to expand on why you think it's the wrong course of action?

Personally, I tend to prefer actually knowing what the problem is
*before* I try to fix it. There's a chance Finder has a file open, but
it's brain-dead easy to know for sure (as has been mentioned several
times, a simple command: lsof /Volumes/volume_name_here will tell you
which applications have files open on the volume in question), and once
you do know for sure, you can tailor your fix to the actual problem.
Without knowing what the cause of the problem is, you're just stabbing
in the dark, hoping whatever you do will fix the issue.

-- 
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

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#56795

In article <bmnbpoFj9rtU1@mid.individual.net>, Jolly Roger
<jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote:

> >>> It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select
> >>> 'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then
> >>> wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works
> >>> for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.
> >>
> >> Don't do this.
> >
> > Care to expand on why you think it's the wrong course of action?
> 
> Personally, I tend to prefer actually knowing what the problem is
> *before* I try to fix it. There's a chance Finder has a file open, but

the problem is finder often keeps files open long after they've been
closed. it's yet another finder bug. it's not something anyone is going
to fix either.

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#56798

On 2014-02-21, nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> In article <bmnbpoFj9rtU1@mid.individual.net>, Jolly Roger
><jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote:
>
>> >>> It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select
>> >>> 'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then
>> >>> wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works
>> >>> for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.
>> >>
>> >> Don't do this.
>> >
>> > Care to expand on why you think it's the wrong course of action?
>> 
>> Personally, I tend to prefer actually knowing what the problem is
>> *before* I try to fix it. There's a chance Finder has a file open, but
>
> the problem is finder often keeps files open long after they've been
> closed. it's yet another finder bug. it's not something anyone is going
> to fix either.

There is no evidence so far that the OP's Finder application has a file
open. If another application is at fault, force quitting the Finder will
do absolutely nothing to fix the problem. Better to do a simple "lsof
/Volumes/volume-name" query to find out exactly which application has
exactly which files open. Once you know what the actual cause is, you
can tailor a fix to the actual problem rather than stabbing in the dark
and crossing your fingers you get lucky. 

I have no doubt you will try to argue that stabbing in the dark and
guessing is somehow better than actually knowing the cause of the
problem, because in your world you are *always* right and *never* wrong,
and the center of the all-knowing universe. So go ahead and make
yourself look like a fool, further earning your nickname
"mr.know-it-all" if you wish.

-- 
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

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#56803

In article <bmpejkF1uueU1@mid.individual.net>, Jolly Roger
<jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote:

> On 2014-02-21, nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> > In article <bmnbpoFj9rtU1@mid.individual.net>, Jolly Roger
> ><jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote:
> >
> >> >>> It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select
> >> >>> 'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then
> >> >>> wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works
> >> >>> for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.
> >> >>
> >> >> Don't do this.
> >> >
> >> > Care to expand on why you think it's the wrong course of action?
> >> 
> >> Personally, I tend to prefer actually knowing what the problem is
> >> *before* I try to fix it. There's a chance Finder has a file open, but
> >
> > the problem is finder often keeps files open long after they've been
> > closed. it's yet another finder bug. it's not something anyone is going
> > to fix either.
> 
> There is no evidence so far that the OP's Finder application has a file
> open. If another application is at fault, force quitting the Finder will
> do absolutely nothing to fix the problem.

obviously. nobody said otherwise.

> Better to do a simple "lsof
> /Volumes/volume-name" query to find out exactly which application has
> exactly which files open. Once you know what the actual cause is, you
> can tailor a fix to the actual problem rather than stabbing in the dark
> and crossing your fingers you get lucky. 

as has been said, the reason the disk won't eject is likely due to
spotlight, so turning off spotlight for that drive will probably
resolve the issue. it's very easy to do and entirely harmless and
should be the first thing to try. 

if that doesn't solve the problem, then the problem is elsewhere, at
which point, someone can dig deeper to find out what's going on. 

in other words, start with the simple stuff first. not only is this a
common troubleshooting technique, but it's done in just about every
industry. too bad you don't understand that.

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#56832

On 2014.02.21, 13:07 , nospam wrote:

> in other words, start with the simple stuff first. not only is this a
> common troubleshooting technique, but it's done in just about every
> industry.

In my industry such an approach could get you disciplined, fired, fined 
or de-licenced.  Criminal charges are not out of the question.

-- 
    ... it may be that "in the cloud" really isn't the best term
    for the services these companies offer.  What they really
    want is to have us "on the leash."
                   -David Pogue, Scientific American, 2014.02

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#56846

On 2014-02-22, Alan Browne <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> wrote:
> On 2014.02.21, 13:07 , nospam wrote:
>
>> in other words, start with the simple stuff first. not only is this a
>> common troubleshooting technique, but it's done in just about every
>> industry.
>
> In my industry such an approach could get you disciplined, fired, fined 
> or de-licenced.  Criminal charges are not out of the question.

I prefer the scientific approach. Figure out what the problem is first,
then design a solution tailored to the actual problem. Anything else is
guess work.

-- 
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

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#56816

In message <bmpejkF1uueU1@mid.individual.net> 
  Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote:
> On 2014-02-21, nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:
>> In article <bmnbpoFj9rtU1@mid.individual.net>, Jolly Roger
>><jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote:
>>
>>> >>> It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select
>>> >>> 'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then
>>> >>> wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works
>>> >>> for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.
>>> >>
>>> >> Don't do this.
>>> >
>>> > Care to expand on why you think it's the wrong course of action?
>>> 
>>> Personally, I tend to prefer actually knowing what the problem is
>>> *before* I try to fix it. There's a chance Finder has a file open, but
>>
>> the problem is finder often keeps files open long after they've been
>> closed. it's yet another finder bug. it's not something anyone is going
>> to fix either.

> There is no evidence so far that the OP's Finder application has a file
> open. If another application is at fault, force quitting the Finder will
> do absolutely nothing to fix the problem. Better to do a simple "lsof
> /Volumes/volume-name" query to find out exactly which application has

lsof /Volumes 

Works pretty well unless you have a lot of drives mounted.

> exactly which files open. Once you know what the actual cause is, you
> can tailor a fix to the actual problem rather than stabbing in the dark
> and crossing your fingers you get lucky.

Of course, when you try to eject a volume and it cannot be ejected
because a file is open, the dialog will tell you which application has
the file open in most cases if there is only one application involved.

    The Volume "Tardis" cannot be ejected because it is being used by
    "Terminal".

Or something like that.

> I have no doubt you will try to argue that stabbing in the dark and
> guessing is somehow better than actually knowing the cause of the
> problem, because in your world you are *always* right and *never* wrong,
> and the center of the all-knowing universe. So go ahead and make
> yourself look like a fool, further earning your nickname
> "mr.know-it-all" if you wish.

I would recommend

hdiutil eject -force /Volumes/name 

as a better choice than force-quitting the finder anyway.

-- 
All tribal myths are true, for a given value of 'true'.

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#56786

In message <le5qqs$n2q$1@dont-email.me> 
  Alan Ralph <alan.ralph@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 20/02/2014 15:13, Lewis wrote:
>> In message <le0f64$i8t$1@dont-email.me>
>>    Alan Ralph <alan.ralph@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 18/02/2014 19:32, Nick Naym wrote:
>>>> When I plug the drive in (that's right, there's no on/off switch...you
>>>> turn it on/off by plugging/un[plugging it into the AC), both volumes
>>>> appear on the desktop, and both can be accessed. Oddly, however,
>>>> virtually any time I attempt to unmount/eject the volumes, the one
>>>> containing the second SuperDuper clone refuses to eject: I receive the
>>>> alert "The disk [name of volume] wasn't ejected because one or more
>>>> programs may be using it." Besides Finder, nothing is running, and Disk
>>>> Utility can't find any problems.The only way I can unmount/eject it is
>>>> by force-ejection or by shutting down my iMac and unplugging the drive.
>>>>
>>>> Any ideas?
>>
>>> It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select
>>> 'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then
>>> wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works
>>> for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.
>>
>> Don't do this.

> Care to expand on why you think it's the wrong course of action?

Force quitting apps is generally to be avoided. Force quitting an app
like the Finder where you are never sure of the state it is in is
absolutely to be avoided.

-- 
I have a love child who sends me hate mail

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#56796

In article <slrnlgdbbh.hco.g.kreme@oswin.local>, Lewis
<g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> wrote:

> Force quitting apps is generally to be avoided. Force quitting an app
> like the Finder where you are never sure of the state it is in is
> absolutely to be avoided.

finder isn't always sure what state it's in, so how can anyone else be?

it doesn't properly close files all the time, which means force-quit is
the only option (other than logging out or rebooting which is a much
bigger hassle).

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#56799

On 2014-02-21, Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> wrote:
> In message <le5qqs$n2q$1@dont-email.me> Alan Ralph
> <alan.ralph@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 20/02/2014 15:13, Lewis wrote:
>>> In message <le0f64$i8t$1@dont-email.me> Alan Ralph
>>> <alan.ralph@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> It may well be Finder itself still accessing the external disk. Select
>>>> 'Force Quit' from the Apple menu, select Finder, click 'Relaunch', then
>>>> wait while Finder restarts and refreshes the desktop. This also works
>>>> for CDs or DVDs that refuse to eject.
>>>
>>> Don't do this.
>
>> Care to expand on why you think it's the wrong course of action?
>
> Force quitting apps is generally to be avoided.

To expand on this, force quitting an application can cause any file that
the application currently has open to become corrupt, since it does not
give the application a chance to finish updating the file in question
and close it before quitting. Applications may have their own preference
files open, or other files on your startup volume. If an application's
preference file becomes malformed or corrupt, it can cause the
application in question to behave in unpredictable ways on subsequent
launches.

> Force quitting an app like the Finder where you are never sure of the
> state it is in is absolutely to be avoided.

I'm not sure I would consider Finder to be that fragile - certainly not
as fragile as other applications or system processes. If there is a file
copy in progress, you certainly ant to avoid force quitting it, and as
stated above, there is always the possibility that you can cause Finder
preference files to become corrupt if you force quit it. But in general,
if your system is relatively idle, you can often force quit the Finder
without too much concern.

-- 
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

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