Sometimes when I try to disconnect my external USB hard drive, I get a message saying that it can't be removed at this time because it is being used by some other program. Try again later. Actually, I have closed all windows and programs I know about, so something else is locking the hard drive connection. I have heard that there is a utility that identifies the locking culprit. What is this utility and where can I find it?

My PC operating system is Vista.

QUOTE from another forum:

"Microsoft's reply: This is not a bug. This is by design.

"In Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2, Windows 2003 SP1, and Windows XP x64 SP1
(and probably Windows 2003 x64 SP1 but I haven't tried it), you connect a
USB hard drive, use Windows Explorer to backup some files onto it and/or
copy some backup files from it to your internal drive, click on the icon in
the notification area to ask for safe removal of the USB hard drive, and 75%
of the time Windows gives you permission. 22% of the time it refuses but
you repeat the request and the second time it gives permission. 3% of the
time you have to shut down Windows.

"In Vista, 100% of the time you have to shut down Windows. BY DESIGN."

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HTH

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