I have a user who uses USB external hard drives for backup drives and when
this client tries to swap the hard drives, the server locks up. The server is
a Windows SBS 2003 server and the external USB hard drives are about 300GB in
size. My client has selected the unload the USB hard drive to swap out the
backup drives but this does not work either. Any information would be
appreciated.

Assuming this is a new issue, there are no errors in the Event Logs, it
happens with all USB ports (front and back), and the problem happens with
any USB drive (epsecially another one that has not been used for a backup),
I would look at installing a USB 2.0 card in a slot in the server and then
see if the issue persists. Do the external drives have a power adapter? If
so, turn the drive off before trying to remove it.

--
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
============================

"FSN Tech" <FSNTech@newsgroup> wrote in message
news:F38465F7-F39E-4F1F-BB32-2711DB22F2E3@newsgroup

> I have a user who uses USB external hard drives for backup drives and when
> this client tries to swap the hard drives, the server locks up. The server
> is
> a Windows SBS 2003 server and the external USB hard drives are about 300GB
> in
> size. My client has selected the unload the USB hard drive to swap out the
> backup drives but this does not work either. Any information would be
> appreciated.

FSN Tech <FSNTech@newsgroup> wrote:

> I have a user who uses USB external hard drives for backup drives and
> when this client tries to swap the hard drives, the server locks up.
> The server is a Windows SBS 2003 server and the external USB hard
> drives are about 300GB in size. My client has selected the unload the
> USB hard drive to swap out the backup drives but this does not work
> either. Any information would be appreciated.

Did this just start?
Does it happen with all USB ports?
All USB drives?

The server hangs even when the user does the "safely remove" procedure
before unplugging the drive?

One thing you could try is to use Process Monitor. Create a filter to
include items where Path contains x:\, substituting the actual drive letter
of the external driver for "x." That should give you an idea of what
processes are accessing that drive, as a starting point for troubleshooting
exactly what's causing the server to lock up.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb545046.aspx

You could also try a different USB port, and maybe a different external
drive, just to rule out hardware.


"FSN Tech" <FSNTech@newsgroup> wrote in message
news:F38465F7-F39E-4F1F-BB32-2711DB22F2E3@newsgroup

>I have a user who uses USB external hard drives for backup drives and when
> this client tries to swap the hard drives, the server locks up. The server
> is
> a Windows SBS 2003 server and the external USB hard drives are about 300GB
> in
> size. My client has selected the unload the USB hard drive to swap out the
> backup drives but this does not work either. Any information would be
> appreciated.

My client has tried multiple external usb hard drives and the sbs server
locks up each time. I will look into your suggestion listed below. Yes the
server hangs when the user does the safely remove procedure.

"Dave Nickason [SBS MVP]" wrote:

> The server hangs even when the user does the "safely remove" procedure
> before unplugging the drive?
>
> One thing you could try is to use Process Monitor. Create a filter to
> include items where Path contains x:\, substituting the actual drive letter
> of the external driver for "x." That should give you an idea of what
> processes are accessing that drive, as a starting point for troubleshooting
> exactly what's causing the server to lock up.
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb545046.aspx
>
> You could also try a different USB port, and maybe a different external
> drive, just to rule out hardware.
>
>
> "FSN Tech" <FSNTech@newsgroup> wrote in message
> news:F38465F7-F39E-4F1F-BB32-2711DB22F2E3@newsgroup

> >I have a user who uses USB external hard drives for backup drives and when
> > this client tries to swap the hard drives, the server locks up. The server
> > is
> > a Windows SBS 2003 server and the external USB hard drives are about 300GB
> > in
> > size. My client has selected the unload the USB hard drive to swap out the
> > backup drives but this does not work either. Any information would be
> > appreciated.

>
> .
>