Vista - How to find out what applications or processes are using a USB drive?

05-03-2009

Hi,
Too often, I find myself wanting to eject a USB drive, and the computer
tells me that the removable disk is currently in use, and I have to examine
a bunch of windows to see what might be using the drive. I think it is
sometimes not a windowed application, such as an antivirus scan. I have a
feeling that there are more than one free tool available from Microsoft or
others that can be used to tell what application or process is using a
specified drive letter. I'm hoping someone will post some suggestions of
such tools that can be used from VBScript, such as command line tools, where
the tool's output can be gotten from the shell exec method's reading of
StdOut.

Thanks,

-Paul Randall

05-05-2009

Paul Randall schrieb:

Quote:

> Hi,
> Too often, I find myself wanting to eject a USB drive, and the computer
> tells me that the removable disk is currently in use, and I have to examine
> a bunch of windows to see what might be using the drive. I think it is
> sometimes not a windowed application, such as an antivirus scan. I have a
> feeling that there are more than one free tool available from Microsoft or
> others that can be used to tell what application or process is using a
> specified drive letter. I'm hoping someone will post some suggestions of
> such tools that can be used from VBScript, such as command line tools, where
> the tool's output can be gotten from the shell exec method's reading of
> StdOut.
>
> Thanks,
>
> -Paul Randall
>
>

Hi Paul,

may you should try out USBSafelyRemove (http://safelyremove.com/)

regards
Steffen

05-07-2009

"Steffen Koch" <steffen.koch@xxxxxx-enterprises.de> wrote in message
news:eB6kzLWzJHA.5728@xxxxxx

Quote:

> Paul Randall schrieb:

Quote:

>> Hi,
>> Too often, I find myself wanting to eject a USB drive, and the computer
>> tells me that the removable disk is currently in use, and I have to
>> examine a bunch of windows to see what might be using the drive. I think
>> it is sometimes not a windowed application, such as an antivirus scan. I
>> have a feeling that there are more than one free tool available from
>> Microsoft or others that can be used to tell what application or process
>> is using a specified drive letter. I'm hoping someone will post some
>> suggestions of such tools that can be used from VBScript, such as command
>> line tools, where the tool's output can be gotten from the shell exec
>> method's reading of StdOut.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> -Paul Randall

>
> Hi Paul,
>
> may you should try out USBSafelyRemove (http://safelyremove.com/)
>
> regards
> Steffen

Thanks. That looks interesting. Its not scriptable, but may be handy.

-Paul Randall

07-09-2009

I guess what I need to know is: how to find out what programs are using what
handles etc. Similarly, I need to know which processes are using my flash
drive so that I may format it. I need an information tool.

"Paul Randall" wrote:

Quote:

> Hi,
> Too often, I find myself wanting to eject a USB drive, and the computer
> tells me that the removable disk is currently in use, and I have to examine
> a bunch of windows to see what might be using the drive. I think it is
> sometimes not a windowed application, such as an antivirus scan. I have a
> feeling that there are more than one free tool available from Microsoft or
> others that can be used to tell what application or process is using a
> specified drive letter. I'm hoping someone will post some suggestions of
> such tools that can be used from VBScript, such as command line tools, where
> the tool's output can be gotten from the shell exec method's reading of
> StdOut.
>
> Thanks,
>
> -Paul Randall
>
>
>

05-03-2009	#1 (permalink)
Paul Randall n/a posts	How to find out what applications or processes are using a USB drive? Hi, Too often, I find myself wanting to eject a USB drive, and the computer tells me that the removable disk is currently in use, and I have to examine a bunch of windows to see what might be using the drive. I think it is sometimes not a windowed application, such as an antivirus scan. I have a feeling that there are more than one free tool available from Microsoft or others that can be used to tell what application or process is using a specified drive letter. I'm hoping someone will post some suggestions of such tools that can be used from VBScript, such as command line tools, where the tool's output can be gotten from the shell exec method's reading of StdOut. Thanks, -Paul Randall
My System Specs

05-05-2009	#2 (permalink)
Steffen Koch n/a posts	Re: How to find out what applications or processes are using a USBdrive? Paul Randall schrieb: Quote: > Hi, > Too often, I find myself wanting to eject a USB drive, and the computer > tells me that the removable disk is currently in use, and I have to examine > a bunch of windows to see what might be using the drive. I think it is > sometimes not a windowed application, such as an antivirus scan. I have a > feeling that there are more than one free tool available from Microsoft or > others that can be used to tell what application or process is using a > specified drive letter. I'm hoping someone will post some suggestions of > such tools that can be used from VBScript, such as command line tools, where > the tool's output can be gotten from the shell exec method's reading of > StdOut. > > Thanks, > > -Paul Randall > > Hi Paul, may you should try out USBSafelyRemove (http://safelyremove.com/) regards Steffen
My System Specs

05-07-2009	#3 (permalink)
Paul Randall n/a posts	Re: How to find out what applications or processes are using a USB drive? "Steffen Koch" <steffen.koch@xxxxxx-enterprises.de> wrote in message news:eB6kzLWzJHA.5728@xxxxxx Quote: > Paul Randall schrieb: Quote: >> Hi, >> Too often, I find myself wanting to eject a USB drive, and the computer >> tells me that the removable disk is currently in use, and I have to >> examine a bunch of windows to see what might be using the drive. I think >> it is sometimes not a windowed application, such as an antivirus scan. I >> have a feeling that there are more than one free tool available from >> Microsoft or others that can be used to tell what application or process >> is using a specified drive letter. I'm hoping someone will post some >> suggestions of such tools that can be used from VBScript, such as command >> line tools, where the tool's output can be gotten from the shell exec >> method's reading of StdOut. >> >> Thanks, >> >> -Paul Randall > > Hi Paul, > > may you should try out USBSafelyRemove (http://safelyremove.com/) > > regards > Steffen Thanks. That looks interesting. Its not scriptable, but may be handy. -Paul Randall
My System Specs

07-09-2009	#4 (permalink)
Waggin n/a posts	RE: How to find out what applications or processes are using a USB dri I guess what I need to know is: how to find out what programs are using what handles etc. Similarly, I need to know which processes are using my flash drive so that I may format it. I need an information tool. "Paul Randall" wrote: Quote: > Hi, > Too often, I find myself wanting to eject a USB drive, and the computer > tells me that the removable disk is currently in use, and I have to examine > a bunch of windows to see what might be using the drive. I think it is > sometimes not a windowed application, such as an antivirus scan. I have a > feeling that there are more than one free tool available from Microsoft or > others that can be used to tell what application or process is using a > specified drive letter. I'm hoping someone will post some suggestions of > such tools that can be used from VBScript, such as command line tools, where > the tool's output can be gotten from the shell exec method's reading of > StdOut. > > Thanks, > > -Paul Randall > > >
My System Specs

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