Can't safely remove usb hard drive

[BehindEnemyLines]

I am running Windows Server 2008 (although I don't think this is unique to Server 2008). Every time I try to remove my Western Digital 160GB USB 2.0 hard drive, it always return with the error below. The safely remove feature works perfectly fine usb flash drives (not hard drive). I even chkdsk g: /f for errors, and it came back clean.

I have no idea why System is holding on to that drive. Shadow Copies are not enabled for any drive (I checked), and System Restore does not exist on server. I also disabled the "index this drive for faster searching."

The application System with process id 4 stopped the removal or ejection for the device USB\VID_1058&PID_0702\575845583036343830373234.

Here is a picture of currently opened handles:

Process Explorer
Unlocker 1.8.7
Sysinternals Handle.exe

For some reason, the program handle.exe from Microsoft Sysinternals does not list any handles for the drive, even though powershell was run with admin elevated. The "Unlock All" feature of Unlocker does nothing.

 

[tzveistein]

Did you figure it out?
I have the same problem with a number of WD Passport USB drives.
Some disconnect without a problem and others don't

I believe it is because we are using Generic Drivers.

 

[corkyg]

What happens if, after a few minutes of total inactivity on the drive in question, you simply unplug it?

 

[tzveistein]

Nothing happens.

I close all apps using the drive.
I didn't loose any data so far.

 

[corkyg]

And, that is normal for USB externals. Maybe this will help understand the choices involved. I keep all my externals optimized for quick removal and never have a problem. But . . . I would never put apps on an external drive.

USB