Disk not ejected properly

I spoke too soon.

About an hour afetr I posted above, I go a disk ejection notice.

I guess this problem must be multifactorial. I may try Robin´s method again, and do it exactly the way Apple said to do it, without improvising. I had changed the name of the computer back to the original, and maybe that had something to do about it. I´ll report back.

I really think the problem is in the cables. Since I connected with good new cables I have not had one disk ejection since my original post on 7/29.

I think if the problem existed with the Mac OX, by now Apple would have shown us a fix. Again, buy a new cable or as many needed to connect to the Mac. I bought 2 new quality cables from Amazon because my external drive is connected to my iMac through a Version 3 USB hub.

Good luck because I know how frustrating this can be.

You may be right, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, I did try a new Amazon USB 3.0 cable with a direct connection between the external drive and the MacBook Pro, in other words, no hub, and still had the ejection problem.

Using Robin's method, I have had one ejection so far. I used that method again last night and after 12 hours, including sleep mode, have had no ejection issues., but it's still too soon to tell.

I am wondering about what Robin's method (which came from AppleCare support) is really doing. When I disconnect all network connections, WiFI and cable, then move the SystemConfiguration folder to the Desktop and change the computer name in Sharing, it doesn't actually delete the SystemConfiguration folder from the Library. I guess they want you to keep a copy of the folder in case you have to put it back. So all you're really doing is changing the computer name under Sharing with the network disconnected, rebooting, and turning back on the WiFi or cable. It does change some of the plist files in the SystemConfiguration folder, but that's about it. Maybe my reverting back to the original name of the computer is why it failed the first time.

At this point it seems that there may be various causes for the ejection issue--cables, OS configuration, having migrated from an old computer and/or OS, etc.

Hi Everyone,

I'm a user from Hong Kong. Here's my case of "Disk Not Ejected Properly". I'm using an iMac 27" Late 2013 ver. (Processor 3.5 GHz Intel Core i7; Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4096 MB; OS X 10.9.4 (13E28)) which I purchase in mid-FEB 2014. The DNEP issue occurred every 7 days with my WD My Book Studio II 2TB (and I use a WD My Book Studio II 4TB as Time Machine which is fine without DNEP issue), and every time I will use the Command+Option+P+R to reboot the iMac, which will help last another week.

I've once went to Apple Store and talk to the staff there, and he asked me to switch the USB plug with different device, if the DNEP issue occur with another device, then it's the USB port of the iMac has issue instead of the USB Drive itself. So I tried his method on the same night, then once I switched the USB plug of the WD 2tB with WD 4TB, the WD 4TB (Time Machine) shown DNEP immediately. The next day I called AppleCare and they suggested me to buy AppleCare plan for repair. I did it and they called a 3rd-party computer repair company called "Senco-Masslink Technology LTD" in HK to change a new Logic Board on 7th AUG (which is the whole motherboard inside the iMac) and the technician said it should be fine now.

So, the next few days passed without any DNEP until 13th AUG (only 6 days after replace the new Logic Board), I turned on the iMac in the morning when I started to work. Both WD My Book Studio II 2TB and WD My Book Studio II 4TB (Time Machine) have been DNEP at the same time, which is never seen before. I called AppleCare again and the guy in the hotline told me becoz I didn't "Eject" those USB Drives EVERYTIME when I shut down the iMac (which is nonsense), but I did it, eject all the USB/ Thunderbolt drives every night before I leave. Another 6 days passed, DNEP on both WD again on 19th AUG. Reboot with Command+Option+P+R again, this time only last 2 days until 21st AUG. So I called AppleCare to ask them to check again without changing any Logic Board this time. The AppleCare didn't arrange the technician until I called them every single days, and the tech from "Senco-Masslink Technology LTD" came on 26th AUG around 3pm. He said I put both WD on auto-sleep and I said NO, uncheck all auto-sleep in System Preference already. So, he said download those software/ Smartware from WD.com to solve the problem. I said NO, NO and NO coz last time when I upgrade from Lion > Mountain Lion with my old iMac, I use WD software and I totally lost all data and the WD is 100% dead. But the technician insisted, once we clicked the Configuration on the WD Drive Manager, EVERYTHING inside the WD My Book Studio II 2TB is gone. Luckily we didn't click the WD My Book Studio II 4TB (Time Machine) or else I will hang myself. I asked the guy the uninstalled the WD Drive Manager before he leaves, but he couldn't find a way, just keep looking into my Finder, and find a way in Yahoo and download some unknown firmware for PC!!! I asked him not to touch anything and I unplugged the WD My Book Studio II 4TB (Time Machine) first, and he still couldn't uninstall the WD Drive Manager. He said there's nothing he could do and will find a solution to uninstall the WD Drive Manager for me, just asked me don't use it again (which I told him do not download anything from WD). Once before he left, I uninstalled the WD Drive Manager completely and he asked me how......

So, I started locate the lost data from my WD My Book Studio II 4TB (Time Machine), which is 1.64TB of lost data. I started recover them from 6pm on 26th AUG until 6pm on 27th AUG, totally 24 hours! The Time Machine started back up at 7pm on 27^th AUG and finished all back up on 28^th AUG at 10:25pm…In the meantime, I called AppleCare on 27^th AUG and tell them what just happened with the technician, they referred my case to a department called “Customer Relations Service” or something, and the CS staff, Mr. Cheno Cheung insisted they WILL NOT REPLY my complaint by Email, just phone calls even I requested for Email replied, and he WILL NOT give me a proper answer about the issue caused by the technician. So, the AppleCare called me back on 28^th AUG at 3pm and I told him my Time Machine is still working on that issue. And they replied "Senco-Masslink Technology LTD" claimed it’s not their problem about the WD data loss, it’s the WD problem and it’s my problem, not from iMac. I told the CS staff, Mr. Cheno Cheung, I do not accept their answer. Since they should come to find out the issue of DNEP, they didn’t fix DNEP but destroy all my data which I insisted do not use the WD Drive Manager. If they didn’t come, I do not have to use 48 hours to recover my data and I couldn’t work at all. It’s totally unprofessional and irresponsible to have such an excuse from the professional computer company arranged by AppleCare. They didn’t help or fix the problems but create more problems to customers. And they replied AppleCare is just a middle-man in that case, it’s not their fault to cause my problems. This is how it works in AppleCare in HONG KONG, they really CARE customers feeling. The End.

P.S. DNEP occurred on both WD My Book Studio II 2TB and WD My Book Studio II 4TB (Time Machine) this morning when I turned on my iMac, so I write this.

KarmaCheng's story is a sad and frustrating one, but really only confirms that no one knows and probably no one at Apple cares what this problem is all about.

You can't expect Apple's 3rd party contractors to know or try to figure it out. They just go on the protocols and KB articles from Apple, like robots. It's like going to a car dealer repair before the days of auto computers and asking them to tell you what the problem is. All they could and would do is to replace parts until something fixed it, which is comparable to changing the logic board, USB ports, USB cables, etc. Nothing is going to work until someone at Apple figures out why this widespread and pervasive problem persists across various computer platforms, OS versions, different brands and models of HDs (it's not just the WD drives, because I've had it happen on a LaCie drive with a Samsung HD, although interestingly not my two week old G-Drive 1 TB USB 3.0), various sleep-wake configurations, SMC and PRAM resets, etc., etc.

And the bottom line is that for Apple, Inc., it doesn't matter one bit that the problem exists or that they can't figure out what it is and fix it. Not one Apple computer sale is lost, no customer goes to another brand, and none of the data loss or hassle involved in recovering data affects Apple in any way whatsoever. Business is business, and that's what Apple is all about, as are most large corporations.

So far as the DNEP problem itself is concerned, i suggest, without any evidence to back me up on this, that you leave every box unchecked under the Energy Saver or Power preferences, that if you have critical data on a HD, that you back it up onto two hard drives or into the Cloud, and that as a precaution you manually eject then disconnect every hard drive prior to putting the computer into or letting the computer go into sleep mode. Another solution is simply to shut the computer down when not in use. The shutdown and the boot process are very quick these days, especially if you have an SSD on your computer.

Based upon KarmaCheng's experiences and my own, I would not recommend installing any WD drivers of any kind, ever, and it's also a good idea to get rid of any WD kext files that are getting loaded or that you find under /library/extensions or system/library/extensions. Not all kext files with the letters "wd" in them are Western Digital, so be careful.

Or forget all of the above and buy a G-Drive and/or a Windows computer, and then with the Windows computer and 8.1 you can see why everyone who has an Apple computer doesn't want to go back to Windows, DNEP or not.

Why do you say 'nobody changes brand'? I have a MacBook that I generally love but since the dumbing down of pages and this, and one or two other issues I am not so sure. I bought a tablet last week - its a Sony Android - a couple of years ago I would have been brand loyal but not so sure now.

HI!

I have the same situation, I get the message "The disk was not ejected properly. If possible, always eject a disk before unplugging it or turning it off."

The same thing happens with diferente external HDD connected by thunderbolt! The USB works fine and do not eject at least for know!

I use some times an External HUB, but just for USB 3.0, but it happens more on thunderbolt connection, since it is the most used.

Does anyone know if it Is a faulty port or a computer hardware problem?

My mac is Retina model, 15-inch, Late 2013

Thank you.

David G.

Please read what I wrote in context. "Not one Apple computer sale is lost, no customer goes to another brand, and none of the data loss or hassle involved in recovering data affects Apple in any way whatsoever."

Of course people change brands for issues of functionality, and for major problems that affect them personally. I was saying that Apple, if they have ever looked at this problem at all, probably relegates it to a low level, because this isn't the sort of thing that will affect sales or cause major shifts in buyer loyalty. IOW, they can just ignore it and let a few people be bothered by it without any real consequences to Apple.

Hi!

After I try the trick that iPhabio wrote, i must say that the message did not apear again! It works normally! If I take off the external HDD the message appears, but when the drive is in use, the message do not apear!

Thank You iPhabio

PS.: it's something simple that Apple should correct! it is a simple bug! we will see with 10.10!

Once more, Thank You

David

Unfortunately, iPhavio's fix isn't holding on my system (MacBook ProRetina mid-2012 Mavericks 10.9.5 beta feed).

That method also resets all the Energy Saver settings such that everything is checked. And last night, after deleting the Configuration directory and putting the computer to sleep overnight, I was unable to restart the Mac using the track pad or space bar or even the on-off switch. Finally I held the switch down to turn it off, but it wouldn't restart. So I removed all the drives and external monitor, and restarted the Mac.

Here is my contribution to the "Disk was not ejected properly".

I have a Mac Pro Late 2013 4-Core 3.7 GHz with 16 GB. Running Mavericks 10.9.5

- SSD 512 GB

- External Disks : OWC Thunderbay 4 connected to Thunderbotl port ( 4 Disks)

OWC Helios 2 PCie Expansion Chassis with OWC Accelsior 480 GB SSD and Serial ATA Card

OWC Merury Elite 4 and 3 TB Eternal disks connected to Thunderbolt Port ( FIrewire Adapter)

The problem started with the disks connected to the Helios 2 started to show the "Disks were not ejected properly" randomly but more after wake up from sleep.

Then after the disks in the Thunderbay showed the same behavior.

I tested all recommendations, but the problem persisted.

Final solution ( until now) is:

Go to System Preferences and in Energy Saver (Power) put the following:

- Check Prvent computer from sleeping automatically when display is off

-Uncheck Put Hard disks to sleep when possible.

-Check Wake for network access.

-Uncheck Start up automatically after power failure

-Uncheck Enable Power Nap

2 days a not a single message has appeared.

I hope this help.

Henry Giordanelli

Henry,

On a MacBook Pro the Preferences for Energy Saver are different from what you have on a Mac Pro, unless you really have a MacBook, in which case I don't know why, in Mavericks, there should be a difference..

I don't have these two options:

"Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when display is off" or "Start up automatically after power failure."

But I'll uncheck Put hard disks to sleep when possible and Enable Power nap and leave Wake for Wi-Fi network access checked and see what happens.

hi KenV54,

Yes, you are right the Preferences for Energy Saver are different for a MacBook Pro, but let me know if the changes you are going to do give you a good result.

In my case not a single " Disk was not ejected properly" has appeared, almost 3 days.

This isn't a solution as far as I am concerned. I do not want to keep my Mac from going to Sleep. I just don't want my external drives to keep ejecting on Sleep. My workaround is to just unplug the external drives that eject until I need them. It isn't a great solution either. My MacPro is going to be 6 years old in a few months and it is time to start thinking of buying a new one, but it sounds to me like even the new Macs have this problem. The new Macs force us to use more external hard drives, so it will be even worse. I am holding off on buying a new Mac.

I had the "not ejected properly" message for my external backup disk. Solved by going to Finder, locate disk under "devices"; next to the name of the device is the Eject symbol as on the keyboard. Just click the symbol.