I can't unmount any volume

Question

I can't unmount any volume

I have recently been having problems unmounting any disk (iPod, Razr, even virtual volumes created by disk images), plugged into my system (10.3.9). I always get a message that the volume is in use, even when I know it isn't. The only way to unmount the volume is to restart the system or shut it down completely and restart.

I've seen similar problems in the forum but none of the advice applies to my specific problem. Any suggestions?

dual 800Mhz G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9) 1.2G RAM, 200G hard drive

dual 800Mhz G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9) 1.2G RAM, 200G hard drive

Posted on Dec 31, 2006 11:20 AM

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Answer 1

roam

Level 6

13,631 points

Jan 1, 2007 4:18 AM in response to michaelgilmore

The problem why the OS thinks any mounted volume is in use is a mystery.

To avoid restarting try using terminal to unmount the Volume using the hdiutil utility

hdiutil unmount theVolumename

checkout the manpage for this utility with
man hdiutul

regards
roam

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Answer 2

Jan 2, 2007 12:01 PM in response to roam

roam,

no luck. If I use unmount Michael Gilmores iPod, I get back the message hdiutil: unmount: Only a single file can be specified.

If I use eject Michael Gilmores iPod, I get back the message
hdiutil: detach: only a single device name can be specified.

If I use hdiutil eject MichaelGilmoresiPod, I get back the message
hdiutil: eject failed - No such file or directory

If I use detach detach Michael Gilmores iPod I get back the message
hdiutil: detach: only a single device name can be specified.

If I use hdiutil detach MichaelGilmoresiPod, I get back the message
hdiutil: detach failed - No such file or directory

If I use hdiutil unmount michaelgilmoresipod I get back the message
hdiutil: unmount: unable to find /dev/disk entry corresponding to mount point "/Users/michaelg/michaelgilmoresipod"

Now, this is my first foray into Terminal and Unix so maybe I am missing some crucial bit of info or not using the correct volume name for the iPod. But that is the only name I see, either in iTunes or in the info box for the iPod.

dual 800Mhz G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9) 1.2G RAM, 200G hard drive

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Answer 3

roam

Level 6

13,631 points

Jan 2, 2007 2:21 PM in response to michaelgilmore

Not familiar with terminal. I'll step you through it.
In terminal change your location from your user folder to the very beginning of the system file hierarchy, which is called root. Enter the following commands ( explanations in paranthesis)

cd / (there is a space between cd and stroke)
ls (is list the contents of root) See Volumes? Change to it with...

cd Volumes
ls (you will see your hard drive listed and any mounted volumes.)

hdiutil unmount theVolumename (exactly as its name appears listed in terminal)

and then you should see something like
"disk2s2" unmounted successfully (ie. if it unmounted)

regards roam

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Answer 4

Jan 2, 2007 3:02 PM in response to michaelgilmore

You need to use the lsof command in Terminal to find the open files and what processes have them open. Micromat has some instructions:

how to use the lsof command

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Answer 5

Jan 15, 2007 12:05 PM in response to roam

OK, finally got to try this and no luck still. Now here is the message I get:

[Michael-Gilmores-Computer:/Volumes] michaelg% ls
Macintosh HD Movies
Michael Gilmore???s iPod
[Michael-Gilmores-Computer:/Volumes] michaelg% hdiutil unmount Michael Gilmore???s iPod
tcsh: hdiutil: No match.
[Michael-Gilmores-Computer:/Volumes] michaelg% hdiutil unmount Michael Gilmores iPod
hdiutil: unmount: Only a single file can be specified.
Usage: hdiutil unmount [options] <mountpoint
hdiutil unmount -help

(So at this point I get the name listed in the system profile application and try that.)

[Michael-Gilmores-Computer:/Volumes] michaelg% hdiutil unmount Michael Gilmore's iPod
tcsh: Unmatched '.

Does the fact that three questions marks appear in the name lend itself to a clue?

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Answer 6

Jan 15, 2007 12:06 PM in response to Charles E. Flynn

Tried that and got no response.

MDG

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Answer 7

roam

Level 6

13,631 points

Jan 15, 2007 4:22 PM in response to michaelgilmore

Hi Michael
There is a quirk with the way Unix deals with spaces between words in filenames and this is tripping you up.

you get
[Michael-Gilmores-Computer:/Volumes] michaelg% ls
Macintosh HD Movies
Michael Gilmore???s iPod

so you do
hdiutil unmount Michael\ Gilmore???s\ iPod

that is, where there is a space between words in a filename unix will only read it if you put a \ then a space then the next word,
so after the l in Michael type a \ ,after that type a space, after that type a G.
and do the same pattern to handle the space between Gilmore???s and iPod.

Oh and if it shows the 3 question marks keep them in the listed name as they appear.
Your incorrect usage has Unix thinking you are talking about something it can't see, or that you are talking about threee files not just the one.

So now try to unmount it with hdiutil using the correct usage.

regards roam

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Answer 8

Jan 15, 2007 7:40 PM in response to roam

Hello Roam,

we must be getting closer. Now I get this error message:

[Michael-Gilmores-Computer:/volumes] michaelg% hdiutil unmount Michael\ Gilmore???s\ iPod
hdiutil: unmount: "disk2s3" failed to unmount due to error 16 (dissenter -1).
[Michael-Gilmores-Computer:/volumes] michaelg%

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Answer 9

Jan 15, 2007 7:42 PM in response to Charles E. Flynn

Sorry Charles, wrote back before I could experiment some more. I did get lsof to work, but can't quite tell which process or application is the hangup. There are pages of items returned by lsof.

MDG

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Answer 10

roam

Level 6

13,631 points

Jan 15, 2007 10:28 PM in response to michaelgilmore

Hi Michael,
Ok so you've run hdiutil and found and error. You are not one to rush things.
Following Charle's suggestion on the micromat page shall prove more diagostic.
You say you typed lsof and got pages of output. But did you point it at the Volume under question? Here is the relevant extract from the micromat page.

sudo lsof | grep

Leave a space after the p, then drag the icon of the mounted volume to the Terminal window. The pathname for the volume is pasted in for you; press Return. Then enter your administrative password at the prompt, and press Return.

Do that and see what it says.

regards roam

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Answer 11

Feb 1, 2007 5:32 PM in response to roam

Well, i am not rushing because I am active in community theatre and my most recent show opened last week. I'm just too dang tired to do much of anything else.

But, I did follow Charles/Micromat's suggestion and got this:

[Michael-Gilmores-Computer:~] michaelg% sudo lsof | grep /Volumes/Michael\ Gilmore\342\200\231s\ iPod
Password:
[Michael-Gilmores-Computer:~] michaelg%

In other words, nothing was returned - even when I tried it with iTunes still open.

MDG

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Answer 12

roam

Level 6

13,631 points

Feb 1, 2007 5:57 PM in response to michaelgilmore

Hi Michael
Good luck with your new show. Being active in community theatre would certainly be more enriching to the soul than puzzling over a computer screen.
Thanks for telling me this is a low priority for you.

So, what I'd do would be, with iTunes closed and the iPod stubbornly mounted, in the Terminal type:

sudo lsof | grep /Volumes/Michael\ Gilmore???s\ iPod

and see what that says.

regards roam

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Answer 13

Feb 13, 2007 7:17 PM in response to michaelgilmore

Roam, when I left out the pipe ( | ) in the command I finally got a response that made sense. I am using the .Mac version of VirexReporter (which has been acting flaky lately) and discovered that it is the cause of the failure to unmount the iPod. Now I just need to kill the process from Terminal and I should be OK. And then disable Virex until I can figure out what is happening there.

Thanks to you and Charles both.

MDG

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