I'm running Norton N360 on Windows 7 32-bit, and it's working great except for one problem: I can no longer use "Safely Remove Hardware" to disconnect the external drive that my backups are stored to. It always says that the device is in use, even if I'm notrunning a backup.
Is there a way to safely disconnect the drive without having to shut the computer down? I suppose I could use the task manager to kill the ghost process that is holding onto the drive, but I don't know what it's doing, and I don't want to risk corrupting my backups.
I am not receiving the Eject options - I have tried going to the - Devices and Printers and attempted and tried to eject via that means and receive the same message that I can not eject it.
I am just wondering if it could be something running in the background. I am not too sure - it is a 1TB one and has all my back ups and Norton N360 backups and restore.
I am very concerned.
If you require any further information as I am very new to computers .
I am also new to screen shots and the new software that a Norton support agent assisted with
Is your external hard drive connecting to the computer using USB 2 or USB3 ? USB3 is much faster and so is desirable but there are some connection problems that involve an INTEL chipset that they are still trying to resolve.
I wonder if you are running into that?
Can you give the make and model indentification of your computer and I can check to see if it's listed by INTEL.
Have you looked in Device Manager to see if anything is flagged there with an X or ! ? WINKEY + Pause takes you to System Information and Device Manager is linked in the left column.
Did you configure your Norton 360 to automatically run backups to your external device? If so, you can either disable the Backup under Quick Controls in Settings or to change Automatic backup to Manual backup.
I'm sorry tht this one is still with you. Hang on for some help since I'm sure it can be solved.
One question I don't see asked is what version of Norton 360 do you have?
Is it Standard (2.5GB of free online storage) or Premier (25GB of free online storage)
What is the version number? Click on Support and hover the mouse over About then you'll see the Version in the format nn.nn.nn.nnn where n is a number from 0 to 9.
This last could relate to where you find the settting that HarryP refers to
<< Did you configure your Norton 360 to automatically run backups to your external device? If so, you can either disable the Backup under Quick Controls in Settings or to change Automatic backup to Manual backup. >>
in his message above.
I don't have Norton 360 installed myself -- I use NIS and its settings are different and of course does not have the backup utility.
Clearly you are on the current version so hang on for some help on the route HaryP suggesteed -- he's a Norton Staffer (names in red) and has access to people and information we users do not.
Looking at your image with the Version, in the background on the UI is Settings so click on that and work your way around, especially anything that mentions backup and see if you can find either of the controls for what what he refers to.
You could also right mouse click on the Norton icon in the System Tray, bottom right of screen, and see if the popup menu has any references to backup -- on NIS it enables one to temporarily suspend auto protect and/or the firewall which can be useful. I suspend the autoprotect sometimes if I'm making a drive image or when running CCleaner when deleting temp files etc in order to speed up the analysis by not having Norton verify every access of files I'm planning to delete.
So there just might be something like that on N 360 but dealing with backing up?
Is it possible you can connect another hard drive or even a thumb (flash) drive to confirm its Norton and not the hard drive? I have had an experance with a Seagate drive that just kept pulsing which suggests its trying to do something or can’t finish something although it wasn’t used as an external drive it was internal and had an operating system on it.
Do you mean to right click on the settings on the System Tray as you call it and disable one of the settings?
I also have included the settings that I have - without compromising any personal details.
I recently had to contact support and saw that I had an old version of software and the agent had to remove all my backups - including the ones on my external hard drive.
It is tough, these days you need a back up of a back up. My challenge is trying to dismount my external hard drive and I have been told numerous times that it is a Norton issue. Hard to diagnose remotely.
I appreciate also you attending to my issue. I have been googling - but do not not wish to disrupt the Antivirus software and operation that it does.
If you require any further information, please let e know
If the disconnect problem is only happing with the Seagate drive then its not Norton. Can you return it for a refund or replacement but before you do this you need to wipe the drive with software as just deleting it will still leave the information that can be read. Let me know if you need a link to this software. Have you tried connecting the Seagate drive to another computer to see if it has a similar problem?
I have done the Unable to disconnect and trying to remove the hardware safely.
I have waited - I then come back.
I have a lot of information 938GB on my 1TB External Hard Drive. I will just give up. I get told by Microsoft that is Seagate, Seagate say that it is a Norton issue as per this link they sent me http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/205071en.
I am only a beginner, I will just give up and let it be. I can not wipe the drive, just will be stuck with the issue, no switch or anything, just a plugged version.
Yes I had in mind to right mouse click on the square yellow Norton Icon with a check mark or an X on it according to status and I get the list of actions like you show except I do not get the reference to Backup Now ....
I'd like you wait on for one of the Norton Staff (names in red like HarryP) to come in on this. I have asked for help in our link to Norton Staff since they know how the program is supposed to work and often can correct malfunctions in ways we and even online support staff may not know.
Empirically I can think of two things you could try that should not do any harm:
1 -- On that popup list from the right mouse click, click on the Silent Mode and set it to say 15 minutes then close see if the Safely remove function works. SIlent Mode is supposed to shut down background actions and this might enable the Safely remove. If it does not work then you might as well repeat the right mouse click and return the Silent mode to as before.
2 -- Shut down the computer in the normal way making sure it is fully shut down and not in sleep or hibernate mode and then unplug the USB cable to the external hard drive from the computer and power up the computer again. Check in the Windows Explorer (the file manager) that it is not showing.
If it no longer shows then plug the hard drive cable in again and let Windows find the drive again. After it has been found then see if the Safely remove function works again.
Those are just a couple of thoughts about what might clear something that is stuck -- brought on by my cellphone continually telling me I had voice mail but the voice mail telling me I had no messages ...... leaving a voice mail and then deleting it cleared the phantom message ..... <s>
But hopefully HarryP will get back and point to the Backup Setting he wants you to try since I don't know N360 well enough.
PS -- You indicate that "it happens with all my drives" -- how many external hard drives have you plugged in at any one time? If more than one then what I indicate above as possible "tricks" means removing all of them when powered down. Are the drives USB 2 or USB 3 -- if you do no know please give the model identification since Seagate make all sorts of external drives.
PPS Is your computer a desktop or a laptop -- if a laptop can you give the make and complete model identification so I can look it up and see if there are any known faults -- USB ports often do seem to give trouple on laptops.
I’ve read the thread and its not easy for a beginner plus using one software to counteract another may work until an update is released and then it may not work, I really don’t know as I put in some of my posts I’m not a techie.
I don’t use backup software as I like doing things manually so that may be an option that just needs a number increase on the file or folder every time you copy and paste to the disc, keep increasing the number until the disc is nearly full then delete all the lower numbers, if you just keep deleting and writing it can wear out that part of the disc.
You could try another type of backup software instead of Norton. This would then prove whether its Norton or windows as it doesn’t sound like it’s the hard drive unless they both have the same problem. If you’d like to try another backup software don’t download from cnet as there’s a lot of garbage bundled in the download, surfing cnet is ok though. A good place to start looking is filehippo on the link below. Also when you choose software it’s a good idea to copy and paste it into a browser and add the word, problems, to research it.
