'Safely Remove Hardware' acts prematurely

[Guest]

Whenever I click on "Safely Remove Hardware" intending to select & remove a
USB mass storage device, the system instantly shuts down my USB Broadband
internet connection. No warning, request for confirmation or anything. The
USB broadband modem is still listed and the link can be restarted without
problem, but it is VERY annoying. Any ideas?
System - Windows XP HE, fully updated, 512Mb RAM, unstressed.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

You should be using an Ethernet connection for your broadband modem.

 

[Guest]

My internet provider (UK) supplied the modem free, with USB connection. It
is working fine, at 2Mbit/sec, and is the normal method of connection for UK
home users.

Why should it disconnect simply because I click on the Safely Remove
Hardware icon?

 

[Guest]

Sound like it's doing what it is supposed to do. Disable device so it can be
removed.
make sure you select correct device to remove.

if you double click on safe removal, it should open up and show all usb
device. then select your usb mass storage device.

 

[Guest]

My point is - it disconnects the USB modem BEFORE I select a device. All I
do is click ONCE on the icon and it then displays a list of removable devices
for me, including memory stick, camera card reader and USB modem - but it has
already disconnected me from broadband. I don't even get as far as selecting
a device to remove. This is surely NOT the designed procedure (even allowing
for Microsoft's eccentricities)?

All I want to do is safely remove my memory stick after downloading some
data on to it, but I get thrown off the internet. I'm inclined to use the
'eject' option for the memory stick in Windows explorer to force it to empty
any buffers and then just unplug the stick, but this is not the correct
procedure.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

I can't comment on ISPs in the UK since I live in the U.S. Here we are
encouraged not to use USB for a broadband connection but to use ethernet
instead. Perhaps the technology is different in the U.K.

In any case, ethernet would solve your problem, would it not? And it's so
easy to do.

 

[Guest]

That's all I an see too. eject. workaround.
obviously, safe removal disconnects or puts device in disconnect state for
all usb devices once initiated by clicking.

Does right clicking vs dbl click icon (safe Removal), achieve different
outcome.
I only have one usb device. so i can't test. otherwise comments same as above

 

[Guest]

Not sure if the problem is serious enough to spend cash on new kit. However,
I am looking at possibly linking several machines into my broadband link so
I'll need a router anyway - I'll include ethernet in the options now.

 

[Guest]

Brilliant! Spot on!

Right click on the icon, then clicking "Safely Remove Hardware" (the only
option!) seems slightly cumbersome but works just fine. Not sure why the
h*ll a normal double-click on the icon changes the state of broadband - it
may well force buffer-clearing on the stick an camera card as well, but I
can't tell. Anyway, thanks for your help.

 

[Guest]

Even more weird... after I right-clicked the icon, double-clicking now
brings up the same window as right-clicking, and broadband stays connected
whichever way I go in!!! This hold true even after a reboot. I can't even
reproduce the original problem now!

What I got before when I double-clicked was a small selection box that just
listed my USB devices - and it seems that it had already prepared them all
for removal even though it wanted me to select one. What I get now is the
full "Safely Remove Hardware" window, with 'properties' option etc., so it
seems that right-clicking has forced a permanent change (for the better).

No wonder Windows causes so much head scratching.

 

[Guest]

Please ignore last post. Weird behaviour has now gone - after the machine
crashed totally when I treid to disconnect broadband. Something had become
screwed up and has now cleared after the crash. So the "Safely Remove
Hardware" icon behaviour is:

right click - brings up a single item option - click it for the full menu
double left click - brings up full menu
single left click - brings up a device selection list AND disconnects
broadband (and maybe prepares the other devices for disconnect)

Thanks for helping to sort this. End.

 

[Guest]

That's exactly the way mine behaves.
So, I think you imply that yours is working OK.

Not sure that I helped you or machine just decided to work on its own.