Portable Hard Drive always being used (can't safely disconnect)

[bebop92]

Dear Internet,

After I move files from my C: drive and onto my portable hard drive I then try and disconnect safely by clicking on the USB icon in the icon tray and then clicking the disconnect safely button.

Then nothing happens for about a minute.

Then a window opens saying that my hard drive is still in use by a program and to close that program before I can disconnect safely.

What the hell is using my hard drive? NOTHING. NOTHING is using my hard drive. So I pull out my hard drive and the files are all there and everything is great.

HOWEVER, I am nervous of the day when the files aren't there and the hard drive screws me over.

Thoughts?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[immortalpenguin9]

what if you just connect it...can you then disconnect safely if you don't do anything on the external? if not check through task manager and see if any program could be accessing it. If it is just after you transfer a file also check through task manager and maybe the transfer just messes up and never closes once completed

 

[bebop92]

I can disconnect it safely if I connect and then disconnect without transferring anything. I have checked through task manager and there isn't anything (at least anything that I can see) that could be keeping the hard drive from safely disconnecting.

I have had this hard drive for about a year and this has only been happening since last Wednesday (30/10/2013).