Another Disk Not Ejected Properly Thread - But Different???

[dmunz]

Like many, I've been plagued with these errors since Catalina (using a late 2012 i7 Mac Mini) but something different started happening today.

It's all the same run-up - I'm using a 4GB WD USB drive with Time Machine. I get occasional "92" errors and then the Disk Not Ejected Properly warning.

Today, I started getting the error but the disk is still mounted. The error pops up, I close it but can still fully access the disk.

I have read some thoughts that this is related to available power through the USB. Since I just added a camera, I'm wondering if that is related. I have the four USB ports filled with: the camera, an apple USB keyboard with a wireless mouse plugged into it, an apple superdrive and the WD hard drive.

Do the USB ports aggregate power use? Is there any way to measure the power draw across them?

This is still more of a nuisance than a fatal issue but I am curious.

TIA
DLM

 

[Boyd01]

I turned my 2012 quad i7 Mini into a time machine and file server when I got my 2018 Mini. It runs Catalina 24/7 and since it's headless, I have a 5tb Seagate hard drive plugged into each USB port (20tb total). Two of these are automatically mounted/dismounted nightly for a Carbon Copy backup.

In over 9 months use like this, I have never had any errors from disks not being ejected. Now, my disks all have their own power bricks - how about yours? are they bus powered?

 

[dmunz]

I turned my 2012 quad i7 Mini into a time machine and file server when I got my 2018 Mini. It runs Catalina 24/7 and since it's headless, I have a 5tb Seagate hard drive plugged into each USB port (20tb total). Two of these are automatically mounted/dismounted nightly for a Carbon Copy backup.

In over 9 months use like this, I have never had any errors from disks not being ejected. Now, my disks all have their own power bricks - how about yours? are they bus powered?

Yes, they are bus powered. That's what makes me think there is something to this power issue.

 

[Boyd01]

Perhaps a powered hub would solve it? Or maybe just get a disk that doesn't use USB power? In my experience, my full-size disks are almost twice as fast as my WD Passport drives (that I no longer use).

 

[scgf]

I had this issue and after a some digging found and downloaded a small app called Ejectify. This app allows you to configure devices so that they unmount correctly when the display first sleeps. For some reason macOS leaves it too late for some devices and the device is uncleanly disconnected. Ejectify sorted my issues.

Ejectify - No more "disk not ejected properly" notifications

Ejectify automatically unmounts external volumes when your Mac starts sleeping, and mounts them again after it wakes up.

ejectify.app

 

[Fishrrman]

I'm thinking a powered hub might help, at least to give the drive the power it needs.
Does the drive have any kind of input for a power block?

However... I don't think the Apple SuperDrive works "through" a powered hub, so that would still need to be "directly connected".

Also, having the keyboard and/or mouse "through the hub" might affect your ability to use key commands at bootup...

 

[MacCheetah3]

Is there any way to measure the power draw across them?

You may have already tried, but System Information might be of help.

Within the USB section, click on a device (or a bus). Within the main details (e.g., Product ID, Vendor ID, Manufacturer, Serial Number, etc), there will be:

• Current Available (mA)
• Current Required (mA)
• Extra Operating Current (mA)

Unfortunately, similar to complete S.M.A.R.T. details, it seems some external devices don’t report or otherwise don’t communicate the information in a way macOS understands.

For examples, I have a 1TB NVMe drive in a USB 3.1 gen. 2 to NVMe enclosure.

• Current Available (mA): 900
• Current Required (mA): 896
• Extra Operating Current (mA): 0

There’s also a WD 5400RPM, 128MB Cache, SATA III, 2.5” HDD in an OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini enclosure connected via a single USB cable (no AC power brick). Apparently, the enclosure doesn't support this feature/function because...

• Current Available (mA): 900
• Current Required (mA): 0
• Extra Operating Current (mA): 0

Obviously, that’s not possible. And, yes, the drive is active (not sleeping).

 

[Apple_Robert]

I had this issue and after a some digging found and downloaded a small app called Ejectify. This app allows you to configure devices so that they unmount correctly when the display first sleeps. For some reason macOS normally leaves it too late for some devices and the device is uncleanly disconnected. Ejectify sorted my issues.

Ejectify - No more "disk not ejected properly" notifications

Ejectify automatically unmounts external volumes when your Mac starts sleeping, and mounts them again after it wakes up.

ejectify.app

The app was recently updated to allow for ejecting on demand as well. One click and all your external drives unmount. Works well.