unable to eject external USB drives 16.04

Question

I can't safely eject my MP3 player.
I am getting the error as follows.

Error ejecting /dev/sdb: Command-line `eject "/dev/sdb"' exited with non-zero exit status 1: eject: unable to eject, last error: Invalid argument

help, pls tnx

Solution

Use umount with Force option. if your device is/dev/sdb1, use:(to check usb type lsblk)

sudo umount -f /dev/sdb1

Edit :

 ls /media 

and see if the drive shows there. If it does,

 sudo umount /media/drivename 

Comments

[WinEunuuchs2Unix]

Can you include within your question the command you are using to unmount the mp3 player?

[Boris Hamanov]

Are you sure that you're trying to eject the correct device? If so, did you leave any application open that was using the MP3 player? Can you eject the MP3 player using the eject icon in the left pane of a Nautilus (File Manager) window? Show us the output of df and sudo fdisk -l (lower case L) from the terminal app. Cheers, Al

[Silvija Milovac]

Commands do not work, The error pops up when I try to eject it.

[Silvija Milovac]

I have upgraded today, and the problem kinda disappeared. But I'll check it one more time when I get home. Maybe it is a USB device problem.

[Silvija Milovac]

OK, so here is the thing. Sometimes USB port works, sometimes not. Right now it is not able to detect my USB stick. --- While I was upgrading to 16.04 the box popped out and it said something about usb port, recommend to 'turn it off'. And something about 'turning it on' later in settings or something like that. And I've clicked OK. Now 2 out of 4 usb ports wont even detect devices(exept mouse and cooler). The other 2 work just fine.

[Silvija Milovac]

and as for sony walkman MP3 player, I still cant eject it. Still get the same error as written above. And insted of 'safe to remove' -sometimes! I am getting " Dont unplug, writing data tralalla..."

[minigeek]

May be your mp3 player is running in background.. check the edit

[Silvija Milovac]

umount: /dev/sdb1: not mounted (and it is not running in backgroud)

[minigeek]

Not necessarily sdb1 check what is sdX in lsblk...did u read my edit section in answer

[minigeek]

Ohk.. seems like it it not mounted...is it causing errors if u directly remove them?

[Silvija Milovac]

nope, everything seems fine, but I am worried about the device

[Silvija Milovac]

as for USB stick, does not recignise it