*SOLVED* Still can't unmount external USB drives, 17.3

[Arch_Enemy]

Whenever I try to unmount a USB drive (not thumbdrive) it says "Safley Remove Drive". I click on this, the drive appears to unmount, and then it spins back up and voila, it's back again.
I have been pulling the power plug while it is supposedly unmounted, but I am afraid of losing my photos doing this. It always wants to remount itself.
I have also gone into the "Disks" utility, highlighted the drive and then clicked the Power Off button that appears, but it still does the same thing.
It happens with both drives I store photos on.
I have another USB powered drive I keep music on, and when I click on it it successfully unmounts and powers down. It's only on the externally powered drives this happens.
This ONLY happens with Linux Mint 17.3. Mint 17.1, PCLinuxOS and Arch all power the drive off for safe removal.

Any ideas?

[ClixTrix]

If you check properties of the device, does it show as /media or /mnt for location? Look in Nemo and right click on the device under Devices to get that info. If the device has multiple partitions that mount, check them all.

Was the drive in question ever internally installed to SATA and partitioned and mounted before moving to external USB?

Also, is it a USB 2.0 or 3.0 and are you using it in USB 2.0 or 3.0 port?

I have an ICYDOCK that can connect either eSATA (where I typically use it) or USB 3.0. Seems like I recall a problem similar to yours in Mint using the dock as USB 3.0, but not sure if it was because I removed and replace a drive from SATA and wanted to clone it back or the opposite. It's been too long, so trying to remember. Anyway, I'm thinking it mounted /mnt instead of /media, and that cause me the problem you're having or something similar. It's due to the "history" of the drive, which is stored in /etc/fstab.

[Arch_Enemy]

If you check properties of the device, does it show as /media or /mnt for location? Look in Nemo and right click on the device under Devices to get that info. If the device has multiple partitions that mount, check them all.

Was the drive in question ever internally installed to SATA and partitioned and mounted before moving to external USB?

Also, is it a USB 2.0 or 3.0 and are you using it in USB 2.0 or 3.0 port?

I have an ICYDOCK that can connect either eSATA (where I typically use it) or USB 3.0. Seems like I recall a problem similar to yours in Mint using the dock as USB 3.0, but not sure if it was because I removed and replace a drive from SATA and wanted to clone it back or the opposite. It's been too long, so trying to remember. Anyway, I'm thinking it mounted /mnt instead of /media, and that cause me the problem you're having or something similar. It's due to the "history" of the drive, which is stored in /etc/fstab.

I think I checked fstab before and there is no history for the device.

The funny thing is, it is only in Mint starting at 17.3. I've tried 18, 18.2 and 18.3 and they all have the same issue. It works fine in PCLinuxOS, Arch and Mint before 17.2
The only thing I can think is there is one package I like to have installed, and when I install it it removes about 7 other packages. It may be one of those packages that was removed that is causing the issue. But, I can't remember the package, and I can't remember what it removes.

Now, the riddle here is, I install that package on ALL my Linux installations. I just can't remember which one it is...

I'll have to try it out on a USB 2 port, because I think it dismounts OK on USB 2. I haven't tried that with Mint 17.3 yet.

[ClixTrix]

The only thing I can think is there is one package I like to have installed, and when I install it it removes about 7 other packages. It may be one of those packages that was removed that is causing the issue. But, I can't remember the package, and I can't remember what it removes.

That almost begs for a clean install of 17.3 test to see if the package causes some conflict. However, have you tried booting from Mint 17.3 LiveCD/Flash to see if it occurs? That wouldn't have all the service updates, but it also wouldn't have whatever package might be the cause.

[Arch_Enemy]

The only thing I can think is there is one package I like to have installed, and when I install it it removes about 7 other packages. It may be one of those packages that was removed that is causing the issue. But, I can't remember the package, and I can't remember what it removes.

That almost begs for a clean install of 17.3 test to see if the package causes some conflict. However, have you tried booting from Mint 17.3 LiveCD/Flash to see if it occurs? That wouldn't have all the service updates, but it also wouldn't have whatever package might be the cause.

I have one USB image of 17.3 (custom) that allows unmounting external devices no problem. I made a new image from a fresh install of 17.3 and no joy. Still powers devices off and immediately powers them back on. I then tried installing some USB utilities and still no luck...

I'll have to try it right from the installation USB and see what happens.

[thx-1138]

Still powers devices off and immediately powers them back on. I then tried installing some USB utilities and still no luck...

...maybe you're hit by this? You said LM 17.3, but what kernel version do you use?
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... bug/792085
I had this annoyance with LM18's default kernel 4.4.0-21...external drives connected to usb 3.0 ports would constantly auto-remount few secs after manually unmounting...it took Canonical ages to fix this as you can see above...

[Arch_Enemy]

Still powers devices off and immediately powers them back on. I then tried installing some USB utilities and still no luck...

...maybe you're hit by this? You said LM 17.3, but what kernel version do you use?
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... bug/792085
I had this annoyance with LM18's default kernel 4.4.0-21...external drives connected to usb 3.0 ports would constantly auto-remount few secs after manually unmounting...it took Canonical ages to fix this as you can see above...

*DING!* The man wins a cigar! I was going to revisit this thread tonight to post success...

I finally said, hmmm...wonder if it could be a kernel problem. All the ones that exhibited it were running the stock 3.19 kernel Mint/Ubuntu load as a default. I did a uname -r on the one that worked and it was 4.4.X-103. Upgraded the kernel to the highest version with low-latency et voila! "Safely Remove Drive" now both unmounts and powers off external devices, no problem!

Kernel is now 4.4.0-103-low-latency.

[thx-1138]

*DING!* The man wins a cigar! I was going to revisit this thread tonight to post success...

[Arch_Enemy]

*DING!* The man wins a cigar! I was going to revisit this thread tonight to post success...

So, where were you 4-5 months ago?!?!

BTW, that stuff will kill you! Should have given you one of these...