DirectNET

Data Center Management Solutions including UPS Systems, Data Center Cooling, KVM over IP & IP Power Strips, Server Racks and Server Rack accessories; KVM Switches and KVM Extenders; Rackmount Monitors and Rackmount Keyboards.


NAVIGATION
Home
Store
INSIDE MAC
Television Shows
Broadcast Shows
Daily News Shows
Special Shows
EVENTS
DAILY TIPS
Design
Mac OS X
Mac OS X UNIX
COMMUNITY
Forums
Surveys
NEWS
Current
Press
Archive
FEATURES
Editorial
Dr. Mac
Reviews
Reader Reports
RESOURCES
FAQ
Documentation
Learning Center
MAN pages
Glossary
Tutorials
Tips
Links

OUR PARTNERS

Reader Reports 

How To Eject A Stuck Disk WITHOUT Using Open Firmware

I read with stunned disbelief the apple knowledge base article suggesting that you reboot(!) and use open firmware(!) to eject an un-ejectable CD or Firewire drive. This is a bit like cracking a peanut with an hydraulic press. How about just doing this from the terminal:

  • fstat | grep Diskname.......................(to see if any files are open)
  • df...............................................(to get the /dev name of the drive)
  • hdiutil eject -force /dev/drivename...(where you got drivename from df)

This works fine for me and has never, to my knowledge caused any troubles with the Firewire drive that I use. The OSX Finder just seems to have trouble knowing when a drive is/isn't "in use". If you use fstat to first verify that the disk is not in use, then I don't see how this can harm the drive or cause data loss.

Chuck Bouldin

Copyright © 2000-2009 Inside Mac Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of the products or services. All understandings, agreements, or warranties, if any, take place directly between the vendors and prospective users.
Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, PowerMac G4, PowerMac G5, Xserve, Xserve RAID, PowerBook, iBook, Airport, AirPort Extreme, iMac, eMac, iLife, iMovie, iCal, iPhoto, iTunes, QuickTime, FireWire, iPod, iSight, AppleWorks, Macintosh, Jaguar, Panther, Mac OS, Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.