Windows 2000 disable "Unsafe Removal" message fix

[erpdude8]

I've decided to take matters into my own hands and attempt to eliminate the annoying "unsafe removal" dialog warnings in Windows 2000.

And this is a follow up on a very old topic several years ago of a few win2k users who asked how to disable the unsafe removal message in Win2000:

Get the modified hotplug.dll patch from this page (it's version 5.0.2195.6610 - file name hotplg2k-enus.zip):

http://www.datafilehost.com/download-55e845f6.html

With the modded hotplug.dll file installed, connect any usb mass storage device to any available usb port and then later remove it without using the Safely Remove Hardware icon. voila! no more "unsafe removal" message on win2k. the behavior should be more like XP, Vista, 7, etc. when disconnecting usb devices.

This patch is specifically for those Win2000 users who are sick & tired of seeing that annoying "unsafe removal" message when disconnecting usb devices, so it may or may not be for every Win2k user out there.

I'll send an updated version of this hotplug.dll fix to MDGx and he'll post it up on his web site when he's not busy.

EDIT: new link to the zip file which includes an executable sfxcab package with revised INF file

UPDATE: See my latest post on a 4-language download that is for US English, Spanish, Japanese & Korean

Edited October 12, 2012 by erpdude8

[tomasz86]

The idea is good but is it 100% safe?

I've had my data corrupted several times when I disconnected a USB HDD without using the safe removal option.

[blackwingcat]

The reason which Windows XP doesn't show safe removal option is Windows XP use Write cache off with removable media.

Windows 2000 use Write cache on !

It is very dangerous !!!

In other hand Can we use write cache off option ?

The idea is good but is it 100% safe?

I've had my data corrupted several times when I disconnected a USB HDD without using the safe removal option.

[erpdude8]

I can turn off "write cache" with a registry entry for Win2000 for certain USB flash drives while leaving it on for USB hard drives and IDE based hard drives.

Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe), locate your USB flash drives ID in the "USBSTOR" registry key [for example I'm using a Sony Microvault USB pen drive

and it's registry key is the following:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR\Disk&Ven_Sony&Prod_Storage_Media&Rev_0100\5A08060560539&0\Device Parameters]

from the Device Parameters key, I create another "Key" called "Disk". Now I have the following registry key:

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR\Disk&Ven_Sony&Prod_Storage_Media&Rev_0100\5A08060560539&0\Device Parameters\Disk"

From the Disk registry key, I create a registry entry called "UserWriteCacheSetting" as a DWORD type. I set that to 0 to disable write caching (the value of 1 will enable it).

I created this unofficial Win2000 patch so that I can get the behavior that is found in Win98se's NUSB (Native USB drivers) addon where the "Unsafe Removal" message won't show up after disconnecting USB drives.

I have a newer hotplug.dll patch here on my web site. that one also updates explorer.exe & stobject.dll files to support 256 hi-color tray icons and the Safe Removal tray icon is like the one from XP. newer hotplug.dll patch from my web site is 5.0.2195.6611.

I also created similar patches for Win98se and WinME here. It's time to really use Win2000 like it's 2012 and not last decade.

the win2000 patches are relatively safe to use, tomasz86. I had time to test them myself on a Win2000 SP4 machine. you can still use the Safe Removal icon to disconnect your USB hard drive if you like, even with my hotplug.dll patch installed.

Edited July 27, 2012 by erpdude8

[erpdude8]

The reason which Windows XP doesn't show safe removal option is Windows XP use Write cache off with removable media.

Windows 2000 use Write cache on !

It is very dangerous !!!

but write cache in Win2k can be disabled with the "UserWriteCacheSetting" registry entry set to 0.

I have UserWriteCacheSetting enabled for the primary IDE hard drive (a western digital 30gb HD) but disabled for my USB card reader and Sony Microvault USB Flash drive.

MS KB article 326919 shows how to turn off write caching on a usb 2.0 hard drive.

however instead of using the following registry key:

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\IDE\HardDiskDrive\SerialNumber\Device Parameters\Disk"

use this one instead for USB storage drives:

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR\USBDiskDrive\SerialNumber\Device Parameters\Disk"

as in my last post, from the Device Parameters key, create a key called Disk, and then from "Disk", create a registry entry called UserWriteCacheSetting as a DWORD type and set its value to 0.

Edited July 28, 2012 by erpdude8

[blackwingcat]

I try to set registry.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\IDE\HardDiskDrive\SerialNumber\Device Parameters\Disk

UserWriteCacheSetting works fine.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR\USBDiskDrive\SerialNumber\Device Parameters\Disk

But UserWriteCacheSetting has no effect.

I tested the following way.

* I Plug USB Memory.

* Copy files to USB

* I eject it.

* I Reconect it.

* I check the files.

The reason which Windows XP doesn't show safe removal option is Windows XP use Write cache off with removable media.

Windows 2000 use Write cache on !

It is very dangerous !!!

but write cache in Win2k can be disabled with the "UserWriteCacheSetting" registry entry set to 0.

I have UserWriteCacheSetting enabled for the primary IDE hard drive (a western digital 30gb HD) but disabled for my USB card reader and Sony Microvault USB Flash drive.

MS KB article 326919 shows how to turn off write caching on a usb 2.0 hard drive.

however instead of using the following registry key:

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\IDE\HardDiskDrive\SerialNumber\Device Parameters\Disk"

use this one instead for USB storage drives:

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR\USBDiskDrive\SerialNumber\Device Parameters\Disk"

as in my last post, from the Device Parameters key, create a key called Disk, and then from "Disk", create a registry entry called UserWriteCacheSetting as a DWORD type and set its value to 0.

Edited August 2, 2012 by blackwingcat

[erpdude8]

i'm sorry for not posting the updated fix sooner. i've been dealing with

some health problems for the past few days such as an upset stomach (yup, i needed

some Pepto-Bismol to alleviate that problem, hee hee!)

but i'm feeling a little better lately.

see first post on this topic for the new download link which now is an sfxcab

package.

[blackwingcat]

The hotfix seems only remove alart dialog.

Can it make USB write cache off ?

see first post on this topic for the new download link which now is an sfxcab

package.

Edited August 8, 2012 by blackwingcat

[erpdude8]

Link to the hotplug.dll fix for Win2000 for US English, Spanish, Japanese & Korean languages:

http://www.datafilehost.com/download-4376079c.html

the japanese & korean patches may need some improvement in the translations.