Windows 10: Forced restore Windows image after not properly ejecting drives

I need to restore Windows after not properly ejecting external USB drives before shutting down.

Have had this issue a few times in the past already:before shutting down Windows 10, it is obvious that one needs to properly 'eject external drives' by rightclicking taskbar external drive button.

However, one may be in hurry or for whatever other reason simply forget to do so.
Windows is then powered down with 'connected' external drives.
This sometimes leads to the situation that Windows hangs at the 'Welcome' screen.

Rebooting 4, 5 times and waiting for minutes to see what will happen, all without success.
Also rebooting with connected drives fails.

In the end there is no alternative but to restore the latest image and the rest that comes with it, like updating Windows and installing recent software. Quite frustrating.

Against my expectation, it seems that Windows itself, whilst shutting down, does not perform a proper eject-task. Neither warns me to take action before proceeding: after all, it detects the shut down is started and it detects running external drives.

Question:Whilst admitting that I paid attention to properly ejecting the drives (and confessing that it is my error only), I wonder whether there is any solution for this issue.

Thanks.

:)

 

How to force-eject an external drive?


USB Safely Remove usually lists programs stopping the ejection (image in URL below). In some cases these are windows processes, and occasionally forced eject does not work.

I can't tell you what the problem is, I'm afraid.
Make sure no file explorer windows are open accessing the device; could be some buffering.

USB Safely Remove Features
but it doesn't seem to cover that.

I think you know about Quick Remove
Quickly remove USB devices without using Safe Removal - CNET

There is this option:

 

Unable to use System restore from a windows 10 image on Windows 7 with error: "windows cannot find a system image-the usb drive is not visible"

Please help me restore windows 10

 

Restoring Windows 10 Image using Macrium Reflect


In addition to the above. Here's my suggestion in step by step.
I assume you have Macrium Installed in your current HD and already made a backup copy.

1. Connect your new HD via USB port and boot up.
2. Run Macrium, click on Restore tab then select the Backup Image that you made to restore
3. click on "select a different target disk" then select your new HD as destination
   
   
   
4. Proceed to restore then Shutdown and disconnect the old HD and replace with the new HD
5. Boot up with your new HD.