Windows 10: question about shuting down and or safely remove ext usb hard drives

general question is when shutting down the screen show what ever app is preventing shut down (why can't windows just spell out write there what app is hanging)

same goes for safely removing external USB hard drives (something is still active WHAT IS STILL ACTIVE) wish they (MS) would just spell it out.

DME

:)

 

External hard drive

I've had success doing this - have computer turned off. Plug in external hard drive to USB port. Then plug ext hard drive to electric power. Then power up computer. On 'My PC' screen ext hard drive is shown. I can forward info to it by selecting info,
R click - from menu that comes 'send to' - ext hard drive's name. Info goes to hard drive, even indicates if there is duplicates & gives you option to ignore it, etc. I can also from 'My PC' screen, click on external hard drive and observe, edit , etc info
on it. When I am done, I do not use the option to 'safely remove device'. Instead I turn computer off, wait until I am sure both computer and external hard drive are off, then I'll disconnect external drive from USB port, then from electric power. Doing
it this way I have success with my Seagate and WD My Book external hard drives. Trish

 

Safely remove USB and SD drives

Thank you for the speedy reply. I do not have stacked carets--only one. Customizing icons is no longer available to me (I have just discovered). There is nothing to show that I have inserted a USB drive. What now please?

 

The OS does in Task Manager and also in Resource Manager. It has been that way since the days of XP, that those two choices are there for this kind of reason.