Total Commander

Unfortunately this query-remove is only sent when a program ha opened a FILE on the stick - TC has not.

In the example given by MSDN it is clearly stated that it doesn't have to be a file.

Quoting the relevant paragraph:

...an application maintains an open handle, hFile, to the file or device represented by FileName. The application registers for device event notification on the underlying device by calling the RegisterDeviceNotification function...

I didn't find out what it means with handle to device. A FindFirstFile handle? A handle to the device driver?

Probably it means something similar, like in the old DOS times you could open LPT1: or COM1: and write to it as if it were a file

Edit: The following URL might be useful: http://www.ownthebox.net/papers/windows/usb-detection.pdf

Actually, sometimes it works well, and the pane changes automatically from drive E: to drive C:
Though I couldn't find out under which circumstances, I'm positive I've seen this happen dozens of times.

[EDIT]
OK, I just found that unchecking the refresh feature, it's enough to just press TAB for it to work.

The active pane seems more like an internal TC handling. Why TC reports different to windows depending on which is the active pane?.
Christian, having this info, do you think something can be done?.
[/EDIT]

[EDIT2]
For the TAB trick to work, you must restart TC after turning OFF the refresh feature.
[/EDIT2]