Can't unmount my internal backup disk to reformat it

This mac is at 10.7.5. I have a backup disk installed internally for backing up my main drive. The backup drive is misbehaving and I want to erase it and reformat it.
In Disk utility, I get the message that the backup disk can not be unmounted.
How do I unmount the backup disk so I can reformat it?
Thanks,
Ty Ford

Confirm you're booting from another volume. That should be all that's necessary to unmount any other volumes - that, and making sure you're not running any programs that reside on the volume you want to unmount. If you're not sure about the latter write back for instructions to determine what process might be preventing you from ejecting it.
If you don't get anywhere, perform an NVRAM reset according to the following, then attempt to reformat the backup volume again:
NVRAM reset:
Shut down your Mac.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command (⌘), Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
Turn on the computer.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys before the gray screen appears.
Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
Release the keys.
After resetting NVRAM or PRAM, you may need to reconfigure your settings for speaker volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone information. If issues persist, your Mac's logic board battery (not a portable Mac's rechargeable battery) may need to be replaced. The logic board battery helps retain NVRAM/PRAM settings when your computer is shut down. You can take your Mac to a Mac Genius or Apple Authorized Service Provider to replace the battery on the logic board.

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