USB - removing hardware safely?

[Dave Horne]

I have friends who use the Remove Hardware program located in the System
Tray to always remove a USB cable from their computer (connected to their
camera, external hard drive, whatever). Is it in fact necessary to 'safely'
remove a USB plug if the 'process' is finished?

For example, at the moment I have a printer that is not connected to the
computer. Anytime I want to print something (not that often) I simply plug
it into the USB port and unplug it when finished _not_ using the Safely
Remove Hardware program. I've never encountered a problem ... am I tempting
fate, is it really necessary to 'safely' remove a piece or hardware .... or
not?

 

[Richard G. Harper]

The remove hardware icon's primary use is to make sure that the device is
properly closed and any files waiting to be written to the device are
flushed and written before it's ejected. For a printer this isn't very
important and can safely be ignored.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Jay]

The remove hardware icon's primary use is to make sure that the device is
properly closed and any files waiting to be written to the device are
flushed and written before it's ejected. For a printer this isn't very
important and can safely be ignored.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ...http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website -http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ...http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

I have friends who use the Remove Hardware program located in the System
Tray to always remove a USB cable from their computer (connected to their
camera, external hard drive, whatever). Is it in fact necessary to
'safely' remove a USB plug if the 'process' is finished?

For example, at the moment I have a printer that is not connected to the
computer. Anytime I want to print something (not that often) I simply
plug it into the USB port and unplug it when finished _not_ using the
Safely Remove Hardware program. I've never encountered a problem ... am I
tempting fate, is it really necessary to 'safely' remove a piece or
hardware .... or not?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Ooh can I hijack this thread as I've womdered the same.
I often use my USB memory stick to transfer data from my desktop pc to
my laptop. It's a pain to keep using the safely remove... all the
time. If I'm sure that the data transfer is done can I just whip it
out?

While I'm at it....
When using my laptop and battery power is getting low can I simply
plug in the ac adaptor while the laptop is running or should I power
down, plug in and then power up again? Same question should I wish to
remove the power cable when running windows. Power down and remove or
simply remove?

 

[Guest]

Removing a USB Memory stick without using "Safely Remove Hardware" can cause
files to be corrupted.
On my own computers, I don't use SRH, but I use it on customers computers,
just to be sure!

And I have never corrupted a Memory Stick.
Just make sure that all the actions, like "copy", "send to", etc are
completed before you remove it.

The remove hardware icon's primary use is to make sure that the device is
properly closed and any files waiting to be written to the device are
flushed and written before it's ejected. For a printer this isn't very
important and can safely be ignored.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ...http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website -http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ...http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

I have friends who use the Remove Hardware program located in the System
Tray to always remove a USB cable from their computer (connected to their
camera, external hard drive, whatever). Is it in fact necessary to
'safely' remove a USB plug if the 'process' is finished?

For example, at the moment I have a printer that is not connected to the
computer. Anytime I want to print something (not that often) I simply
plug it into the USB port and unplug it when finished _not_ using the
Safely Remove Hardware program. I've never encountered a problem ... am I
tempting fate, is it really necessary to 'safely' remove a piece or
hardware .... or not?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Ooh can I hijack this thread as I've womdered the same.
I often use my USB memory stick to transfer data from my desktop pc to
my laptop. It's a pain to keep using the safely remove... all the
time. If I'm sure that the data transfer is done can I just whip it
out?

While I'm at it....
When using my laptop and battery power is getting low can I simply
plug in the ac adaptor while the laptop is running or should I power
down, plug in and then power up again? Same question should I wish to
remove the power cable when running windows. Power down and remove or
simply remove?

 

[Jonathan M. \TacticalSniper\ Boyko]

About the power adapter - there's no problem connecting or disconnecting it
while working on the notebook.

About the Safe Removal and memory sticks - I'd advice to use the Safe Remove
feature. Someone burned the memory of one of my memory sticks by just
pulling it out of a PC, so...

--

«Kono kuni wa mada, hontô no hero wo shiranai»

TacticalSniper
http://tacticalsniper.blogspot.com/

 

[MICHAEL]

* Jay:

The remove hardware icon's primary use is to make sure that the device is
properly closed and any files waiting to be written to the device are
flushed and written before it's ejected. For a printer this isn't very
important and can safely be ignored.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ...http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website -http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ...http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

I have friends who use the Remove Hardware program located in the System
Tray to always remove a USB cable from their computer (connected to their
camera, external hard drive, whatever). Is it in fact necessary to
'safely' remove a USB plug if the 'process' is finished?
For example, at the moment I have a printer that is not connected to the
computer. Anytime I want to print something (not that often) I simply
plug it into the USB port and unplug it when finished _not_ using the
Safely Remove Hardware program. I've never encountered a problem ... am I
tempting fate, is it really necessary to 'safely' remove a piece or
hardware .... or not?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Ooh can I hijack this thread as I've womdered the same.
I often use my USB memory stick to transfer data from my desktop pc to
my laptop. It's a pain to keep using the safely remove... all the
time. If I'm sure that the data transfer is done can I just whip it
out?

If the USB thumb drive is set to "Optimize for quick removal"
and *not* "Optimize for performance", you do not have to use
"safely remove hardware". You can check that by going into
Device Manager, look under Disk drives, and check the properties
of the USB thumb drive. That setting is located under "Policies"
tab. If you are using the thumb drive for ReadyBoost it may be set
to "Optimize for performance", and if you change that ReadyBoost
may no longer work for that thumb drive. Conversely, if a user has
a USB thumb drive that isn't working for ReadyBoost, checking the
"Optimize for performance" may get it to pass the test.


-Michael

While I'm at it....
When using my laptop and battery power is getting low can I simply
plug in the ac adaptor while the laptop is running or should I power
down, plug in and then power up again? Same question should I wish to
remove the power cable when running windows. Power down and remove or
simply remove?

I don't know the "technical" answer, but I've done that a lot with two
different laptops. I just plug it in or unplug it without powering off,
I've never encountered a problem.

 

[Adam Albright]

I have friends who use the Remove Hardware program located in the System
Tray to always remove a USB cable from their computer (connected to their
camera, external hard drive, whatever). Is it in fact necessary to 'safely'
remove a USB plug if the 'process' is finished?

For example, at the moment I have a printer that is not connected to the
computer. Anytime I want to print something (not that often) I simply plug
it into the USB port and unplug it when finished _not_ using the Safely
Remove Hardware program. I've never encountered a problem ... am I tempting
fate, is it really necessary to 'safely' remove a piece or hardware .... or
not?

It depends on what KIND of hardware. For a printer, scanner or camera
(without a built-in drive) not a big problem. For an external hard
drive COULD become a BIG Problem. The risk and it is very real, is if
you just switch off a drive you could corrupt some or all the data on
it. That doesn't mean it will for sure corrupt your data, simply that
it could. I have a lot of external drives, some that run under USB and
absent mindedly have simply turned them off or the system off and was
just lucky I didn't harm anything. I know people that trashed their
entire external drive's contents. Always best to un mount first then
only turn off once Windows says it is safe to do so.

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Ooh can I hijack this thread as I've womdered the same.
I often use my USB memory stick to transfer data from my desktop pc to
my laptop. It's a pain to keep using the safely remove... all the
time. If I'm sure that the data transfer is done can I just whip it
out?

While I'm at it....
When using my laptop and battery power is getting low can I simply
plug in the ac adaptor while the laptop is running or should I power
down, plug in and then power up again? Same question should I wish to
remove the power cable when running windows. Power down and remove or
simply remove?

Personally, I would never eject a flash-memory device without safely
removing it first, but that's just my rampant paranoia no doubt.

Plugging in and unplugging an adapter/charger is perfectly safe to do at any
time.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[-Draino-]

No need to safely remove if data is finished writing. I do all the time, and
have been for years in XP and for months in Vista


D

 

[Jonathan M. \TacticalSniper\ Boyko]

lol Then I just got lucky

--

«Kono kuni wa mada, hontô no hero wo shiranai»

TacticalSniper
http://tacticalsniper.blogspot.com/

 

[Dave Horne]

If the USB thumb drive is set to "Optimize for quick removal"
and *not* "Optimize for performance", you do not have to use
"safely remove hardware". You can check that by going into
Device Manager, look under Disk drives, and check the properties
of the USB thumb drive. That setting is located under "Policies"
tab. >

-Michael

Michael, thanks! I just checked the Policies and my USB ports are all
'Optimized for quick removal'.

Good tip, thanks!

 

[steve-terry]

* Jay:

Theremovehardwareicon's primary use is to make sure that the device is
properly closed and any files waiting to be written to the device are
flushed and written before it's ejected. For a printer this isn't very
important and cansafelybe ignored.
--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ...http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website -http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ...http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

I have friends who use theRemoveHardwareprogram located in the System
Tray to alwaysremovea USB cable from their computer (connected to their
camera, external hard drive, whatever). Is it in fact necessary to
'safely'removea USB plug if the 'process' is finished?
For example, at the moment I have a printer that is not connected to the
computer. Anytime I want to print something (not that often) I simply
plug it into the USB port and unplug it when finished _not_ using the
SafelyRemoveHardwareprogram. I've never encountered a problem ... am I
tempting fate, is it really necessary to 'safely'removea piece or
hardware.... or not?- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

Ooh can I hijack this thread as I've womdered the same.
I often use my USB memory stick to transfer data from my desktop pc to
my laptop. It's a pain to keep using thesafelyremove... all the
time. If I'm sure that the data transfer is done can I just whip it
out?

If the USB thumb drive is set to "Optimize for quick removal"
and *not* "Optimize for performance", you do not have to use
"safelyremovehardware". You can check that by going into
Device Manager, look under Disk drives, and check the properties
of the USB thumb drive. That setting is located under "Policies"
tab. If you are using the thumb drive for ReadyBoost it may be set
to "Optimize for performance", and if you change that ReadyBoost
may no longer work for that thumb drive. Conversely, if a user has
a USB thumb drive that isn't working for ReadyBoost, checking the
"Optimize for performance" may get it to pass the test.

-Michael

While I'm at it....
When using my laptop and battery power is getting low can I simply
plug in the ac adaptor while the laptop is running or should I power
down, plug in and then power up again? Same question should I wish to
removethe power cable when runningwindows. Power down andremoveor
simplyremove?

I don't know the "technical" answer, but I've done that a lot with two
different laptops. I just plug it in or unplug it without powering off,
I've never encountered a problem.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Another hijack - I have Windows Vista. Whenever I use a USB memory
stick and I'm finished, I click on Safely Remove Hardware, but I get a
message saying that it is unable to disconnect because something is in
use. But I get this message when all applications are closed. I tried
looking at the Task Manager, and it shows no applications running.
When I look in Properties of the memory stick's drive the indexing box
is unchecked, so it's not that. I end up having to shut down the
computer in order to pull out the memory stick. How can I find out
what's going on and fix it?

 

[Crusher]

Ready boost is on

* Jay:

Theremovehardwareicon's primary use is to make sure that the device is
properly closed and any files waiting to be written to the device are
flushed and written before it's ejected. For a printer this isn't
very
important and cansafelybe ignored.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ...http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website -http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ...http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

I have friends who use theRemoveHardwareprogram located in the System
Tray to alwaysremovea USB cable from their computer (connected to
their
camera, external hard drive, whatever). Is it in fact necessary to
'safely'removea USB plug if the 'process' is finished?
For example, at the moment I have a printer that is not connected to
the
computer. Anytime I want to print something (not that often) I
simply
plug it into the USB port and unplug it when finished _not_ using the
SafelyRemoveHardwareprogram. I've never encountered a problem ... am
I
tempting fate, is it really necessary to 'safely'removea piece or
hardware.... or not?- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

Ooh can I hijack this thread as I've womdered the same.
I often use my USB memory stick to transfer data from my desktop pc to
my laptop. It's a pain to keep using thesafelyremove... all the
time. If I'm sure that the data transfer is done can I just whip it
out?

If the USB thumb drive is set to "Optimize for quick removal"
and *not* "Optimize for performance", you do not have to use
"safelyremovehardware". You can check that by going into
Device Manager, look under Disk drives, and check the properties
of the USB thumb drive. That setting is located under "Policies"
tab. If you are using the thumb drive for ReadyBoost it may be set
to "Optimize for performance", and if you change that ReadyBoost
may no longer work for that thumb drive. Conversely, if a user has
a USB thumb drive that isn't working for ReadyBoost, checking the
"Optimize for performance" may get it to pass the test.

-Michael

While I'm at it....
When using my laptop and battery power is getting low can I simply
plug in the ac adaptor while the laptop is running or should I power
down, plug in and then power up again? Same question should I wish to
removethe power cable when runningwindows. Power down andremoveor
simplyremove?

I don't know the "technical" answer, but I've done that a lot with two
different laptops. I just plug it in or unplug it without powering off,
I've never encountered a problem.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Another hijack - I have Windows Vista. Whenever I use a USB memory
stick and I'm finished, I click on Safely Remove Hardware, but I get a
message saying that it is unable to disconnect because something is in
use. But I get this message when all applications are closed. I tried
looking at the Task Manager, and it shows no applications running.
When I look in Properties of the memory stick's drive the indexing box
is unchecked, so it's not that. I end up having to shut down the
computer in order to pull out the memory stick. How can I find out
what's going on and fix it?