Safely remove USB key drive? 1

[BaudKarma]

I've got one of those USB key drives. Win XP wants me to open up the "safely remove hardware" box and stop the drive in XP before I disconnect it, which is a PITA.

I can see where there might be a problem if I pull the drive out while it's being accessed, but will anything scary bad happen if its not being actively used and I just rip it out?

I try not to let my ignorance prevent me from offering a strong opinion.

 

[LloydSev]

Generally no, but without you accessing anything, does not mean the OS is not accessing anything.

Keep that in mind.

Computer/Network Technician
CCNA

 

[micker377]

Due to the computer using "write behind", this is not recommended. "Write behind", is used to speed up the computer - instead of slowing down the system everytime you make a change, the computer will wait for "idle" time to write to a drive. You may not get updated files, or even get corrupted files. By "safely remove", the computer will force a write to the drive, and allow a complete check before it allows you to remove the drive. Just like shutting down the computer properly, instead of just turning the power off.

 

[LloydSev]

I had the right idea, but thanks for giving the specifics.

Computer/Network Technician
CCNA

 

[garebo]

This is one piece of windows that is there for a reason.
Some people have their antivirus or other "watchdogs" keeping an eye on as many of their drives as possible.
Also, when a usb or firewire case and\or hard drive that was in it dies, possibly its because the user didnt know they had to use that feature in windows and its also too late to fix it or troubleshoot when its dead.

For one reason or another, its best to let windows make double sure its ok to remove the drive from the system.
Sometimes, with usb and firewire cases, not thumb drives that i know of, one even has to go into windows task mgr to try and find out what is causing windows to hold onto that drive. Sometimes it depends on what programs the user has running at the time.



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[HmongVang]

If you unplug it, you just lost all info you working on. It's when your pc crash. Anything that is not save is lost.
H.V.

 

[RHoST]

You can try this utility:

http://www.safelyremove.com/safelyremovesetup.exe

It allows to stop USB key drives by using hotkeys, define sounds on stop\load event, and hide "small green arrow" icon in the system tray.
You will like it!

 

[garebo]

RHoST, perhaps you could help me out here. I was reading on the web page that there is a cost for this prog, believe its $25US, but then there is a download and it doesnt say trial or anything else. I tried looking for further info, but to no avail.

Is it free for personal use, does it have a free trial period and then stop working, or what? AS i say, there really isnt any info on that subject there.
Might be good to have as sometimes my oxford chipset combo usb2\firewire just wont unenable itself and i cant get it unenabled no matter what i do. Other usb hardware i am able to disable using windows little icon in the system tray, just not the combo unit i have, sometimes it wont let go the system, so i might be interested in that little prog.
thanks

thanks


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[RHoST]

I am a registered user of this program.
As far as i remember program cost is about US$25.

The trial version has some limitations such as custom settings which aren't saved after the program is closed.

Once i have purchased the product by filling in the online order form, i received license key via email and unlock the software for use.

Hope this will help.

 

[Secondgunman]

I plug my drive in and donot remove mine till i shut the system down this is a good rule of thumb, despite what the "pros" say.

 

[garebo]

That will work until one day when you discover your usb drive is all messed up or simply not working at all. Sure, it could be something else that caused the problem, but the little green icon is there for a purpose so i use it.
One doesnt need to go out and buy a prog, windows does it for you at least the great majority of the time.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[bcastner]

My rule is:

You can Hot Plug the device in, but you safely remove the device out.

 

[garebo]

Exactly


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[Tony57]

Lots of times I would try to let windows safely remove the device.... ended up having to shut down the computer. Then I found a setting! Right-click your drive, select properties. On the policies tab check "Optimize for quick removal".

 

[bcastner]

I believe that setting applies only for SCSI devices.
Not USB.

 

[MedionAkoyaLS]

Well, i can tell you from personal experience it DOES make a big difference the way you remove the drive. i just lost an 80 gig Buslink external usb 2.0 drive FULL of information b/c of bad sectors, my guess caused by improper removal of the drive. i have a couple of questions though. if the drive 'says' its being used by another device, but the drive lights are not indicating acess to the drive, there's no noise and no programs running, and i want to disconnect the drive, what can i do? is it bad for the system to shut down/boot while connected to the drive (the hard drive has its own power supply)? i have replaced the old drive with a new hitachi 250 gig one, but simply replaced the internal parts of the drive, the casing and cables are the same as the old one. i've had this new drive about a week and already i have had trouble removing it. after a reboot with the drive attached to the system, it let me safely remove the hard drive, but is the reboot bad for the hard drive? so many questions...

 

[garebo]

I run into that as well, something just wont let go the drive.
I dont know if its a good idea or not but what i do is:
I shut down all my AV\malware programs, i shut down zonealarm, etc, etc, then i go into task mgr and see if there are programs that i can shut down.
Then i try again to shut down that drive. If the system still wont let go the drive, i log off and back on again, that usually does it.
In the end, sometimes i have to turn the pc off with the drive on, but not very often.
Again, this is only what i do, im not telling you what to do.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[SupRMan]

Give this a try: Go to device manager and look for your drive under disk drives. Double click on the drive and look under the policies tab and make sure that the drive is optimized for quick removal.

 

[garebo]

bcastner said, above, that the "optimize for quick removal" is for scsi drives.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[temporello]

But it's not true...