Safely Remove Hardware

[tomi 0]

Hey guys.

 

I wonder if you use the "Safely Remove Hardware" on your computer when you remove something...like an USB.

 

Looking forward to your answers.

[Zinsho 0]

I'm not sure where to vote, since for me it depends.

 

I tend to when I think of it, but if it refuses to remove the hardware when I know nothing is running on it I just pull the plug regardless. So I suppose the answer is (Yes, if it behaves)

[Yarasa 0]

Yes I do use it for photo camera, usb drives and external hard drives. I don't use it for the printer.

[berkley 0]

lol it's a stupid hastle you have to go though 3 windows on XP to get to the stupid eject screen on OS X you just click the eject icon, yes all the times =

[fRACTAL 0]

Yes! I do! I mean my computer would blow up if I didn't!111!11!ONE!

More seriously yes I do, I'd rather not mess up my camera, phone etc.

Although I also have the option to safely remove my hard disk and my DVD drive (because SATA stuff can be swapped quickly apparantely o O )

Question is does anyone here NOT do it, for stuff thats not empty anyway.

~Doom

[Zinsho 0]

On XP I just right click on the icon, select the device and it either says "Safe to remove" or "Cannot remove at this time..." It's not THAT bad, it's worse when you double click.

[stubbie 21]

On XP I just right click on the icon, select the device and it either says "Safe to remove" or "Cannot remove at this time..." It's not THAT bad, it's worse when you double click.

 

Same here, though I find that most times when I first click it gives the "Cannot remove at this time..." msg, then I find if I click it straight away again I get the "Safe to remove" msg.

 

Its not a hassle and I don't want to take the chance (no matter how small) of ruining either my equipment or the data.

 

stubbs

[gial 2]

Mainly important for devices that Windows can potentially be writing to, like disk, phone, pda, etc. as it will ensure all delayed writes are forced. For things like a camera/scanner, etc., that are generally read only it's not so important

[Schot 407]

Oh god no, lol. There's only one thing I tend to eject and that's my ipod. Everything else I just yank out the wire.

[Scleameth 19]

Same a Schot - also just yank out the USB devices. I only safely remove my memory stick if I copied data onto it - I've lost data in the past if I don't stop the drive before hand.

[gogoblender 3,070]

I'm a wire yanker out her as well

 

God knows how the comp stays alive for as long as it does

 

 

gogo

[tomi 0]

 

Actually I always use it, when it's possible. Like at USB, mobile phone, etc...

 

But maybe ill get bored of it. If nothing happens why do we remove it safely? Hmmmm

[Timotheus 416]

Almost always, especially with USBsticks or backup disks. Others, well mostly.

[podgie_bear 184]

I'm a wire yanker too! Muwhahahah!

[Obsession 0]

I think I used it ones or twice, after that haven't used it at all. Haven't seen any damage done on my usb-stick or camera

[Arilaftia 0]

Oh I never do, Ive had the safely remove hardware on my secondary slave drive for months.. the drive I use way to often and would have to crack the case to remove. (gotta love windows)

 

So if Im unplugging my mp3 or camera.. I just pull the plug.. hahaha didnt realize windows required you to OK it with the system first.

[trd 0]

I moved towards pulling without safely removing, just too much work. for a memory stick, you can set it up so that it writes immediately, so once the light is done flashing for activity for a few seconds I pull it. to do this, put the memory stick in. go to control panel (I use classic view on vista) and select device mangler. expand the disk drives and right click on the drive and choose properties. from the dialog, find the tab where u can set it to delay write or write immediately (something along those lines).

[gial 2]

The safety really has nothing to do with the device -- rather it deals with the safety of data ON the device, hence is really only relevant when the device is being written to. The "remove safely" just causes the OS to verify that any pending writes have actually been completed. As trd says, if you wait until the activity light goes out for a while, you will almost always be safe.

 

Still, with important data, I prefer to be careful