Safely Remove Hardware Icon

[Nando]

I just purchased a new external USB memory card reader. In the installation and use instruction it instruct to double click the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon before unistalling the card. After the installation the mentioned icon show up in the task bar. Before installing this new memory card I never notice this icon even that I own an external USB/FW HD, external USB/FW DVD Writer and another external USB memory card reader. Needles to say that I alway removed the devices without clicking anything.

My question is: Since this devices (USB/FW) claim to be Hot Swapable why the need of the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon? Why I did not have the icon before? Now it show for all the external devices. Will it create problems by not clicking the icon?

 

[lenjack]

I believe that most of us ignore that icon and have no problems as a result. Wait for others to chime in.

 

[newParadigm]

If you have the drive optimized for portability, you will have no problem simply removing it.

However, if you optamize the drive for Performance, it is IMPERITIVE that you use the Safley Remove Hardware Icon thing, otherwise your data will get skewed up.

 

[Nando]

NewParadime, How do I optimize for Performance or portability and how do check how they are optimized?

 

[AristoV300]

Originally posted by: lenjack
I believe that most of us ignore that icon and have no problems as a result. Wait for others to chime in.

Same here, I ignore it and just remove USB external storage devices. I have never had any problems with data corruption.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: Nando
NewParadime, How do I optimize for Performance or portability and how do check how they are optimized?

Right click the drive letter that the USB drive is > Properties > Hardware tab > select the USB drive in the list of storage devices > hit the Properties button below > Policies tab > select which optimization.

or

Go to Device Manager > select Disk Drives > select USB drive > right click & hit Properties > Policies tab.