What's up with 'Hardware Eject' in Win2K?

[Crank]

I recently upgraded to Win2K, and shortly thereafter bougt a USB CF reader.
When I plug it in, windows adds the drive, and a little icon called Hardware Eject appears in the system tray. If I unplug the reader without clicking the icon, Windows gets mad at me and tells me not to do that again. Seemed reasonable enough, however, I discovered that it also does this with my MP3 Player - now, do I really have to do the hardware eject thing every time I transfer a song or two to my MP3 Player?
I found a few resources on the 'web that said it's possible to get Windows to stop issuing this warning, but I'm more concerned with finding out if there's a good reason to do it the way Windows wants in the first place.....I mean, it doesn't care if I plug/unplug a USB hub.

Anyway, I knew that you guys would know.
Thanks in advance.

 

[chaddeus]

Its nothing actually. For example, if you insert a removable drive or storage without using the Hardware eject button, data may be corrupted especially IF your PC is writing data on it.

- Charles

 

[MichaelD]

Same exact thing happened to me w/my Sony USB digicam. Here's the trick.

When you're finished with the card reader. No more info passing back and forth, double-click on the green arrow in your system tray. You can double click on the device in the window that pops up. One of the options will name that device "removeable drive" or words to that effect. Select and hit "disconnect" or "stop using" (I forget which one it is..)

Windows will say "you may now SAFELY remove the device from the system" Voila. No more cranky W2K.

 

[Lotek]

Similar here, but with a variation: On my new W2K sys, I sometimes get a 'Hardware Eject' error message when waking from Standby. The hardware it refers to is a Belkin USB hub, to which my default printer is attached. When I put the sys in Standby, I do not disconnect or turn off the printer, but W2K apparently thinks I do & it gives that error message. I've unchecked the box in the error message window, telling W2K to not display the Hardware Eject icon in the tray, but that lasts for only a couple of days before the icon mysteriously appears again. Is this just another one of M$'s dictatorial tantrums or does it indicate a glitch somewhere?