XP users

[Inspector Jihad]

Do you use that or do you wait until the drive isn't doing any writing/reading and just pull it out?

 

[dphantom]

I use it most times since I do not want to wait and never can be sure it is in fact safe to remove when there is no activity.

 

[AsianriceX]

Formatted FAT16 or FAT32: No, but I do make sure I'm not blatantly reading or writing to it
Formatted NTFS: Yes

 

[NoStateofMind]

If its a Vista OS, then definitely use the "remove hardware safely" utility because Vista will use the USB as cache for current or more used applications. Using the "remove hardware safely" effectively flushes the USB data so that removing it will not cause data corruption or loss.

Edit: If I had read the title then I would have known its XP

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: PC Surgeon
If its a Vista OS, then definitely use the "remove hardware safely" utility because Vista will use the USB as cache for current or more used applications. Using the "remove hardware safely" effectively flushes the USB data so that removing it will not cause data corruption or loss.

Edit: If I had read the title then I would have known its XP

That's only if you enable ReadyBoost, in which case you shouldn't be removing the drive in the first place.

 

[corkyg]

Set the policies for the drive to "Optimize for Quick Removal." That removes it from any caching - not really needed on a flash device. Having done that, you can pop in and out at will with no ill effects, Vista or XP.

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Set the policies for the drive to "Optimize for Quick Removal." That removes it from any caching - not really needed on a flash device. Having done that, you can pop in and out at will with no ill effects, Vista or XP.

This, but I still do the safe removal procedure if the data I'm working with is important. If I spent 3 hours writing something in Word, and the USB drive has my working copy, then I'm going to take every precaution. If I'm just moving files from one computer to another, then I yank it out and hope it works, which it always does.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Set the policies for the drive to "Optimize for Quick Removal." That removes it from any caching - not really needed on a flash device. Having done that, you can pop in and out at will with no ill effects, Vista or XP.

how do i do that?

 

[Thraxen]

Just out of curiosity, have any of you guys actually experienced any data loss by simply pulling the drive out? It's probably close to a 50/50 split for me as to whether I do it the correct way or not, but I've never lost anything as a result of just yanking the drive out.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

I did when I simultaneously saved a word document and pulled it out...

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihadhow do i do that?

In XP, go to Device Manager, then highlight the Flash Device under Disk Drives, and right click to get Properties. Then select the POLICIES tab and check the top box. That's all there is to it.

Been hot plugging and removing flash devices and removables for several years - never a problem. Never lost any data. When optimized for Quick Removal, caching is turned off for that device.

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: Thraxen
Just out of curiosity, have any of you guys actually experienced any data loss by simply pulling the drive out? It's probably close to a 50/50 split for me as to whether I do it the correct way or not, but I've never lost anything as a result of just yanking the drive out.

Not personally, but my friend claims his mom lost some files by doing that. Of course that could just be bullshit, but ya never know.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: Thraxen
Just out of curiosity, have any of you guys actually experienced any data loss by simply pulling the drive out? It's probably close to a 50/50 split for me as to whether I do it the correct way or not, but I've never lost anything as a result of just yanking the drive out.

No. Never lost anything.

And I use USB drives at work a LOT.

 

[calyco]

I use my flash drive for backing up apps and docs, usually lots of overwriting files and deleting. I just yank the drive out and havent experienced any data loss since.. well when flash drives became common.

 

[RebateMonger]

I just yank the drive. But I don't put my ONLY copy of anything important on a USB flashdrive.

 

[corkyg]

One cautionary note . . . never yank it if the LED is flashing. Wait a moment. In that respect, it really is no different than ejecting a floppy disk.