Do You Really Have to Eject Flash Drives Before Removing Them?

After a user pulls their USB drive out of the computer, the computer will send a warning to the user. The warning typically advises users to eject their device next time to avoid damage. Many users ponder what exactly happens if they do not safely remove their hard drive. Do you really have to eject it before removing it?

The simple answer is yes, you should always eject a drive before removing it. By safely removing your USB drive, you prevent data loss, and you extend the life of your USB drive. Removing a hard drive takes only a few seconds and prevents future problems from arising.

This is important because your computer may be busy reading from or writing to the drive when you remove it. That data being exchanged can be destroyed if you interrupt it too quickly. By safely removing your USB drive, you prevent corrupting or destroying any data on the USB drive. Even files that weren’t open and that weren’t being edited at the time of the device’s removal can still be destroyed. This means that important data like baby pictures, resumes, and other infrequently-accessed-but-still-important data can be lost forever due to abrupt device removal.

Follow the five steps below to remove your USB drive correctly on most computers. If you do not see these options on your computer, check your system settings or computer manual to determine where the removing hardware options are.

1. Close all the files that are being accessed by the USB drive. Be sure to save all of the files before closing to prevent any unwanted deletion.

2. Right click the icon of the flash drive. It should be located on your desktop or on the taskbar across the bottom of your computer screen. From the options, click to safety remove hardware. Some computers also call this option “eject.”

3. Select the USB drive that you want to remove. A popup should appear to inform you that it is now safe to remove the hardware from your computer.

4. Confirm removal of the USB drive by clicking okay, and then close out.

5. Gently remove the flash drive from the computer.

It is always better to be safe than sorry, so take the time to safely remove your USB drives in order to prevent any chance of losing data or corrupting the drive. Be sure to use a dependable and reliable USB drive to hold your important documents, and take good care of your drive to ensure its longevity and trustworthiness.

If you are looking for reliable custom flash drives drives from a reputable company, consider CFgear. CFgear customizes a wide variety of USB drives for a wide variety of clients. Staff members at CFgear are more than happy to talk with you about your ideas, and they will work carefully with you to perfect your custom flash drive project.