Windows 10 Ejecting HDs and Flash Drives ...

[GadgetJim57]

Is it safe to keep hard drives and flash drives connected all the time (Windows 10), even when shutting down everyday ... ? Or should I use the Eject feature to be safe ... ?

 

[Neemobeer]

You can keep them plugged in all the time. You'll likely reduce the lifespan of the devices with them constantly in use.

 

[rjlocal22]

I had my laptop checked out at a local repair site and to also remove the old windows file which I had a problem removing. When it was ready,
I ask him what could cause my usb backup to fail? Then he asked how I remove the usb, I told him that I disconnected it without using the eject button. He said well the most likely cause was static electricity. So now I always use the eject button if I want to disconnect my backup.

 

[Neemobeer]

@rjlocal22 that is not actually the reason why people have problems without using the eject button. Windows does what is called lazy writing. This means that when you copy a file or files and the dialog goes away it does not always mean the data has finished copying. This is noticeable when you try to eject media right away and it states the media is still in use. Removing the media before the write completes can corrupt the data and meta data on the drive.