The lack of notifications when ejecting an USB device from Windows 10

jagman · 29 Apr 2019

We all know what ASSUMING means. Previous Windows used 3rd party apps to EJECT external discs, flash... drive safely as I understand buffers have to be dumped....
But Window 10 does not do that for me so it upsets me to having to waste time always bring up Explorer to confirm as ASSUMING in the ole days would corrupt the device and one could lose all the data.... SO I don't ASSUME.

Does anyone know IF it is MY version of 10 or did Microsoft do a stupid thing by removing it or never installing a very necessary step of conformation.

dalchina · 30 Apr 2019

Hi, do you mean you don't see this to eject your drive?

The lack of notifications when ejecting an USB device from Windows 10-untitled.png

Followed by this and audible notification

The lack of notifications when ejecting an USB device from Windows 10-untitled2.png

A 3rd party tool has only been an option - not a necessity. That said, it is sometimes difficult and irritating that Windows makes ejecting devices frustrating.

This may be of interest:
Create Safely Remove Hardware shortcut in Windows 10 | Tutorials
https://www.howtogeek.com/118546/htg...ve-usb-sticks/

Digital Life · 30 Apr 2019

Windows 10 now lets you pull out USB drives without ‘safely removing’ them by default, Unless you choose to change that setting to better performance.

Source: Windows 10 now lets you pull out USB drives without safely removing them - TheNextWeb

The new policy, which was part of the October 2018 update (Windows 10 version 1809), which is now rolling out to all users. Here’s what Microsoft says on its blog:

While the quick removal policy will be the default for all hardware, you can choose “Better Performance” policy for improved system performance. However, if you choose this mode, you’ll have to follow the Safely Remove Hardware process before ejecting the device. Here’s how you can enable it:

Go to Start Menu > Disk Management.
Select your disk, right click on it, and go to Properties > Policies.
Select Better Performance option to enable it.

Take a look at this and see if it eases your mind.

Microsoft confirms you really, really don't need to safely remove USB flash drives anymore - The Verge
Windows 10 is about to change the 'safely remove USB drive' default option - TechSpot

jagman · 03 May 2019

After decades of Windows, DOS.. it feels scary to "pull out" anything including a USB, DISK...
So, sometimes we get a warning that "the disc can not be removed because it is in use...."
They are saying, IF WE DO NOT get a warning message, we are OK??

pepanee · 04 May 2019

Digital Life: That method is slightly risky. I'm not saying he should avoid that method, but should understand the real truth behind that method. Assume we take the example of somebody, who after transferring files to the USB device, pulls out the USB device immediately once the transfer window disappears from the computer monitor. (The last few megabytes are still finishing up!) Doing that will cause the last few megabytes/files to be corrupt in the transfer.
I remember those days. They were the worst when I moved files to the USB device instead of copying them there... because moving them there caused loss of the last few files when I immediately unplugged the USB device.

So in summation, jagman: It is completely okay to physically unplug the USB device from the computer without ejecting it, yet do that ONLY when:
1) You are sure you are no longer letting the computer write/read to the USB device (after transferring your files), AND
2) You see the USB's transfer LED light has stopped lighting up. Even after the USB device's light turns off, give it an extra 5 seconds before you unplug it.
3) If there's no LED light on the USB device, then after you're done moving/transferring files with the USB device and you see the transfer window on your computer disappear, give it about 10 seconds until you can physically unplug it.
That's how I unplug my USB devices from the computer now, and all files are perfect on there.

GrandpaR · 28 Oct 2020

dalchina said:

Hi, do you mean you don't see this to eject your drive?

Followed by this and audible notification

For some time, our Win 10 PCs have been missing the confirmation message (Safe to Remove Hardware ... the second window in dalchina's post). One can still eject, but you don't get the confirmation. File Explorer will refresh as the drive is removed from available drives. That's how I determine it worked: File Explorer refreshes and I can no longer see the drive.
I can understand the change to default to safer method (it would be nice if they told us), but one still should get a confirmation when ejecting. Microsoft dropped the ball on that one.

FYI: I have seen cases where drives are not released for a long time after a copy. (I assume some other process, like search indexing, has the drive tied up. In these cases, I often have to shut-down to get the system to release the drive.)
I will probably always take the extra step of ejecting drives. It doesn't take that much time to get that extra measure of safety.

And I may enable the faster writing on my large external drives.

Bastet · 29 Oct 2020

If you have quiet hours turned on then the safely eject drive notification pop up doesn’t show.

GrandpaR · 29 Oct 2020

Bastet said:

If you have quiet hours turned on then the safely eject drive notification pop up doesn’t show.

Okay. I never thought about that suppressing system messages. Yes, I do have it turned on (Focus Assist).
Thanks for the info.

Bastet · 29 Oct 2020

I had the same ‘problem’ with the safe eject drive notification & thought it was a bug. It was only after I’d turned off quiet hours & saw the notification appear again that I realised that was the cause.

Fabler2 · 29 Oct 2020

I can't find the post but made a copy of what worked for another member here.

___________________________________________________________________

"Step 1. Go to > Settings > PrivacyStep 2. App Permissions > Background Apps.Toggle ‘Let apps run in the background’ switch to off.Restart computer. (action center not showing previously or new notifications)Step 3. Go back to the settings page, previously mentioned in step 1 and 2.Toggle the ‘Let apps run in the background’ switch to on,as described in Step 2.Restart once again."