Hi, Peter.
Microsoft made it hard to find the fix - and very easy to fix when we find
it. There's a slightly simpler path that I can't remember, so I usually get
there this way:
Run Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc). In the Graphical Display, right-click
on the Disk - in the far left column (NOT on a "drive", which really deals
only with a partition, not the whole physical disk) - then click on
Properties, then the Policies tab.
On Policies, there are two options, with a one-paragraph explanation of
each. For backups, especially large backups, you may have chosen (probably
by default) "Better performance". As it says, this uses a Write cache to
buffer transfers IN MEMORY on the way from the source to the destination
disk; an abrupt disconnect or power down can lose any buffered data not yet
written to the destination. The actual read/buffer/write process usually
takes only a few seconds, so the risk of such interruption is small - but
more than zero. This does speed up the backup - or large copy or move
operation - so it makes sense to use the buffer for these operations.
The other option, "Quick removal (default)", does not use the buffer (aka
cache); it immediately writes the data to the physical disk. Thus, anything
that takes longer than a lightning strike is not likely to lose even a
single byte. An abrupt disconnect will interrupt the process, but data will
be intact: unmoved data still at the source; moved data written at the
destination. So we can safely "pull the plug" - either power or data - at
any time.
For a more detailed and official explanation of write-caching, click the
hypertext link on that Policies screen. And note that you can click the
link under Better performance to set this policy for each of your removable
devices.
For my one-man one-computer situation, Quick removal works fine. I never
have to worry about unplugging my camera's SD card or a thumb drive. For my
USB 3.0 backup HDD, I just wait a few seconds after the light goes out - on
the rare occasions when I unplug it at all. I'm running Win8, but this
behavior has not changed since Vista or before.
RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2012 (Build 16.4.3508.0205) in Win8 Pro
"Peter Jason" wrote in message
Win7. SP1 Norton Ghost15
I use an external HDD for off-site backups.
When finished I want to unplug this from the
computer.
Often the relevant icon appears in the tray but
sometimes it doesn't.
Is there some other way to detach a HDD safely?
Peter
