Quick Answer
It is not recommended to unplug an external hard drive without properly ejecting it first. Unplugging without ejecting can lead to data loss or corruption. Always use the “Safely Remove Hardware” option to eject the drive properly.
What Happens When You Unplug Without Ejecting?
When you unplug an external drive without ejecting, the drive is disconnected while files may still be in use or open. This interrupts the transfer of data between the drive and computer. If data is being written to the drive at the moment it is unplugged, this can cause the file to become corrupted or lost.
Unplugging without ejecting can also confuse the computer if it is trying to access a file on the recently removed drive. This sudden disconnection can sometimes cause the operating system to freeze or crash.
In summary, unplugging without ejecting can lead to:
- Data loss or file corruption
- Operating system crashes
- Damage to the drive file system
Why Should You Always Eject Before Unplugging?
Manually ejecting the external drive before unplugging allows the computer to properly complete writing any pending file transfers and close any open files on the drive.
Ejecting flushes any cached writes and pending operations. It ensures no critical background processes are interrupted unexpectedly when you remove the drive.
The “Safely Remove Hardware” eject option in Windows (or the eject icon in Mac OS) prevents errors and data loss by:
- Closing open files on the drive
- Flushing cached writes
- Confirming no programs are currently accessing files
- Unmounting the drive from the operating system
After the device safely ejects, you will receive a notification that it is safe to disconnect.
How Does Ejecting an External Drive Work?
When you click the “Eject” or “Safely Remove Hardware” option, the operating system initiates a safe removal process:
- It checks that no important background processes are currently using the drive.
- It closes any open files and flushes any cached writes.
- It unmounts the drive and disconnects it from the file system.
- It notifies the user when it is safe to physically disconnect the drive without data loss.
If a program is accessing files when you attempt to eject, you will receive a warning that the device is currently in use. You cannot eject until all programs have closed their open files and you attempt again.
Is Ejecting Always Necessary?
Manually ejecting USB drives before removing them is generally recommended for most external hard drives. However, some types of flash drives or SD cards may not absolutely require ejecting on all systems.
The main types of drives that should always be ejected first include:
- External USB hard drives
- Internal hard drives in USB enclosures
- External SSD drives
Drives where ejecting is still recommended but not critically mandatory:
- USB flash drives and pen drives
- SD cards and other removable storage
USB flash drives and SD cards have simpler file systems compared to external hard drives. As a result, the eject process may not be critically necessary in all cases. However, it remains a good practice to safely eject them when possible to prevent file system corruption over time.
How to Eject an External Drive in Windows
There are a few ways to safely eject an external drive in Windows:
Using the Safely Remove Hardware Icon
The easiest way is to right click the icon for your drive in the system tray and select “Eject”. This will initiate the safe removal process.
Using the Windows Eject Notification
When you connect a drive, Windows will display a notification prompt providing an option to safely eject the hardware.
Using Windows Explorer
You can also right-click on the drive in Windows Explorer and select “Eject” from the menu.
Using a Third-Party Tool
Utilities like Ejector allow you to create a quick shortcut to eject drives without having to open File Explorer.
How to Eject an External Drive on Mac
On Mac OS, click the eject icon next to the drive name to initiate the safe removal process:
You can also right-click the drive icon on the desktop and select “Eject”.
As a precaution, it is also good practice to unmount the drive before disconnecting if possible using the following steps:
- Open Terminal
- Type
diskutil listto find the disk identifier for your drive (such as disk2) - Type
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX(replacing “X” with your disk number)
This fully unmounts the drive before removal.
What If I Forgot to Eject?
If you realize you forgot to eject a drive after unplugging it, don’t panic. The damage is likely already done. When you reconnect the drive, check to see if files open properly and no errors are reported.
If you experience persistent errors or problems accessing the data after forgetting to eject, try repairing the external drive using the appropriate operating system tools:
- Windows: Open Computer Management > Disk Management and run a full Checkdisk scan on the affected drive.
- Mac: Open Disk Utility and run First Aid on the drive.
This should attempt to repair any file system corruption that may have occurred.
You can also use data recovery software to extract any corrupted files from the drive and save them elsewhere.
How to Avoid File System Corruption
Practicing proper ejection before unplugging your external drives is the best way to avoid data loss or corruption. Here are some other tips:
- Avoid unplugging drives when actively reading/writing data.
- Wait 5-10 seconds after ejecting before unplugging.
- Disable the USB write caching policy to minimize risk.
- Use the Windows Safely Remove Hardware icon for epxternal drives.
- If ejecting fails, make sure no programs have files open on the drive.
Following these steps consistently should minimize the risks of drive errors due to improper disconnection.
Example Situations When to Safely Eject Drives
To illustrate when you need to safely stop and eject external drives, here are some common examples:
After finishing a file transfer: If you just moved files from the external drive to your computer or vice versa, make sure to eject the drive after the transfer completes and you get the prompt indicating it is safe to remove. Do not simply unplug the USB while the transfer window is still open.
After running an installation: If you just installed a program from an installer located on the external drive, don’t remove it without ejecting first. The installation process may still be writing files or registry data. Eject first to allow it to finish.
When switching computers: If disconnecting an external drive used on one computer to plug into a different computer, it is crucial you eject it properly on the first PC before switching the drive.
After accessing files: If you were recently accessing files stored on the external drive, perhaps editing documents or viewing photos, take the time to safely eject before pulling out the drive. Even if not actively writing, files may still be open.
These examples illustrate the importance of making drive ejection part of your routine when disconnecting external storage from your computer. Developing this habit minimizes the risk of data loss or corruption.
Closing Thoughts
While removable drives offer great convenience for data transfer and storage expansion, they must be disconnected properly to avoid errors. Never unplug an external hard drive while files are still open or in the process of copying.
Following the eject process allows the system to close handles, flush caches, and confirm no background processes will be interrupted by removing the drive. This prevents crashes, data loss, and file corruption that can result from disconnecting storage without safely stopping first.
Get in the routine of right-click, eject, confirm the notification, wait briefly, then disconnect your drive. Your data will remain safe, intact, and accessible. Just that simple act of proper drive ejection goes a long way in preventing catastrophes.