Safely ejecting an external hard drive is an important step to prevent potential data loss or corruption. When you plug an external drive into your computer, the operating system loads it and enables your computer to read and write data to it. Simply unplugging the drive without ejecting it first could result in unfinished file transfers, corrupted data, or even physical damage to the drive. Following the proper ejection process ensures all data writes are completed and clears the drive for safe removal.
Why is safe ejection necessary?
When an external drive is connected to your computer, it is actively communicating with the operating system and exchanging data through the USB or Thunderbolt port. Behind the scenes, your OS is sending bits of data back and forth to the drive when you open, edit, copy, or delete files. If you were to suddenly disconnect the drive by unplugging the cable, you may interrupt some of these data transfers before they are completed.
Unplugging the drive mid-transfer could cause:
- Data corruption – Files being copied to the drive could be corrupted or unusable.
- Unfinished writes – Writes to system files like the file allocation table could be incomplete.
- Directory errors – Folder structures and hierarchies could become disorganized.
- Read/write head damage – The head that reads/writes data could hit the platters.
The safe ejection process tells the operating system to fully commit all writes to the drive and prepare it for disconnection. This helps prevent any of the above problems.
When should you safely eject an external drive?
You should safely eject your external drive before unplugging it in the following situations:
- After you have finished accessing files on the drive and are ready to disconnect it.
- Before physically transporting or storing the drive after connecting it.
- If you plan to leave the drive unused or disconnected for a long period of time.
- Before powering down or restarting your computer with the drive still attached.
- If you receive error messages indicating the drive was not ejected properly after disconnecting.
In general, it is good practice to always safely eject your external drives before removal to prevent any possibility of data corruption or damage.
How to safely eject on Windows
Windows provides several easy methods to safely eject an external drive:
Using the Safely Remove Hardware icon
- Click the “Show Hidden Icons” arrow on the bottom right of the Windows taskbar.
- Locate the “Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media” icon.
- Click the icon and select the drive you wish to eject.
- A prompt will confirm it is safe to remove the hardware.
Using the system tray icon
- Locate the external drive icon in the Windows system tray in the lower right corner.
- Right-click the icon and select “Eject”.
- A prompt will confirm it is safe to remove the hardware.
Using Windows Explorer
- Open Windows Explorer and locate the external drive.
- Right-click the drive and select “Eject”.
- A prompt will confirm it is safe to remove the hardware.
Using any of these methods will perform the necessary steps to safely detach your drive before disconnecting. Do not simply unplug the USB or Thunderbolt cable without ejecting first.
How to safely eject on Mac
MacOS also provides simple ways to safely eject an external drive:
Dragging the icon to the Trash
- Locate the external drive icon on your Mac Desktop or in the Finder window sidebar.
- Click and drag the drive icon to the Trash icon.
- The drive icon will disappear, indicating it is safe to disconnect.
Right-clicking the icon
- Locate and right-click the external drive icon.
- Select “Eject” from the menu.
- The drive icon will disappear, indicating it is safe to disconnect.
Using the Finder Menu
- Click the Finder Icon to open a Finder window.
- In the Finder menu bar, select “File” then “Eject”.
- Choose your external drive and click “Eject”.
- The drive icon will disappear, indicating it is safe to disconnect.
As with Windows, following one of these steps to eject is vital before unplugging your Mac external drive.
What happens when you safely eject
When you safely eject an external drive, the following actions are performed by your operating system:
- Sync any caches and commit all writes to disk – This saves all pending data.
- Dismount the drive and unmount any volumes – This detaches it from the computer.
- Release the drive from the operating system – This frees it from any operations.
- Prompt that it is safe to disconnect hardware – This gives you the go-ahead to unplug.
The drive will then appear disconnected or missing from file explorer. The power and activity lights on the drive will also turn off to indicate it is no longer in use. It can now be unplugged without worry that ongoing transfers will be interrupted.
Why you should never unplug without ejecting
Unplugging or disconnecting an external drive without ejecting can lead to a number of problems:
- File and directory corruption – Data writes could be incomplete or damaged.
- Missing files – Transfers may disappear or be unavailable.
- Failed writes – OS write caches could be lost, resulting in errors.
- Damaged file systems – The drive structures like MBR/GPT or FAT/NTFS could be ruined.
- External drive damage – The components could be physically compromised.
- OS crashes – An abrupt disconnection could blue screen Windows.
At best, you may just get error messages when reconnecting the drive. At worst, you could render the data unrecoverable or destroy the drive mechanics.
What to do if you forget to eject
If you realize you forgot to eject an external drive after unplugging it, don’t panic. Follow these steps:
- Carefully reconnect the drive without powering it on if possible.
- Restart your computer and let the OS reload the drive.
- Use the safe eject methods to dismount the drive properly.
- Scan the drive with CHKDSK in Windows or First Aid in MacOS to check for errors.
- Copy any critical data off the drive to another device as a backup.
- Reformat the drive if errors are found and backups are completed.
While there is a chance of file system corruption or damage, you may get lucky and avoid any major problems. Having backups ensures you won’t lose important data.
How to make ejecting easier
If you find yourself forgetting to eject drives frequently, try these tips:
- Enable the quick removal policy in Windows to allow disconnecting without ejecting.
- Use the tray icon or shortcuts to quickly eject drives with one click.
- Close all files and apps accessing the drive before starting the eject process.
- Change your workflow to eject drives immediately after use.
- Post a reminder note or sticker to alert you to eject the drive.
Forming the habit of always ejecting your externals before removal is the best way to avoid errors. But the shortcuts and tips above can assist if you occasionally forget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it OK to unplug an external hard drive without ejecting?
No, you should never unplug or disconnect an external hard drive without properly ejecting it first. This can lead to file corruption, failed writes, and even physical damage.
Can I just unplug the USB when the light is off?
No, you should still safely eject the drive even if the activity light is off. Background processes could still be writing data. Eject prompts the OS to fully finalize all transfers before powering down.
What will happen if I don’t safely eject my drive?
Potential risks if you do not safely eject include data loss or corruption, physical damage, and file system errors. Always eject to avoid these issues.
Does ejecting the drive speed things up?
No, the eject process does not inherently speed up your drive or computer. It simply ensures pending writes finish before disconnecting to prevent potential problems.
Is it bad if I never safely eject my external hard drive?
Never ejecting an external drive significantly raises your risk of data loss or corruption over time. Get in the habit of always properly ejecting the drive.
Conclusion
Safely ejecting external drives before removal is critical to avoid file system corruption, failed writes, data loss, and physical damage. Both Windows and MacOS provide quick ways to dismount and eject a drive before disconnecting it. Never just unplug an external hard drive without following the proper ejection steps first. Form good habits to properly eject drives after each use.