Tech support! Swapping drives 'semi-hot swap style in external USB caddies?

M

mixsit

Well-known member
So with an external HD caddy, which has its own on-off switch, and I'm pretty Shure I've done this w/o a problem so far just want to get a reality check here..

With the p/c on, drive caddy off, turn it on with a drive in it, the drive comes up. -might have to close and reopen explorer maybe.
And what about turning the caddy drive power off for a swap to a different drive for example?
Hmm. Presuming here I'm not accessing this drive at the time?

That would be really cool if that's as good (safe..) as powering the whole set down..
:listeningmusic:
 
You have to 'safely remove' the device, or eject in in OSX.
Your operating system will then tell you it's cool to physically disconnect the device.

I'm not a windows user these days, but XP used to have a little icon down near the bottom right for safely ejecting devices.

Hope that helps.
 
Hey thanks Steena'Maroo!
I got back and I think you're right and I found this at 'Wigin' ..or whatever the hell they are..
('Kingwin'.. ;)
"The EZ-Dock also supports HDD/SDD hot swap capabilities without needing to turn off the EZ-Dock or the computer. The EZ-Dock also provides LED indicators for Power status and HDD Data access. (NOTE: It is important not to unplug the drive or the EZ-Dock while the Data LED is blinking.)
Click to expand...
So.. 'dismount / eject 'safely remove hardware'- i.e, the drive must not be accessing data seems to be the ticket!
 
I have 4 external HS in caddies and when I'm not using them, I just turn them off. Never had an issue. If they're on and not being used, they're idle anyway. You can tell that when you try to access them and it takes a few seconds and you hear the drive kick in the action. (Start whirring)

*I take no responsibilty for destroying your drives should you start doing the same as me. :thumbs up:
 
mixsit said:
Hey thanks Steena'Maroo!
I got back and I think you're right and I found this at 'Wigin' ..or whatever the hell they are..
('Kingwin'.. ;)

So.. 'dismount / eject 'safely remove hardware'- i.e, the drive must not be accessing data seems to be the ticket!
Click to expand...

No worries.
 
The deal with hard drives and "Safely Remove" is whether or not the drive is going to be used elsewhere. If not and you do not click on Safe to Remove thingy, it won't make much of a difference. If you're going to remove a drive and use it on another computer, you should do the Safely Remove thing. I've fucked up one or two drives with Win7 by not doing the Safely Remove step. 90% of the time you don't need to, but that 10% will mess you up.
 
Chili said:
The deal with hard drives and "Safely Remove" is whether or not the drive is going to be used elsewhere. If not and you do not click on Safe to Remove thingy, it won't make much of a difference. If you're going to remove a drive and use it on another computer, you should do the Safely Remove thing. I've fucked up one or two drives with Win7 by not doing the Safely Remove step. 90% of the time you don't need to, but that 10% will mess you up.
Click to expand...
Ok so you're saying the 'Safely Remove function is a step further or better, rather than just deselecting the drive or making sure it's not active like 'EZ mentions. I can go for that. But whether using it in another computer is a factor?
 
Yeah... I think that's what I said. Now I'm not so sure. :drunk:

In most cases, it's a non-issue. But I've been burned twice by pulling out USB hard drives without doing the stupid Safely Remove thing. As I understand it, it's only if you are going to use those drives with another computer. It has to do with the computer writing a file to the master boot record that another computer can't open. When you do the Safe Remove thing, it closes that file and another computer doesn't have problems.

I might be a lame dog barking up the wrong tree because I haven't used hot-swappable drives before, but I'm pretty sure Windows treats them the same as USB hard drives.

If you're always plugging them back into the same computer, I don't think you will have a problem.
 
Chili said:
Yeah... I think that's what I said. Now I'm not so sure. :drunk:

In most cases, it's a non-issue. But I've been burned twice by pulling out USB hard drives without doing the stupid Safely Remove thing. As I understand it, it's only if you are going to use those drives with another computer. It has to do with the computer writing a file to the master boot record that another computer can't open. When you do the Safe Remove thing, it closes that file and another computer doesn't have problems.

I might be a lame dog barking up the wrong tree because I haven't used hot-swappable drives before, but I'm pretty sure Windows treats them the same as USB hard drives.

If you're always plugging them back into the same computer, I don't think you will have a problem.
Click to expand...
Well ya know what that extra step like that, hell that sounds to me like the ol' 'never let a barrel aim at anything you wouldn't want to get shot'.
Easy to do, and everybody goes home happy.
:)
 
100% use the safely remove function.

Just because you're not using the drive doesn't mean it's not in use.
Always eject, wait, then unplug and no harm will come. :)

The same applies to cameras, phones, sd cards, usb pen drives etc.
 
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