this message appeared when I clicked on an icon which is on my task bar.
2007-02-11 23:40:06 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Add-ons
When you've got an external/internal storage device attached to your PC (such as an MP3 player, external hard drive or CD burner) it is advisable to stop the device prior to unplugging it from your USB port to avoid possibly damaging the device. You stop the device by using that icon on your taskbar.
2007-02-11 23:47:16 · answer #1 · answered by retroman68 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It really depends on what you have connected to your computer.
Some laptops treat the floppy drive and CD drive as 'removable drives' if they can be removed to provide space for an additional battery.
Generally though, almost any USB device that you plug into your computer - Freeview stick, Memory stick / Pen Drive, etc is 'mounted' so tha the computer treats it as if it is a fixed part of the system. If you click on the tiny icon (a green arrow on a grey rectangle) and select the yellow banner, you can tell the computer that you don't want to use that item any longer. The computer unmounts the device allowing it to be removed safely.
The safety point is really to do with making sure that the computer is completely finished with the device - rather than anything dangerous.
As part of it's 'housekeeping' system, the computer will routinely create and delete files in the background that you are not aware of. Telling the computer that you want to remove a device means that it can tidy up any files associated with that device and ensure that you don't lose any data as it's being copied.
If you have 'removed' or 'ejected' a device by mistake, you can either pull out the memory stick / pen drive and reinsert it to use it again or you may have to restart the computer if the device is a floppy drive or CD drive (in the case of a laptop).
2007-02-12 03:09:53 · answer #2 · answered by Rob K 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When you save a file to a device sometimes your computer just stores the information in cache memory and does not really write it until it does a "cleanup" operation. So, if you have saved your file to a removable storage device on your USB port then it is possible to unplug the device before the information was fully written to the device. By using that icon first, it makes sure that all write operations intended for the USB device are completed and then you can unplug it without loss of data. I use a 1Gb USB drive and I have to use that icon a lot.
2007-02-11 23:51:42 · answer #3 · answered by ♥Tom♥ 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Like the previous answerer has said - it doesn't matter. Restart and it will go back to normal. You don't really have to 'safely' remove the usb pens just make sure you are not still transferring data to or from the device
2016-05-24 00:27:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This icon usually appears when you insert some usb device such a pen-drive..
2007-02-11 23:52:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
a usb is an outside peice of hardware that you plug into your computer for example an ipod, a disk-on-key or even a printer, if you'd like to remove one of them you use that icon to safly remove it so it wont be damaged.
hope it helps,
me
edit: im not sure about printer actully
2007-02-11 23:44:22 · answer #6 · answered by moon 111 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
a usb is an outside peice of hardware that you plug into your computer for example an ipod, a disk-on-key or even a printer, if you'd like to remove one of them you use that icon to safly remove it so it wont be damaged.
2007-02-12 03:38:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It unmounts the volume and makes sure that any read/write operations are completed before you remove the hardware.
2007-02-11 23:43:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it readys your removable storage device for removal :)
2007-02-11 23:43:41 · answer #9 · answered by ComputerDude 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
so that the data in the usb drive won't get corrupted.
2007-02-11 23:47:05 · answer #10 · answered by NEO 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋