Removing Devices from USB Ports

[Summer1]

1. Is it best to turn off the computer before plugging devices (e.g. digital
cameras and MP3) in to the USB port and then restart it if the devices are
only going to be 'attached' for a short period or can they be plugged in
while the computer is still on?

2. Generally, if someone is limited on their number of USB ports and they
want to 'unplug' a device and 'replace' with another device for only a little
while, is it best to turn computer off or is it okay to 'unplug' and 'plug'
in again while the computer is still on?

3. If a device is plugged in and the software is installed, the software
will remain installed even if device is unplugged but if it is being plugged
in for the first time, the software for it will have to be installed-Is that
correct?

Thanks!

 

[SC Tom]

"Summer1" <Summer1@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:91D14CC8-54F5-4B0E-BC56-4EE15FC0D99C@microsoft.com...
>
> 1. Is it best to turn off the computer before plugging devices (e.g.
> digital
> cameras and MP3) in to the USB port and then restart it if the devices are
> only going to be 'attached' for a short period or can they be plugged in
> while the computer is still on?

No, a restart is not necessary. Yes, they can be plugged in while powered
up.
>
> 2. Generally, if someone is limited on their number of USB ports and they
> want to 'unplug' a device and 'replace' with another device for only a
> little
> while, is it best to turn computer off or is it okay to 'unplug' and
> 'plug'
> in again while the computer is still on?

It's perfectly OK to plug and unplug with the devices and the PC powered up.
If it's a USB pen drive or another type of external drive, it's a good idea
to use the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon.
>
> 3. If a device is plugged in and the software is installed, the software
> will remain installed even if device is unplugged but if it is being
> plugged
> in for the first time, the software for it will have to be installed-Is
> that
> correct?

If the device requires software, yes, it will be installed on the first
plug in. Subsequent usage won't require a re-installation of that software.

The whole idea behind USB devices is the convenience of being able to plug
and unplug the devices without having to shut down or restart the PC.
>
> Thanks!

You're welcome!
--
SC Tom

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

On Fri, 5 Feb 2010 11:57:01 -0800, Summer1
<Summer1@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>
> 1. Is it best to turn off the computer before plugging devices (e.g. digital
> cameras and MP3) in to the USB port and then restart it if the devices are
> only going to be 'attached' for a short period


No.


> or can they be plugged in
> while the computer is still on?


Yes.


> 2. Generally, if someone is limited on their number of USB ports and they
> want to 'unplug' a device and 'replace' with another device for only a little
> while, is it best to turn computer off


No.


> or is it okay to 'unplug' and 'plug'
> in again while the computer is still on?


Same as above--yes.


> 3. If a device is plugged in and the software is installed, the software
> will remain installed even if device is unplugged but if it is being plugged
> in for the first time, the software for it will have to be installed-Is that
> correct?


If it needs software. Not all USB devices do.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

When is your homework due?

Summer1 wrote:
> 1. Is it best to turn off the computer before plugging devices (e.g.
> digital
> cameras and MP3) in to the USB port and then restart it if the devices are
> only going to be 'attached' for a short period or can they be plugged in
> while the computer is still on?
>
> 2. Generally, if someone is limited on their number of USB ports and they
> want to 'unplug' a device and 'replace' with another device for only a
> little while, is it best to turn computer off or is it okay to 'unplug'
> and
> 'plug' in again while the computer is still on?
>
> 3. If a device is plugged in and the software is installed, the software
> will remain installed even if device is unplugged but if it is being
> plugged
> in for the first time, the software for it will have to be installed-Is
> that
> correct?
>
> Thanks!

 

[Paul Randall]

"Summer1" <Summer1@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:91D14CC8-54F5-4B0E-BC56-4EE15FC0D99C@microsoft.com...
>
> 1. Is it best to turn off the computer before plugging devices (e.g.
> digital
> cameras and MP3) in to the USB port and then restart it if the devices are
> only going to be 'attached' for a short period or can they be plugged in
> while the computer is still on?
>
> 2. Generally, if someone is limited on their number of USB ports and they
> want to 'unplug' a device and 'replace' with another device for only a
> little
> while, is it best to turn computer off or is it okay to 'unplug' and
> 'plug'
> in again while the computer is still on?
>
> 3. If a device is plugged in and the software is installed, the software
> will remain installed even if device is unplugged but if it is being
> plugged
> in for the first time, the software for it will have to be installed-Is
> that
> correct?
>
> Thanks!

It depends. Sometimes things are not what they seem to be.
1. USB devices in general are designed as 'hot pluggable'. It shouldn't
matter whether the computer is on or off, or whether the USB device is
powered on or off (such as a printer).
2. People don't generally have a clear idea of what "USB device" means. For
example, many desktop computers have a set of memory card reader slots.
This set of slots is often one "USB device". No slot is a USB device; it
may be just a part of a USB device. You might have memory cards in none or
some or all slots. Each slot will typically show up as separate drive
letters in 'my computer'. On many computers, the memory card's label
appears as the name of the drive. When you want to remove one of the memory
cards, you should first right click the associated drive and choose eject.
When the drive label reverts to 'removable drive', it is safe to pull out
that memory card. Of course, whether or not the memory card's label appears
as the drive name varies from one computer to the next, so sometimes you
can't really tell by the drive label whether the card can be safely pulled.
So you might instead use 'Safely Remove Hardware', which will pop up a
message when it is safe to pull the memory card. The downside is that it
disables the entire USB device, meaning, it disables all the memory card
slots. In this case, the only way I know to reenable the memory card slots
is to reboot the computer.

-Paul Randall