Ejecting external hd

WD External Drives WD Portable Drives
1

Hello, I hope anyone may help me with this problem.

I have this weird problem at the moment of ejecting my passport hd. My PC says it’s safe to remove the hd, but, it does not stop the hd, I hear and feel it working, if I unplug it then it sounds horrible as if I just unplug it without safe removing it first. Eventually the hd stops, but after some 10-15 minutes!

Ok, this happens with a Windows PC. I have a MAC too, and this does not happen with my MAC, I eject the hd and ready! some seconds and I can unplug it.

By the way, this happens in Windows Vista, I have tried my hd in a PC running XP and it’s ok there, no problem with XP, just with Vista, and I have tried in several PC’s running Vista: the same problem in all of them.

By the way, am not interrupting files being copied or so, no, the drive is just there and want to eject and stop it.

I feel like am causing a big damage to my hd, am not I?

Thanks for the support!!

2

IMO, you can unplug any USB drive without damaging while it is spinning.

You should not unplug if the drive is reading or writing on the drive.

You have not mention the model number of your drive for further comment.

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Model number is the WDBAAA3200ABK-NESN

but I also have this one: WDBACY5000ABK-NESN

same thing.

First thing I do is safe remove, I get the ok message that is safe to remove it, the drive is spinning but not reading or writing at that moment, except that the computer does not stop it from spinning, keeps powering it.

If you say it won’t be damaged, then ok.

4

Small question… but the answer is not that small. I’ll try to make it short as possible.

I never use “Safely Remove” option on any of my external USB drives and don’t use Smartware to backup my stuff either.

I use MS SyncToy or MS Backup when I have any backup requirement. I never encounter any ExHDD failure due to “Unsafe Disconnections” but I had premature ExHDD failures due to bad USB connections which delivered reduced +5V to USB device.

I have several (06) USB drives including WD My Passport Essentials SE 1TB and treat them in equal manner.

+5Volts DC supply on USB port will never cutoff on most of PCs even after a soft shutdown. Therefore USB drives keep spinning as long as it disconnected or spin down after a period of inactivity due to onboard firmware command.

You can disconnect any USB drive while it is spinning as long as there is no reading or writing activity in the back ground.

Just a note outside context: Since you use My Passports, avoid disconnection from micro USB port whenever possible. Keep the cable attached to drive when not in use. This USB port is subject damage if you connect /disconnect in regular basis.

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