USB Hub

The thing is, in some instances you cannot tell if something is accessing the drivers connected thru the hub. For example opening a media file with a software that crashes but still keeps hold of the file somewhere in an incompletely closed state where the software seems closed but you can still find it hanging in the Task Manager's tasks. Not a common occurrence, but happens never the less.


Now, there are power/performance states (called policies) for storage that can even protect the external storage from this. There is a policy that enables you to just disconnect the drive without Safely Removing it. There are other policies for otherwise.


To get to those, go to Device Manager (search it literally in Windows search bar to find it), go to storage devices and right click on the drive of which policy you wanna edit. Not sure if policies are saved for later connections after removal. I suggest to make sure of that before taking it for granted in later removals. I'm also not sure if the external device will show there or somewhere else, or the hub itself in the USB controllers' list. In all honesty, hub should automatically enable the direct removal policy by default. External storage devices are meant to be disconnected regularly.


Who knows, maybe that hub of yours has a feature that allows you to just switch the storage off. Check the manual or ask in where you bought it.



Having that said, I personally don't recommend removing a storage device without making sure it's not being accessed or without using the Safe Removal feature to assure that. Sometimes my external devices refuse to disconnect with the Safe Removal feature so I turn off the computer to remove them.
 
The thing is, in some instances you cannot tell if something is accessing the drivers connected thru the hub. For example opening a media file with a software that crashes but still keeps hold of the file somewhere in an incompletely closed state where the software seems closed but you can still find it hanging in the Task Manager's tasks. Not a common occurrence, but happens never the less.


Now, there are power/performance states (called policies) for storage that can even protect the external storage from this. There is a policy that enables you to just disconnect the drive without Safely Removing it. There are other policies for otherwise.


To get to those, go to Device Manager (search it literally in Windows search bar to find it), go to storage devices and right click on the drive of which policy you wanna edit. Not sure if policies are saved for later connections after removal. I suggest to make sure of that before taking it for granted in later removals. I'm also not sure if the external device will show there or somewhere else, or the hub itself in the USB controllers' list. In all honesty, hub should automatically enable the direct removal policy by default. External storage devices are meant to be disconnected regularly.


Who knows, maybe that hub of yours has a feature that allows you to just switch the storage off. Check the manual or ask in where you bought it.



Having that said, I personally don't recommend removing a storage device without making sure it's not being accessed or without using the Safe Removal feature to assure that. Sometimes my external devices refuse to disconnect with the Safe Removal feature so I turn off the computer to remove them.
Thank you for this Smart_Guy, the hub that I purchased has a push button switch next to each of the USB slots, there is also a blue light indicator at the side of each one which goes out when you press the switch.
 
Back
Top Bottom