Why can USB sticks be ejected via right click but USB hard drives cannot
0
This might be a question for Microsoft, but maybe someone here has a clue:
On any Windows versions I've seen, USB sticks can be ejected easily by right clicking on the drive's icon and choosing "Eject", but external USB hard drives cannot be ejected like that, because the "Eject" command doesn't show up when you right click on a USB hard drive's icon.
Is there any rational reason for this?
The only way to eject external nUSB hard drives is via the tray:
windows windows-explorer external-hard-drive
asked Jan 11 at 9:48
JabberwockyJabberwocky
1064
|
show 3 more comments
0
This might be a question for Microsoft, but maybe someone here has a clue:
On any Windows versions I've seen, USB sticks can be ejected easily by right clicking on the drive's icon and choosing "Eject", but external USB hard drives cannot be ejected like that, because the "Eject" command doesn't show up when you right click on a USB hard drive's icon.
Is there any rational reason for this?
The only way to eject external nUSB hard drives is via the tray:
windows windows-explorer external-hard-drive
asked Jan 11 at 9:48
JabberwockyJabberwocky
1064
Don't forget, USB doesn't always mean hot-plug. I believe that a memory stick has a flag, set during manufacture, that states it can be hot-swapped; whereas a USB hard disk bridge may not have the flag set, so the device is treated as not hot-pluggable (thus not being able to be ejected), so you don't see it on the remove hardware menu.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:21
@Kinnectus the point is, you can eject an USB hard drive with "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" (see picture), but not via the right click, wheres USB sticks (at least standard ones) can be ejected via both methods.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 10:49
I appreciate this, but it is still device dependant on whether they expose the flag as to wether the device is "ejectable" as when you open "Computer" to see the connected drives, removeable media shows differently than internal ("non-flagged") devices. Additionally, USB hard disks are usually connected to a host using a USB-to-SATA/IDE bridge so it's also dependant on whether the hard disk itself is exposing its functionality (i.e. as an internal drive, as that is what it is). A USB thumb drive would not have a bridge and would be configured to be removeable via the Eject.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:54
@Kinnectus sure, but I IMO when a drive is ejectable via "Safely Remove Hardware..." then it should also be ejectable via the right mouse menu and vice versa.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 11:00
It depends whether you're using a USB bridge or a device (host/device). The USB bridge may just be handing everything to the hard disk in regards to the SATA/SCSI control, but the bridge itself will still be identified by the system (as a USB device) so you've got a removeable bridge, but a system-identified "internal" hard disk. A thumb drive won't have the bridge, and it will have been configured to show as a removeable device, so Windows lists it as a removeable drive, along with the "Eject" capability.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 11:17
|
show 3 more comments
0
0
0
This might be a question for Microsoft, but maybe someone here has a clue:
On any Windows versions I've seen, USB sticks can be ejected easily by right clicking on the drive's icon and choosing "Eject", but external USB hard drives cannot be ejected like that, because the "Eject" command doesn't show up when you right click on a USB hard drive's icon.
Is there any rational reason for this?
The only way to eject external nUSB hard drives is via the tray:
windows windows-explorer external-hard-drive
asked Jan 11 at 9:48
JabberwockyJabberwocky
1064
This might be a question for Microsoft, but maybe someone here has a clue:
On any Windows versions I've seen, USB sticks can be ejected easily by right clicking on the drive's icon and choosing "Eject", but external USB hard drives cannot be ejected like that, because the "Eject" command doesn't show up when you right click on a USB hard drive's icon.
Is there any rational reason for this?
The only way to eject external nUSB hard drives is via the tray:
windows windows-explorer external-hard-drive
windows windows-explorer external-hard-drive
asked Jan 11 at 9:48
JabberwockyJabberwocky
1064
asked Jan 11 at 9:48
JabberwockyJabberwocky
1064
asked Jan 11 at 9:48
JabberwockyJabberwocky
1064
asked Jan 11 at 9:48
JabberwockyJabberwocky
1064
asked Jan 11 at 9:48
JabberwockyJabberwocky
1064
1064
Don't forget, USB doesn't always mean hot-plug. I believe that a memory stick has a flag, set during manufacture, that states it can be hot-swapped; whereas a USB hard disk bridge may not have the flag set, so the device is treated as not hot-pluggable (thus not being able to be ejected), so you don't see it on the remove hardware menu.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:21
@Kinnectus the point is, you can eject an USB hard drive with "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" (see picture), but not via the right click, wheres USB sticks (at least standard ones) can be ejected via both methods.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 10:49
I appreciate this, but it is still device dependant on whether they expose the flag as to wether the device is "ejectable" as when you open "Computer" to see the connected drives, removeable media shows differently than internal ("non-flagged") devices. Additionally, USB hard disks are usually connected to a host using a USB-to-SATA/IDE bridge so it's also dependant on whether the hard disk itself is exposing its functionality (i.e. as an internal drive, as that is what it is). A USB thumb drive would not have a bridge and would be configured to be removeable via the Eject.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:54
@Kinnectus sure, but I IMO when a drive is ejectable via "Safely Remove Hardware..." then it should also be ejectable via the right mouse menu and vice versa.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 11:00
It depends whether you're using a USB bridge or a device (host/device). The USB bridge may just be handing everything to the hard disk in regards to the SATA/SCSI control, but the bridge itself will still be identified by the system (as a USB device) so you've got a removeable bridge, but a system-identified "internal" hard disk. A thumb drive won't have the bridge, and it will have been configured to show as a removeable device, so Windows lists it as a removeable drive, along with the "Eject" capability.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 11:17
|
show 3 more comments
Don't forget, USB doesn't always mean hot-plug. I believe that a memory stick has a flag, set during manufacture, that states it can be hot-swapped; whereas a USB hard disk bridge may not have the flag set, so the device is treated as not hot-pluggable (thus not being able to be ejected), so you don't see it on the remove hardware menu.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:21
@Kinnectus the point is, you can eject an USB hard drive with "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" (see picture), but not via the right click, wheres USB sticks (at least standard ones) can be ejected via both methods.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 10:49
I appreciate this, but it is still device dependant on whether they expose the flag as to wether the device is "ejectable" as when you open "Computer" to see the connected drives, removeable media shows differently than internal ("non-flagged") devices. Additionally, USB hard disks are usually connected to a host using a USB-to-SATA/IDE bridge so it's also dependant on whether the hard disk itself is exposing its functionality (i.e. as an internal drive, as that is what it is). A USB thumb drive would not have a bridge and would be configured to be removeable via the Eject.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:54
@Kinnectus sure, but I IMO when a drive is ejectable via "Safely Remove Hardware..." then it should also be ejectable via the right mouse menu and vice versa.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 11:00
It depends whether you're using a USB bridge or a device (host/device). The USB bridge may just be handing everything to the hard disk in regards to the SATA/SCSI control, but the bridge itself will still be identified by the system (as a USB device) so you've got a removeable bridge, but a system-identified "internal" hard disk. A thumb drive won't have the bridge, and it will have been configured to show as a removeable device, so Windows lists it as a removeable drive, along with the "Eject" capability.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 11:17
Don't forget, USB doesn't always mean hot-plug. I believe that a memory stick has a flag, set during manufacture, that states it can be hot-swapped; whereas a USB hard disk bridge may not have the flag set, so the device is treated as not hot-pluggable (thus not being able to be ejected), so you don't see it on the remove hardware menu.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:21
Don't forget, USB doesn't always mean hot-plug. I believe that a memory stick has a flag, set during manufacture, that states it can be hot-swapped; whereas a USB hard disk bridge may not have the flag set, so the device is treated as not hot-pluggable (thus not being able to be ejected), so you don't see it on the remove hardware menu.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:21
@Kinnectus the point is, you can eject an USB hard drive with "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" (see picture), but not via the right click, wheres USB sticks (at least standard ones) can be ejected via both methods.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 10:49
@Kinnectus the point is, you can eject an USB hard drive with "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" (see picture), but not via the right click, wheres USB sticks (at least standard ones) can be ejected via both methods.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 10:49
I appreciate this, but it is still device dependant on whether they expose the flag as to wether the device is "ejectable" as when you open "Computer" to see the connected drives, removeable media shows differently than internal ("non-flagged") devices. Additionally, USB hard disks are usually connected to a host using a USB-to-SATA/IDE bridge so it's also dependant on whether the hard disk itself is exposing its functionality (i.e. as an internal drive, as that is what it is). A USB thumb drive would not have a bridge and would be configured to be removeable via the Eject.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:54
I appreciate this, but it is still device dependant on whether they expose the flag as to wether the device is "ejectable" as when you open "Computer" to see the connected drives, removeable media shows differently than internal ("non-flagged") devices. Additionally, USB hard disks are usually connected to a host using a USB-to-SATA/IDE bridge so it's also dependant on whether the hard disk itself is exposing its functionality (i.e. as an internal drive, as that is what it is). A USB thumb drive would not have a bridge and would be configured to be removeable via the Eject.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:54
@Kinnectus sure, but I IMO when a drive is ejectable via "Safely Remove Hardware..." then it should also be ejectable via the right mouse menu and vice versa.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 11:00
@Kinnectus sure, but I IMO when a drive is ejectable via "Safely Remove Hardware..." then it should also be ejectable via the right mouse menu and vice versa.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 11:00
It depends whether you're using a USB bridge or a device (host/device). The USB bridge may just be handing everything to the hard disk in regards to the SATA/SCSI control, but the bridge itself will still be identified by the system (as a USB device) so you've got a removeable bridge, but a system-identified "internal" hard disk. A thumb drive won't have the bridge, and it will have been configured to show as a removeable device, so Windows lists it as a removeable drive, along with the "Eject" capability.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 11:17
It depends whether you're using a USB bridge or a device (host/device). The USB bridge may just be handing everything to the hard disk in regards to the SATA/SCSI control, but the bridge itself will still be identified by the system (as a USB device) so you've got a removeable bridge, but a system-identified "internal" hard disk. A thumb drive won't have the bridge, and it will have been configured to show as a removeable device, so Windows lists it as a removeable drive, along with the "Eject" capability.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 11:17
|
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Don't forget, USB doesn't always mean hot-plug. I believe that a memory stick has a flag, set during manufacture, that states it can be hot-swapped; whereas a USB hard disk bridge may not have the flag set, so the device is treated as not hot-pluggable (thus not being able to be ejected), so you don't see it on the remove hardware menu.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:21
@Kinnectus the point is, you can eject an USB hard drive with "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" (see picture), but not via the right click, wheres USB sticks (at least standard ones) can be ejected via both methods.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 10:49
I appreciate this, but it is still device dependant on whether they expose the flag as to wether the device is "ejectable" as when you open "Computer" to see the connected drives, removeable media shows differently than internal ("non-flagged") devices. Additionally, USB hard disks are usually connected to a host using a USB-to-SATA/IDE bridge so it's also dependant on whether the hard disk itself is exposing its functionality (i.e. as an internal drive, as that is what it is). A USB thumb drive would not have a bridge and would be configured to be removeable via the Eject.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 10:54
@Kinnectus sure, but I IMO when a drive is ejectable via "Safely Remove Hardware..." then it should also be ejectable via the right mouse menu and vice versa.
– Jabberwocky
Jan 11 at 11:00
It depends whether you're using a USB bridge or a device (host/device). The USB bridge may just be handing everything to the hard disk in regards to the SATA/SCSI control, but the bridge itself will still be identified by the system (as a USB device) so you've got a removeable bridge, but a system-identified "internal" hard disk. A thumb drive won't have the bridge, and it will have been configured to show as a removeable device, so Windows lists it as a removeable drive, along with the "Eject" capability.
– Kinnectus
Jan 11 at 11:17