Windows 7 safely remove hardware annoyance

It is difficult to remove multiple flash drives using the safely remove hardware dialog. I had three flash drives plugged into a USB hub, and I wanted to remove all three at once. I click on the remove hardware icon in the notification area, but it only allows me to select one drive at a time.



When I click on a drive to remove, the dialog disappears and another window opens to let me know that the drive can be removed.



I have to repeat this process for the other two drives. Worse still, the remove hardware icon changes position when the safe to remove dialog appears.



Ideally, when multiple removable devices are installed, the remove hardware dialog should remain visible after selecting a device to remove. That would allow the user to select additional devices to remove if so desired.

Brink said:

Hello Wayward,

If you are not using the flash drive with Readyboost or have anything currently being saved to or from the drive, then you should be fine with just removing the flash drive without using the Safely Remove Hardware option.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thats what I always do... :)
I just got into the habit because we cant right click on my school computers (grrr!!!).

~Lordbob

Brink said:

Hello Wayward,

If you are not using the flash drive with Readyboost or have anything currently being saved to or from the drive, then you should be fine with just removing the flash drive without using the Safely Remove Hardware option.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

True, it's a minor issue. But I was just using those flash drives on my Mac, and it made me aware of how clumsy this is on Win 7. On the Mac, drag all three flash-drive icons on the desktop to the trash . . . that's it, no pop ups, etc.

Brink said:

Be sure to send feedback to Microsoft on it. Perhaps they may do something to allow us to remove multiple drives at once if they get enough requests for it.

That would be nice.

I was hoping that they would get my message about letting us move open windows around on the task bar. You know, click on a minimized window, and drag it to another position. Not real important, but might be fun.

~Lordbob