Do a registry change to power down usb devices after safely remove?

koro · 14 Apr 2012

hello,

is it very highly recommended to do a registry change - USB Port Remains Active for Disabled or Safely Removed USB Device to power down usb devices like external hard drives after clicking safely remove on windows 7?

Any problems with external hard drives while on that amended registry?

i started using windows 7 recently and the first internal hard drive which i used for external storage on the netbook - windows 7 became unusable after 4 times' usage. Later, I found out about external hard drives still spinning after safely remove or shutting down the computer , on windows 7.

i want to protect my other external hard drives so, hence my question above.

No one around me did the registry change as they said that as long as safely remove feature is used, it is enough already despite that the hard drive is still spinning.

i hope that i can find at least one person here who is very serious in caring about his/her external hard drives, to give me his/her input.

I notice windows 7's usb issue started back in late 2009. I wonder why Microsoft never include its remedy - USB Port Remains Active for Disabled or Safely Removed USB Device in the updates. Is there any bad effect when using the remedy?

Thank you very much!

cyclic · 14 Apr 2012

As an electrical engineer of some 40 yrs. experience I assure you that wether you 'power it down' or not, makes no difference whatever. Nothing is using current, no possible harm to anything anywhere.

I really could'nt recommend fiddling with the registry for no benefit.

koro · 14 Apr 2012

i see. but what if the hard drive still spin? it will damage its health. if it is like that as what you said, then why i see some negative feedbacks? if i recall correctly, one unhappy user said his hard drive got many bad sectors and had to get new one.

yeah to "I really could'nt recommend fiddling with the registry for no benefit.". that's why i am asking around but alas no response or no one used that option.

Add
If the option - registry change is really safer , then i do not mind taking the extra step for my external hard drives.

Britton30 · 14 Apr 2012

Personally I would not fiddle with the registry to do something a simple click can do. Just right click the removable drive's icon and Safely Remove. You're done, pull the cable.

The drive will spin as long as it is getting power, what the Safely Remove does is stop reading and writing to the drive so it can be removed. The article you referenced was for XP.