USB stick -XP question

NotAGolf · 7 Mar 2008 at 13:55

I've just bought a new 4GB Corsair Flash Voyager. I had a look on the properties and under Properties -> Policies and there is options whether to optimise for quick removal or optimise for performance (On XP btw). Couple of quick questions about it.

1. How much quicker is it if optimised forperformance?

2. What happens if you just pull the stick out without using 'safely remove hardware' when it's optimised forperformance?

Theguy · 7 Mar 2008 at 17:22

Iam not sure about 1 but for 2, it all depends on if your computer is moving files to and from the drive.
if there is transfere in progress, say good by to the data. however, if not, you should be ok. and i mean should..
Personaly i would keep it on easy quick removal.

rickyt · 7 Mar 2008 at 17:40

All I can say is NEVER just un-plug your pen/flash drive ,yes I know there classed as plug'n'play devices but you can actually disable a usb port by doing this.Had this problem at work , I told them to click on the icon on the task bar to close it down ,now the right hand side port wont work . I far as I know the only thing that makes it work again is a format and re-installation.

Burnsy2023 · 7 Mar 2008 at 17:53

rickyt said:
All I can say is NEVER just un-plug your pen/flash drive ,yes I know there classed as plug'n'play devices but you can actually disable a usb port by doing this.

This must be an unusual bug. I have always just removed a USB storage device when it's finished being accessed and I've never had a problem.

2. What happens if you just pull the stick out without using 'safely remove hardware' when it's optimised forperformance?

You may corrupt data or file tables.

Burnsy

MarcLister · 7 Mar 2008 at 18:04

Burnsy2026 said:
This must be an unusual bug. I have always just removed a USB storage device when it's finished being accessed and I've never had a problem.

Burnsy

Same. iPod or USB stick I just unplug the device and no problems.

.walls · 8 Mar 2008 at 03:08

optimise for performance uses delayed write caching - which makes the app that is writing to the drive appear to have completed it's task quicker (although it hasn't).

Optimise for quick removal doesn't - making the app appear to be slower in completing it's task - but you don't have to wait for the write cache to complete before removing the drive (as all the write activity happened whilst waiting for the app to tell you it's done).

Takes the same length of time to actually write to the stick in the end, just different ways of doing it.

MarcLister said:
Same. iPod or USB stick I just unplug the device and no problems.

Ipods are usually ok - as are other "non mounted" drives, as they generally are optimised for quick removal... i.e. you have to wait for the app to finish writing before it lets you do anything.

Burnsy2026 said:
You may corrupt data or file tables.

see my above explanation to clarify.