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lifeform

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 10, 2009
137
3
Hi,

Is it possible to remove the USB removal alert messages...?

That´ll say the message that pops up if I remove a USB-thumb drive without unmounting it...?
 

DewGuy1999

macrumors 68040
Jan 25, 2009
3,194
6
Hi,

Is it possible to remove the USB removal alert messages...?

That´ll say the message that pops up if I remove a USB-thumb drive without unmounting it...?

Not that I know of...and on a Mac all external media (hard drives, flash drives, optical drives, cameras) should be thrown in the Trash (dismounted) before unplugging.
 

iThinkergoiMac

macrumors 68030
Jan 20, 2010
2,664
4
Terra
This is like asking if you can disable the check engine light in your car because it's on and it annoys you.

The alert is there to tell you not to do what you're doing.
 

TrueScot

macrumors newbie
Oct 21, 2010
2
0
This is like asking if you can disable the check engine light in your car because it's on and it annoys you.

The alert is there to tell you not to do what you're doing.


The message is there AFTER you've done what you've done. In my experience it has never, ever done any harm to a USB Flash Drive or OSX to remove it directly without dismounting it. If it does please, tell me what damage it does - not inconvenience it might cause - from not dismounting first.:cool:
 

notjustjay

macrumors 603
Sep 19, 2003
6,056
167
Canada, eh?
If you were writing to the USB stick moments before you yank it out, you risk losing data if delayed-write caching was being used and the buffers have not been flushed. Specifically, some or all of the changes may not show up and it may result in corrupting the USB drive's file table.

It is rare, but I've seen it happen.
 

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
The message is there AFTER you've done what you've done. In my experience it has never, ever done any harm to a USB Flash Drive or OSX to remove it directly without dismounting it. If it does please, tell me what damage it does - not inconvenience it might cause - from not dismounting first.:cool:
notjustjay is correct. The warning tells you that you a mistake. You may not think that harm has been done, but you are further mistaken. The warning gives you the opportunity to address your error on the spot.
 

waynep

macrumors 6502
Dec 31, 2009
434
0
If you were writing to the USB stick moments before you yank it out, you risk losing data if delayed-write caching was being used and the buffers have not been flushed. Specifically, some or all of the changes may not show up and it may result in corrupting the USB drive's file table.

It is rare, but I've seen it happen.

I have had this experience.

It does not matter either if we're talking OSX, Windows, Linux whatever. It's a risk that the OP now knows about and can choose to continue to risk his data or do it right. :)
 

dyn

macrumors 68030
Aug 8, 2009
2,708
388
.nl
The message is there AFTER you've done what you've done. In my experience it has never, ever done any harm to a USB Flash Drive or OSX to remove it directly without dismounting it. If it does please, tell me what damage it does - not inconvenience it might cause - from not dismounting first.:cool:
Dataloss and data corruption. Tested it and I can reproduce it very easily each time. It does harm and you *may* be able to fix it (no guarantee you can).
 

neko girl

macrumors 6502a
Jan 20, 2011
988
0
I've had my 30 GB iPod classic freeze on me (on the Do Not Disconnect screen) when I've yanked it without ejecting it before (it is not actively syncing when I've done this).

This is likely not the trend and probably an isolated issue with my iPod. It's happened quite often though. I understand that the iPod is old..
 

NorCalLights

macrumors 6502a
Apr 24, 2006
597
85
I have also lost data by pulling out the drive too fast. Best to download a program like unDock (available on the app store... and no, I don't work for them) which lets you unmount all removable drives with a key command.
 

Angra-mainju

macrumors regular
Mar 18, 2009
142
11
UK
I have also lost data by pulling out the drive too fast. Best to download a program like unDock (available on the app store... and no, I don't work for them) which lets you unmount all removable drives with a key command.

Dude, this app is really great - and I don't work for them either... if somebody cares about this...

in lite version u just need to press ctrl+option+command+space as many time as u have USB sticks, etc.my MBP has 2 so it works fine for me and I don't need the full version
 

dyn

macrumors 68030
Aug 8, 2009
2,708
388
.nl
?

You simply select the volume then:
- drag it to the trash, or:
- right click it and select eject, or:
- press cmd-e

If you want to eject multiple volumes simply select the ones you want to eject and choose one of the above. You certainly don't need an app for that!
 

Angra-mainju

macrumors regular
Mar 18, 2009
142
11
UK
?

You simply select the volume then:
- drag it to the trash, or:
- right click it and select eject, or:
- press cmd-e

If you want to eject multiple volumes simply select the ones you want to eject and choose one of the above. You certainly don't need an app for that!

thx for the cmd+e tip.... I've never seen this
 

phonique

macrumors newbie
Dec 5, 2009
4
2
So, how do we disable this warning? It's annoying, especially with stupid pocket flatbed scanners like the HP Photo Scan 1000, that scans to an internal usb drive.

Macpadawon (macosx.com) said:
Certainly not an elegant answer but, you can disable UserNotificationCenter.app found in /system/library/coreservices replace it with another app or file with the like name. This will glitch out Leopard, from displaying disk full messages.
http://macosx.com/forums/mac-os-x-system-mac-software/297194-disable-device-removal-message.html

^^ this, but it ain't elegant...
 
Last edited:

dyn

macrumors 68030
Aug 8, 2009
2,708
388
.nl
Or simply do what you're supposed to do: eject the volume before pulling the plug! No need for hacking files...
 

iThinkergoiMac

macrumors 68030
Jan 20, 2010
2,664
4
Terra
Or simply do what you're supposed to do: eject the volume before pulling the plug! No need for hacking files...

Exactly! The warning message is there for a reason, I've lost files when someone pulled a flash drive out of my computer without letting me eject it first.
 

calderone

Cancelled
Aug 28, 2009
3,743
352
Exactly! The warning message is there for a reason, I've lost files when someone pulled a flash drive out of my computer without letting me eject it first.

The message doesn't really help you after you have pulled the thing out...

Sure, it is a nice reminder, but the damage may be done.
 

iDisk

macrumors 6502a
Jan 2, 2010
825
0
Menlo Park, CA
Hi,

Is it possible to remove the USB removal alert messages...?

That´ll say the message that pops up if I remove a USB-thumb drive without unmounting it...?

Whats so difficult about unmounting it?? or just hitting the eject button on your computer??

Whats so difficult about a 5sec operation??

Who comes up with these threads :confused:

Answer: NO!
 

calderone

Cancelled
Aug 28, 2009
3,743
352
So that means it's a good idea to disable it entirely?

Methinks that logic is flawed.

I didnt say I agreed with the OP. Nice assumption.

But the logic isn't flawed, it simply depends on what purpose you think the message serves. But continue on with your childish rebuttals, that suits you more than thinking it seems.
 

dyn

macrumors 68030
Aug 8, 2009
2,708
388
.nl
The message doesn't really help you after you have pulled the thing out...

Sure, it is a nice reminder, but the damage may be done.
That's a very wrong assumption. The message is a big hint that you should check if the data on your disk is still there and intact. Scan it with disk utility. Not telling you that something may have gone wrong would be unhelpful and rediculous. Now you can check the data instead of finding out at location that the data isn't there or is corrupted. If you need to drive for like an hour or so this makes a very big difference! Without the message you'd have wasted a lot of time.
 

nsbio

macrumors 6502a
Aug 8, 2006
634
0
NC
I agree with the thread starter. I would like to have an OPTION to disable this alert. I use a thumb drive to exchange files between a Mac and a non-networked Windows machine. It is always the same type of file and of similar size. I know when either machine is done communicating with the drive, and while on a Windows side I can just pull the drive out and walk away, I have to wait until the Mac deigns to release the drive. After a while it gets tired.
 

dyn

macrumors 68030
Aug 8, 2009
2,708
388
.nl
Officially you have to unmount the drive first no matter what OS you're running (yes, that means Windows too!). Windows not warning you with such an alert is a bit of a design flaw, I don't know why they went with it. However, it's not like they don't warn at all, they just hide it very well (like they do with a lot of other stuff).

Since it is crucial in any OS that you first unmount the volume before ejecting or pulling anything there is no option to disable this. It's like leaving out the buttons for shutting down/starting the computer. You can want, pray, wish, scream, etc. whatever you want, the option isn't there and it never will be there.
 
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