🚀 go-pugleaf

Ross wrote:
> 
> I've just installed removable hard disk cradles so I can put a
> removable (second) hard disk in each PC.   So far, I've been turning
> the PC off for safety before pulling out the hard disc cradle.
> However, it would be a lot more convenient if I could treat it like a
> floppy - ie, so long as the drive is not actually writing to disk at
> the time, can you pull the disk out while the PC and Windows are still
> powered up?
> 
> Is this OK?   Won't hurt the hard disk, I hope?
> 
> Ross

Read the cradle and motherboard documents.
Some have appropriate electronics and connectors and are recognised
as such, many don't.
I haven't seen any hot connect electronics that didn't prominently
proclaim it to the world.
If it is just a passthrough connection it is not a good idea.
A lot of hotswap capable equipment likely to have buffering problems
has drivers that perform tidyup of the system before removal and after
insert.
Either user software triggered or some button and 'safe' light on the
equipment.

Even windows prefers the 'safe to powerdown' route.
A Removable tag on properies should modify the buffering behaviour.

If in doubt power down, a few minutes to reboot vs hours and dollars
to rebuild or replace the drive and data.