USB Flash Drives

[Eileen Lutzow]

Alnisa,

We have this exact issue with Fortres and USB drives and would 
love to place an icon on the desktop to eject the drive, but I haven't 
been able to identify a command for "eject USB drive."  So, how do 
you "just place the eject USB Device icon on the desktop"?  Even if 
it's safe to remove the drive without stopping it, some of our 
students would feel more comfortable if the option were available.  
Thanks.

Eileen Lutzow
Charleston Southern University Library


On 4 Feb 05, at 12:32, Alnisa Allgood wrote:

> Hi Tom:
> 
> Two things, first, the Stop USB Device, while in the Task Bar (actually
> its in the system tray), does not have to be there. You could place it on
> the desktop of the computer or elsewhere were users could access it. 
> 
> Second, typically speaking, removing the USB drive cold from the computer
> should be fine. But this is more dependent on the drive rather than the
> mechanism itself. Just like some USB drives require software, while most
> are interchangeable with no software other than USB2 required. 
> 
> My experience has been that if the drive required software to be installed
> before its first use, then it will occasionally have problems if the user
> doesn't follow the eject USB device method. Typically this problems aren't
> immediate, and even when they are they are rarely serious. For example,
> I've seen some drives that will display the this device wasn't properly
> removed message when placed into a new computer. Typically, the issue is
> small enough that Windows ScanDisk can repair.
> 
> But most drives are 'hotswapable' the message to eject the device is
> optional. But if you want to be safe rather than sorry, just place the
> eject USB Device icon on the desktop or in the allowed toolbar, or
> whatever you have set-up for users.
> 
> Alnisa
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Gardner <tgardner at mcl.org>
> Sent: Fri, 04 February 2005 10:22:47
> To: Multiple recipients of list <web4lib at webjunction.org>
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] USB Flash Drives
> 
> Hello.
> 
> I did some quick research on this issue and could not find anything that
> directly related to it; so I figured I'd ask in these forums. Any insights
> you can offer would be appreciated. (Please excuse the cross-posting.)
> 
> Currently, at our library, we do not allow patrons to use Flash drives on
> our public PCs because we have Fortres on all public PCs and Fortres is
> set to disallow access to the taskbar. Of course, to stop the USB device,
> you have to be able to access the little icon that appears on the taskbar.
> With Fortres, access to the taskbar is, as far as we can figure, an
> all-or-nothing proposition: we'd like to be able to allow patrons access
> to the "Stop USB Device" icon if doing so didn't give them access to
> everything else you can get to from the taskbar - which is virtually
> everything.
> 
> My question: USB devices are supposedly hot-swappable, so taking them out
> without stopping them first should pose no risk to the PC. Assuming the
> patron has saved the document she is accessing on the USB device, and has
> closed the associated application, there *should*, as well, be no risk to
> the data or USB device itself when you remove it without stopping it
> first.
> 
> That, at least, is my understanding.
> 
> I know of one public library in our county - one that is not part of the
> county system - that disallows access to the taskbar on public PCs (as we
> do), but still allows the use of USB drives. In over a year, they have had
> no problems with data loss or equipment failure that could be attributed
> to failing to stop the USB drives before removing them.
> 
> Does anybody else out there disable access to the "Stop USB Device" icon
> yet still allow the public to use Flash Drives/USB drives? 
> 
> I would also be interested if anyone has any experiences of equipment
> damage - eith to the USB drive or the PC - from removing the USB drive
> from the port without first stopping it.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any help.
> 
> --
> Tom Gardner
> Mercer County Library
> Webmaster
> tgardner at mcl.org
> 609-882-2134
>