safely removing hardware

When disconecting a device such as an ipod or a flash player... why is it necessary to go through this procedure instead of just unpluging it? Will it cause damage to the device or the computer if this step is skipped?

 

I always do it the correct way... but was curious if anyone ever had a problem from just unpluging.

 

It depends on how that device is configured for write caching...

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prdh_dmt_cgwi.asp

* Click Optimize for quick removal to disable write caching on the storage device and in Windows. This allows you to remove the device without using the Safely Remove Hardware application, but can have an impact on the performance of the device.
* Click Optimize for performance to enable write caching in Windows, which can improve the performance of the storage device. However, you must use the Safely Remove Hardware application to disconnect the device from the computer.