How to Remove a Smart Drive

Smart drives, also known as flash drives, USB drives or jump drives, are a convenient way to access portable storage of computer files. These devices are small enough to fit in a pocket or purse, which is why so many people choose to use them to store files they need to access on multiple computers. It is important to always properly eject the smart drive from the computer before removing it from the USB port. Failure to follow proper procedures when removing the drive can result in damage, which can lead to permanent loss of the files on the drive.

Eject Smart Drive from a Windows-Based Computer

• 1

  Locate the smart drive eject icon on the task bar at the bottom of the screen. The icon has a green arrow with an image of a disk drive on it. Hovering the mouse over this icon should display a message about safely removing the device.

• 2

  Click the icon once and select, "Safely remove USB Mass Storage Device" from the pull-down menu. Wait until a message says it is safe to remove the drive before proceeding to the next step.

• 3

  Grasp the smart drive and pull it straight out of the USB port.

Eject Smart Drive from a Mac Computer

• 1

  Open the Finder using the link on the dock (toolbar). The finder window will open on the screen.

• 2

  Locate the name of the smart drive under "Devices," located on the left side of the window.

• 3

  Right-click on the arrow icon to the right of the drive name. A pull-down menu will appear.

• 4

  Select "Eject" from the pull-down menu. Wait for the message that says it's safe to remove the drive.

• 5

  Grasp the smart drive and pull it straight out of the USB port.