ok to disconnect iPod without dismounting?
iTunes tells me I have to click the dismount icon and wait a few seconds before I disconnect my Nano from my iBook. Or else it gives me a menacing warning that I might destroy data and whatnot.
This process bothers me sometimes. Especially if my iBook is hibernating (That's what you call it, isn't it?), it is a bit cumbersome to awake it, and wait for the nano to dismount.
So I am considering just starting to ignore the warning and disconnect my nano without bothering with dismounting. I have done it from time to time without catastrophic results of any kind, but I am a bit queasy about making a habit of it.
Does anyone know if it is actually harmful to disconnect without dismounting?
[730 byte] By [
Humbro] at [2007-11-11 16:55:25]
# 1 Re: ok to disconnect iPod without dismounting?
Remove the check beside "Enable disk use" in the iPod's preferences Summary tab in iTunes. It will automatically unmount after it syncs and mount when you do sync.
# 2 Re: ok to disconnect iPod without dismounting?
Does anyone know if it is actually harmful to disconnect without dismounting?
Yes, it can be. Each disk has a couple of database files that are updated every time something happens on the disk. Dismounting (ejecting) the disk forces the system to update those files; if they don't get closed out properly, the directory structure of the disk could be unreadable next time you try to use it.
S2
S2_Mac at 2007-11-15 16:49:06 >
# 3 Re: ok to disconnect iPod without dismounting?
Remove the check beside "Enable disk use" in the iPod's preferences Summary tab in iTunes. It will automatically unmount after it syncs and mount when you do sync.
Grand! Just what I needed! Thanks a million.
Humbro at 2007-11-15 16:50:04 >
# 4 Re: ok to disconnect iPod without dismounting?
Does anyone know if it is actually harmful to disconnect without dismounting?
Yes, it can be. Each disk has a couple of database files that are updated every time something happens on the disk. Dismounting (ejecting) the disk forces the system to update those files; if they don't get closed out properly, the directory structure of the disk could be unreadable next time you try to use it.
Yes, I've heard something along those lines. But the worst thing that can happen is that the data on the disk will become unreadable, right? You won't have any trouble deleting these data and using the disk again afterwards? (Or would you have to format it?)
In that case it wouldn't be that big of a deal - you could just sync your ipod once more, and it would be fine. (After Sparkee's advice this isn't a problem for me with ipods anymore, but it is still interesting for flash drives and such.)
Humbro at 2007-11-15 16:51:10 >
# 5 Re: ok to disconnect iPod without dismounting?
Remove the check beside "Enable disk use" in the iPod's preferences Summary tab in iTunes. It will automatically unmount after it syncs and mount when you do sync.If only there was a better alternative for those who love using their iPods as storage devices. :(
# 6 Re: ok to disconnect iPod without dismounting?
The actual disk will be fine. Recovery programs may help you get some data off it; disk utilities may be able to repair the directory "damage" and make everything hunky-dory. Worst case, the disk will need a re-format.
S2
S2_Mac at 2007-11-15 16:53:08 >
