This is probably a very simple question to answer, but I don't know the answer.

When you remove a USB pen drive without first going through the menu to disable it, is there really a risk to wipe the drive? Why?

I could see that it would obviously corrupt a file that was in the process of being transferred, but apart from that I can't see how simply pulling out the pen drive would alter the solid state memory.

Any ideas?

The stupid filter won't let me post a topic with 1/2 of the letters uppercase... stupid.

That has never happened to me. I always yank her out when activity is done on the USB drive. I've never used the "safely remove hardware" for those flash sticks.

I can tell you it does happen, because I've done it twice (should have learnt first time, I know!)

If it's writing or looking at the TOC (if it has one that is?) and you remove it's power source there could be a possibility of it wiping or corrupting this, thus losing all the files... maybe?

I think if the disabling is part of the process then there should be a good reason for it.. Don't you think?

If it's writing or looking at the TOC (if it has one that is?) and you remove it's power source there could be a possiblity of it wiping or corrupting this, thus losing all the files ... maybe?That's why I mentioned when the activity is done. Would one turn off a computer while its writing stuff to the hard drive?

Fair one... but I mean if you have something open... say 'My Computer' that is constantly looking at what is on that drive and you don't notice that could do something to it?

I'm no expert on this like, just guessing! Lol!

I think if the disabling is part of the process then there should be a good reason for it.. Don't you think?

Yes, this is why I was asking how the wipe happens. From my understanding of solidstate physics and how these devices work, I don't really see why it would completely wipe, even if it was only reading.

It wouldn't really wipe. It would scramble the boot sector and or TOC, making the drive unreadable, your data would still be there though.

I've done this before. I unplugged a usb sd card reader unsafely and lost the TOC. The way I restored the TOC was to place the sd card back into my digital camera and voilà the camera recreated the TOC. All my data was intact and the TOC rebuilt. I took some more pics and then put the card in my usb reader and copied everything to my PC hard drive without fail.