# USB hubs - ejected flash drives **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-hubs-ejected-flash-drives/547503 "2010-07-21T19:01:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-hubs-ejected-flash-drives/547503/1 "2010-07-21T19:01:49Z")
Are there any USB hubs on the market that will physically prevent you from removing a flash drive if it hasn’t been ejected from the operating system? Or at least is there one that lights up a bright LED or something when it is safe to remove? Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-hubs-ejected-flash-drives/547503/2 "2010-07-21T19:19:27Z")
There is no way from a hardware perspective to physically prevent you from removing a device from a USB port. Many flash drives have a built-in light that will light up when the drive is being accessed and turn off when it is safe to remove. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-hubs-ejected-flash-drives/547503/3 "2010-07-21T19:53:53Z")
activity lights are good. flash drives can be slow. activity can still happen a minute or so after an on screen progress bar might indicate completion. a dismount of the device shouldn’t happen if all activity is not finished. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-hubs-ejected-flash-drives/547503/4 "2010-07-21T20:28:40Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > There is no way from a hardware perspective to physically prevent you from removing a device from a USB port. > > Many flash drives have a built-in light that will light up when the drive is being accessed and turn off when it is safe to remove. I’ll readily believe that noone has created one since I can’t find any, but why is there no way? All the Type A USB connectors that I have lying around have 2 square holes that could possibly be utilized for that purpose. Activity lights are useful, but is there any device that ties that light to an ejected or unmounted status? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-hubs-ejected-flash-drives/547503/5 "2010-07-21T21:35:25Z")
The USB standard specifies everything about that connector, and there is no locking mechanism in the standard. I wouldn’t expect to see one any time soon either. This is not a common problem. Most people click on “safely remove hardware” (or whatever the option is on their OS), wait for the OS to tell the user that the device can be safely removed, then remove the flash drive. Whether the USB port is directly attached to the computer or is a separate hub doesn’t matter. The procedure is still the same. Most folks don’t have a problem with it. USB is for a lot of things other than flash drives. Don’t expect anyone to put anything device specific into it. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-hubs-ejected-flash-drives/547503/6 "2010-07-21T22:39:23Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Most people click on “safely remove hardware” (or whatever the option is on their OS), wait for the OS to tell the user that the device can be safely removed, then remove the flash drive. I’m not sure about the ‘most people’ part. 🙂 Point taken about things not being flash drive specific though. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-hubs-ejected-flash-drives/547503/7 "2010-07-22T15:18:43Z")
Any USB hubs out there that have open-source or customizable drivers? Something that would allow you to control when the led indicator light was activated?