[designerguy]

Is it ok to unplug and plug USB devices with out turning off and on the computer?

How about monitor cables used to screen span?

I have an ibook G4.

thanks!

[BarracksSi]

USB devices, yes -- in fact, that was the coolest thing about USB when the original iMac came with them.. what, seven years ago? If it's a jump drive/keychain drive/whatever, treat it like any other removable memory storage device and "eject" it from the Finder, wait for its light to stop blinking, and then remove it. If it's a mouse or keyboard or something like that, just yank it whenever you're ready.

Monitor cables -- close the iBook to put it to sleep and then unplug it. That's the safest way, and you don't lose any work in the process, either.

[FFL]

In fact, you should NEVER plug or unplug USB devices when sleeping (always hot-swap, or when the computer is totally shut down), while you should ALWAYS plug and unplug monitor cables while sleeping (or totally shut down).

[designerguy]

Interesting!

Thanks for the advice!

[atomicbartbeans]

How to span with iBook

[Kickaha]

Originally Posted by FFL In fact, you should NEVER plug or unplug USB devices when sleeping

Yeah, I found this one out the hard way with my in-laws spiffy new iBook. Their first computer. After years of hearing me tell them to get a Mac because it's nice and stable, they finally do, and what happens the first night?

We're setting up the printer, and finish up. I close the lid on the iBook, and then one asks "Can you pull the cable thingy out while it's on?" "Sure, you can pull it out whenever, it's safe." *yoink*

Open the lid, and it's locked hard. Oops. "Oh, yeah, um, that shouldn't happen."

Boy did I look stupid.

[torifile]

That's strange. I never have any problems doing either of the above with my powerbook or with my wife's ibook. If a USB device is removed while sleeping, my computer will wake for a second then go back to sleep (if the lid's closed). When I plug/unplug in my mini-vga (or dvi or whatever it's called) while the computer's awake, there's a flicker and it's back to normal. No problems at all. I guess I'm just lucky.

[Kickaha]

I'm not sure about the video cable... maybe an ADC cable, where there's power, but a standard VGA/DVI? Never had a problem. Perhaps you're thinking of the auto-detect that occurs when it wakes from sleep? It's certainly convenient, but it's not any different than plugging it in and hitting Detect Displays in the Displays System Pref or menu item. I've never heard of any *problems* from it.

[FFL]

Originally Posted by torifile No problems at all. I guess I'm just lucky.

Exactly. "sleep-swapping" USB devices doesn't always cause a lockup or other problem, but it you do it enough, you are tempting fate.

RE the video - Dr. Kick is correct, but I recommend the sleep-swap simply for convenience purposes.

[rastadmblvr4life]

yo i have an imac g5. i have a 256 mb usb storage device that is made by sony. i am currently in school right now and i rely no it a great deal for saving assignments to them and transfering them to class. i am having a problem though. When in intsert the device into the usb port, it is no longer showing the device on my desktop, or showing ne signs of the computer actually reading the device. i have tried plugging it into other usb ports located on my computer and on the back of my keyboard as well but still nothing has seemed to work. it was working before but just recently it stopped and i have no idea why. if ne one could help that would be great. thanks a lot in advance.

[FFL]

more than likely, your Sony storage device has gone bad.

You can confirm that tomorrow by plugging it into a computer you normally use at school - or tonight if there are other computers available to you.

If it works on computers other than your Mac, then you would try to troubleshoot your Mac.

[rastadmblvr4life]

thank you, this might sound as a dumb question, but as i am somewhat new to the mac systems, how would i go about by troubleshooting?

[BarracksSi]

Troubleshooting's fundamentally easy -- just change the variables. If that Sony USB key seems bad, does it work on other computers? What about other Sony devices on your own computer?

Did it begin malfunctioning right after an update?

Did you unplug it before ejecting it from the Finder? The Mac OS may address an attached storage device at any time without being asked to by the user. The good part is that the Mac always knows what's attached; the bad part is that you could yank it while data is being written, which could corrupt the device.

[rastadmblvr4life]

oh ok, yea i get what you mean now. the drive works on pc computers, although i havn't tested it on other mac computers, but when i plug in my mp3 via usb port it picks it up automatically.

[JayReding]

I've had a problem like that before. Usually restarting the computer fixes it - just make sure the drive isn't inserted when you restart, because for some reason that causes problems as well. Also, have you tried using a different USB port on your Mac?

[rastadmblvr4life]

yea, i have tried all usb ports, including the ports located on the back of my keyboard but nothing seems to work.

[FFL]

try Disk Utility - see if it can recognize and Repair the disk.

[turbulentfurball]

Originally Posted by FFL RE the video - Dr. Kick is correct, but I recommend the sleep-swap simply for convenience purposes.

Bump.

I'd just like to double check this. I buggered an expensive video card for a PC by swapping the cable to an onboard graphics VGA out once and I need reassured. I want to use the same monitor for my G4 Mini and MacBook; I've just bought a mini-DVI to VGA adaptor.