I know it is safer to use “always eject”. I also know what happens to the file being copied if I pull the cable mid-write: it’s lost or incomplete, and Windows offers “Scan and fix” next time. My question is about the rest of the drive (i.e., existing files and folders that weren’t being touched). How likely is unplugging an exFAT USB drive mid-write to damage/corrupt files other than the one being written?
My setup: Windows 11 Pro 25H2 and USB external hard drive Seagate One Touch 24TB STNB24000400 (Amazon) formatted with exFAT.
