USB Flash Drives

[shu-hi]

I have this older HP i-5 and it still works real good but it only has a 500 GB hard drive.  I bought a 256GB USB flash drive and I have created folders in it and have been saving my files to this flash drive.  However, I have bee removing the USB flash drive from the computer each time before I reboot or shut down the computer.

I would really like to just leave it plugged into the computer and just leave it there when I restart or shut down the computer.

So, since this is a new process for me, I was wondering if leaving the flash drive plugged in all the time even on retarts and shut-downs is a bad thing to do, or is it okay to just leave it in all the time?  The computer won't see the flash drive in the USB port upon start-up and try to boot from it will it?

Thanks in advance!

[Grizzlys2k · Accepted solution]

An USB flash drive...like any other storage like a SSD...has a limited number of writes/reads.....but enough for a few years...

There will be absolutely no problem if you leave it in the USB port...and it will be available each time you turn on your computer.

As long as in your BIOS you have the 1st boot device your hard drive....your computer will not try to boot from the flash drive as long as you dont put it do that!!! so dont worry!!!

[shu-hi]

My Bios boot order is set to look for the hard drive first, so as you stated it should work fine.  Just wanted to be sure.

Thanks a lot for your help!!

[Grizzlys2k]

Yes its all good...just leave it like that!!