How to use the card reader?

[Goenitz]

I have finally ordered my D2, and in preparation for that I went and got myself a Sandisk 4GB SDHC card that came with a MicroMate USB card reader.
http://regmedia.co.uk/2006/12/01/sandisk_sdhc_1.jpg
The thing is, i don't quite understand how this reader works. Let me explain:

- I connect the reader to my computer. It appears as "removable disk".
- Then, I put the card into the reader. Computer detects it, Autoplay kicks in. So far so good.

- I move around files and stuff. Create folders, delete stuff, the usual. then I'm finished using it.

- Next, I don't know what to do. If i use the "Safely disconnect hardware" menu from XPSP2, the little light on the reader turns off, and the whole thing gets disconnected. But I figured that, when I get more cards, I'd like to take only the card out, and leave the reader plugged in. But I don't know if that would damage the card, cause i have never worked with SD cards before. The fact that the reader's tiny light doesn't turn off kinda worries me a little.

So, the bottom line is: Can I swap SD cards in the reader without taking it out? Is there any risk of damage if I do that?

[ManchesterBaby]

I've noticed this too - it's an annoying feature of the safe remove hardware function. You'll probably be ok just removing the card. So long as you have "Optimise for quick removal" set in "device properties->policies" (which claims to let you remove a device by not using the 'safe removal' icon), and you don't pull it out when windows is obviously writing to it, you should be ok.

[Goenitz]

I've been trying this method you suggested, no problems so far. Thanks for the info [yes]

[wader]

BTW, the management of your D2 with the USB port is much the same - so long as Windows is set to write immediately with that device (i.e., "optimize for quick removal"), there is little danger of connecting/disconnecting causing a problem . . . except in the middle of a write operation.

- wader

[Goenitz]

More weird stuff regarding my card reader:
I have noticed that most of the time, if the SDHC card has the write protection on before I put it in the reader, the card's label ("My1stSDHC") will not show up, and Windows XP detects the filesystem as RAW. When the write protection is off, however, everything looks normal: label shows up and filesystem is FAT32.

The thing that freaked me out was that Windows Vista detects the write-protected card as being kind of damaged: some warning shows up, offering me to CHKDSK. At first I panicked, thinking that all this removing without using the Safe Remove Icon had done something to the card, but some days later I tried the card on Vista without the write protection, and it showed NO errors or warnings.

Any similar cases among you guys?