Being extremely paranoid about backups, I ALWAYS use the "Safely Remove Hardware" function before unplugging my gear. But I also know that if I've already shutdown my computer (or, in this case, laptop), it's safe to just go ahead and unplug my devices.
However, I've recently taken to hibernating instead of shutting down, so I wonder ...
Is it safe to unplug my HDD (which is powered by its own power cord - not the USB drive) from the wall when my machine in hibernation?
Or would it be better to leave the HDD plugged into the wall and just flip the "OFF" switch on it?
Or neither? ...
If I unplug it anyway, what are the consequences?/Best alternative(s)?
(Sorry bout the slight question-overdose ... it's just that I would *love* to be able to unplug that HDD from the wall each night, because I'm trying to do my part to stop global warming, and as you know, unplugging your appliances at night is a start
...)