External hard drives are extremely convenient and popular for expanding storage and backing up data. However, like all storage devices, they have a limited lifespan. When an external hard drive is not used for an extended period of time, some people wonder if the lack of activity can actually lead to the drive failing or “going bad” sooner than if it was regularly accessed and written to. In this article, we will examine how hard drives work, why they fail, their typical lifespans, the effects of non-use on external drives, best practices for maintaining them, signs of failure, and alternatives to traditional spinning hard drives.
How Hard Drives Work
Hard disk drives store and retrieve digital information using fast rotating magnetic-coated rigid platters, which are like disks. The platters are mounted on a spindle and spin at high speeds driven by a motor. The surface of each platter is divided into billions of tiny areas that are assigned a magnetic orientation to represent either a 0 or 1 in binary code. This stores the data (Chron, 2022).
A read-write arm with a read-write head is moved across the spinning platters by an actuator. The heads float just above the platter surface on a cushion of air. As the platters spin, the heads can detect or change the magnetic orientation in each area, allowing data to be written or read. The actuator precisely moves the heads to the correct track and sector on the platter to access the desired data (TechTarget, 2022).
Other components include a circuit board, motors, and firmware. The circuitry controls the mechanical components and transfers signals to and from the platters and heads. Together, these intricate mechanical and electronic parts allow hard drives to store immense amounts of digital data and retrieve it quickly (Chron, 2022).
Why Hard Drives Fail
Hard drives can fail due to a variety of reasons, but most failures can be categorized into two main failure modes: mechanical and electronic. Mechanical failures occur when there is a physical problem with the hard drive, while electronic failures stem from circuitry issues.
Common mechanical failures include:[1]
- Head crashes – The read/write head literally crashes into the hard drive platters, damaging both the head and platters.
- Motor failure – The spindle motor that spins the platters can fail.
- Bearing failure – The bearings that allow the spindle motor shaft to spin freely can fail.
- Failed servo – The servo that positions the read/write head can fail.
Electronic failures are often caused by:[2]
- Power surge – A sudden power spike can damage electronic components.
- Overheating – Excessive heat can degrade chips over time.
- Failed PCB – The circuit board that controls the hard drive can fail.
- Firmware damage – Issues with the hard drive’s firmware can cause malfunctions.
Understanding the main failure modes helps diagnose problems accurately and potentially recover data from failed drives.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk_drive_failure
[2] https://www.salvagedata.com/common-causes-of-hard-drive-failure/
Hard Drive Lifespan
The average lifespan for a traditional hard disk drive (HDD) is around 3-5 years, according to Backblaze’s hard drive reliability studies, which analyze failure rates across tens of thousands of drives https://www.backblaze.com/blog/hard-drive-life-expectancy/. However, lifespan can vary substantially depending on the manufacturer, model, and usage conditions.
One key factor is drive rotation speed. HDDs with faster rotational speeds like 10,000 or 15,000 RPM tend to have shorter lifespans of around 2-3 years. Slower 5,400 RPM drives can last 4-6 years on average. Drives in hotter environments also fail faster.
For external portable hard drives, average lifespan is 3-4 years, but can stretch to 5+ years with proper care and minimal usage. High quality drives kept in optimal conditions can last up to 10 years before failure.
Overall, HDD lifespan depends heavily on environmental factors and manufacturing quality. With moderate usage and good care, most will last 3-5 years on average before needing replacement.
Effects of Non-Use
Even if an external hard drive is not being actively used, it can still deteriorate and fail over time. This is because of the mechanical and electronic components inside the drive.
The platter, spindle, and read/write head are mechanical parts that can degrade even when not in use. For example, the platter may warp slightly over time. The spindle can collect microscopic debris causing spin instability. The read/write head can stick to the platter surface.
Electronic components like the circuit board, motor, and integrated circuits can also deteriorate over time. Electrolytic capacitors can dry out or leak. Transistors and diodes can weaken. Corrosion can develop on connections.
According to PartitionWizard, hard drives that sit unused for several years are very likely to deteriorate and fail compared to drives that are powered on and used regularly.
In summary, lack of powering up and routine access can still lead to eventual mechanical and electronic failure in a hard drive over an extended period of time.
Best Practices
Experts recommend spinning up hard drives periodically to help prolong their lifespan. This is because the platters and lubricants inside a hard drive can seize up if left stationary for too long. Spinning up a drive every few months redistributes the lubricants and prevents issues from developing. Regularly powering on external hard drives can help avoid potential mechanical failures down the line.
Proper storage conditions are also critical. Hard drives should be kept in a clean, dry, temperature-controlled environment. Moisture, dramatic temperature swings, and accumulations of dust or dirt can harm drives over time. Storing drives around 70°F and 40-50% relative humidity is ideal. Keeping drives in protective cases and elevated off the floor further reduces risks.
By spinning up drives periodically and maintaining proper storage conditions, users can help minimize the chances of failure for unused drives. However, backups are still essential in case issues do arise. Following best practices reduces, but does not eliminate, the risks associated with long-term hard drive storage.
Backing Up Data
Backing up your data is one of the most important things you can do to prevent data loss. As the saying goes, it’s not a matter of if you’ll experience a hard drive failure, but when. No hard drive lasts forever.
Backups provide you with a copy of your data that you can restore from if something happens to your computer or hard drive. Good backups allow you to recover quickly from data loss and avoid the lengthy process of trying to reconstruct data or files from scratch.
There are many options for backing up your data like external hard drives, USB flash drives, cloud backup services, and online backup providers. Storing backups both locally and in the cloud provides protection in case of events like computer theft or destruction. It’s also recommended to use versioning so old file versions can be recovered if needed.
Some best practices for backups include following the 3-2-1 rule – having at least 3 copies of your data, on 2 different media, with 1 copy stored offsite. Backing up regularly is also crucial – daily or weekly backups can prevent losing large amounts of new or changed data.
Taking the time to set up a backup system can save you from devastating data loss down the road. Protect your files, photos, documents and keep backups up-to-date.
Alternatives to Spinning Drives
One of the most popular alternatives to traditional spinning hard drives are solid state drives (SSDs). SSDs differ from traditional hard drives because they have no moving parts. Rather than using platters and a read/write head like a traditional hard drive, SSDs store data on flash memory chips.
Compared to traditional hard drives, SSDs have a number of advantages:
- Faster read/write speeds – SSDs can access data almost instantly, while HDDs require time for the platters to spin and the head to move into position.
- Better reliability – With no moving parts, SSDs are less prone to mechanical failure over time. Research shows SSDs have a slightly lower annual failure rate than HDDs. For example, one study found a 1.6% annual failure rate for SSDs versus 1.8% for HDDs.
- Faster start-up times – SSDs allow computers to boot up almost instantly.
- Lower power consumption – SSDs are more energy efficient than HDDs.
- Compact size – SSDs take up much less physical space than HDDs.
The downsides of SSDs include higher cost per gigabyte of storage compared to HDDs. However, as SSD prices continue to fall, they are becoming more popular for everyday computing use.
Signs of Hard Drive Failure
There are several noticeable symptoms that can indicate your hard drive is failing. Strange noises like whirring, humming, or loud clicking sounds coming from the hard drive can signal mechanical problems (Source). Loud clicking often means the read/write heads are having trouble moving or are stuck. Overheating is another sign, as hard drives are designed to operate within certain temperature ranges.
Performance issues like slow file transfers, programs taking longer to open, and general sluggishness of the computer can also indicate hard drive failure. This happens as damaged sectors on the drive take longer to read and write data. You may also experience frequent computer crashes, the blue screen of death, and data corruption or loss. Missing files and folders are a major red flag (Source).
If you are noticing any of these symptoms, it’s important to immediately back up your data and consider replacing the drive. The more you use a failing drive, the higher the chances of irrecoverable data loss.
Conclusion
In summary, while hard drives can remain in good working order for years without being actively used, they will still degrade and fail over time. Internal components like the platters and moving parts wear down gradually even when the drive is powered off and in storage. Environmental factors like temperature fluctuations and physical impacts can also contribute to earlier failure.
To maximize hard drive lifespan, the best practices are to store unused drives properly – protected from dust, stable temps, laying flat – and occasionally spin them up to check functionality. But no storage drive lasts forever. So critical data should always be backed up, and alternatives like solid state drives considered for archival needs. With proper care, an unused hard drive can still retain function for a few years. But partial or complete failures remain a possibility.