Why Transfer Files to an External Hard Drive?
There are several key reasons to transfer files from your computer’s internal hard drive to an external hard drive:
Free up space on your computer’s internal drive – As you accumulate more files and programs, your computer’s hard drive can start to fill up. Transferring files to an external drive frees up space and storage on your main hard drive.
Back up important files in case of computer issues – External hard drives serve as a great backup location to store important files and documents. If your computer crashes or is damaged, you’ll have a copy of your key files on the external drive [1].
Easily take files with you or transfer to a new computer – External drives allow you to quickly and easily transport files between computers. You can take your files anywhere or use your external drive to transfer data to a new computer [2].
In summary, transferring files to an external hard drive helps optimize your computer’s storage, provides backup protection, and enables transferring data between devices.
[1] https://www.cloudwards.net/should-i-use-an-external-hard-drive-for-backup/
[2] https://nordic-backup.com/blog/external-hard-drive-data-backup/
Choose an External Hard Drive
When selecting an external hard drive, the first thing to consider is the storage capacity you need. Calculate how much space you require based on the amount of files, photos, videos and other data you want to transfer or back up. Popular external hard drive sizes include 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and upwards, with higher capacity drives providing more storage but at a higher price.
Look for a drive that supports fast transfer speeds, ideally USB 3.0 or USB-C. Faster USB standards allow you to move files on and off the drive more quickly. USB 2.0 tops out at 60MB/s transfer speeds, while USB 3.0 achieves speeds up to 625MB/s. So a USB 3.0 drive will transfer files significantly faster than USB 2.0.
Get an external hard drive from a reputable, well-known brand like Western Digital, Seagate or Toshiba. More reliable brands tend to have better warranties and build quality, resulting in drives that last longer. Consumer reports consistently rank these brands as making some of the best external hard drives.
Connect the External Hard Drive
Connecting an external hard drive to your computer is very simple. You just need the included USB cable that came with your external hard drive. One end of the cable plugs into the external hard drive, while the other end plugs into an available USB port on your computer.
Locate an open USB port on your desktop or laptop computer. USB ports are typically located on the front, back, or sides of a computer. Most modern computers have multiple USB ports, so you should have no trouble finding an open one to use.
Take the USB cable that came with your external hard drive and plug one end into the external hard drive. The connection port on the hard drive should have a USB icon next to it. With the hard drive end connected, grab the other end of the cable and plug it into the USB port on your computer.
Once both ends of the USB cable are securely plugged into the external hard drive and computer, your operating system will automatically detect the external hard drive. This means the external hard drive is now successfully connected and ready to use.
Use File Explorer to Transfer Files
The easiest way to transfer files and folders to your external hard drive is by using File Explorer in Windows. Here are the steps:
1. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E). This will show a list of drives and folders on your computer.
2. Locate the files and folders you want to transfer to the external hard drive. Navigate to the location on your computer’s hard drive where they are stored.
3. Connect your external hard drive to the computer via USB port. The external drive should show up in File Explorer under “This PC” or “My Computer.” Click on it to view its folders and contents.
4. Click and drag the files/folders you want to transfer from their current location over to the window showing the contents of your external hard drive. This will copy the selected items to the external drive.
5. You can also right click on an item, select Copy, then right click in the external hard drive window and select Paste. This will copy the item over.
6. As the transfer progresses, you’ll see a progress bar in File Explorer letting you know when it’s complete.
That’s it! Using File Explorer provides an easy graphical way to transfer files between your computer’s internal hard drive and an external hard drive. Just remember to safely eject the external drive before disconnecting it.
Transfer Large Groups of Files
When you need to transfer a large number of files from your computer to the external hard drive, selecting them individually can be tedious. A quicker way is to select all the contents of a folder at once.
To transfer multiple files together:
- Open the folder containing the files you want to move.
- Click once on the folder itself to highlight it.
- This will select all the files and subfolders within that folder.
- You can also hold down the Ctrl key while clicking to select multiple individual files and folders.
Once selected, you can drag and drop them or use Copy/Paste to transfer the large batch of files all at once. Using this method allows you to quickly migrate everything in that folder without having to click on each one.
For more tips, see this guide: How to Transfer All Data from Laptop to External Hard Drive?
Transfer Entire Folders
When you want to move an entire folder from your computer to the external hard drive, it’s easy to copy it over.
To transfer a folder:
- Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder you want to transfer.
- Right click on the folder and select “Copy”. This will copy the folder and all its contents.
- Open the external hard drive in File Explorer.
- Right click in an empty space in the external hard drive window and select “Paste”. This will paste the folder and its contents into the external hard drive.
The entire folder structure and all files will be copied over to the external hard drive. This allows you to quickly and easily move entire folders without having to copy each file individually.
Just remember that copying does not move the folder – it creates a duplicate on the external drive. If you want to move the folder off your computer entirely, once you’ve confirmed it copied properly, you’ll still need to delete the original folder from your computer.
Transfer System Files and Folders
Some of the most important files and folders to transfer are your Windows libraries, desktop, documents, pictures, music, and videos folders. These contain your personal files that you’ll want to have on the external drive.
The easiest way to transfer these system folders is to use the Windows Easy Transfer tool. This is a built-in Windows utility that allows you to move user accounts, files, and settings from one PC to another. Here’s how to use it:
- Open the Start menu and search for “Windows Easy Transfer” and select the desktop app to open it.
- Choose “An external hard disk or USB flash drive” as the transfer method.
- Select the library folders you want to move (Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos).
- Choose your external hard drive as the destination.
- Click “Transfer” to start copying your files.
Windows Easy Transfer will automatically copy all the selected folders and files to the external drive for you. It may take some time depending on how much data you are moving.[1]
After it completes, you can double check the files are on the external hard drive before deleting them from your original computer.
Safely Remove the External Hard Drive
It’s important to safely remove the external hard drive before disconnecting it from your computer. Simply unplugging the drive while it’s in use can lead to data corruption or loss. Here’s how to safely eject the drive:
Use the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon in the system tray. This is located in the bottom right corner of the screen next to the clock. Click on this icon and select the external hard drive from the list. This will ensure any ongoing writes to the drive are completed before ejecting it.
You can also right-click on the external hard drive icon in File Explorer and select “Eject”. This will also safely disconnect the drive before removing it.
A safe removal message will appear when it’s ok to detach the drive. At this point, you can unplug the USB cable or power cord without damaging files. Do not remove the external hard drive until you see the safe removal notification. (1)
Following this simple procedure every time prevents errors and ensures you don’t lose any data when moving external drives between computers.
(1) https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/safely-remove-hardware-in-windows-1ee6677d-4e6c-4359-efca-fd44b9cec369
Store the External Hard Drive Properly
Once you finish transferring files to your external hard drive, it’s important to store it properly to maximize its lifespan. Place the external hard drive in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight and heat sources like furnace vents or appliances. Excessive heat can damage electronics. According to Platinum Data Recovery, the ideal temperature range for external hard drives is between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Avoid dropping, jostling, or putting pressure on the external hard drive. The internal components are delicate and can break with impact or applied force. Store the drive on a flat, stable surface and refrain from stacking objects on top of it. Consider placing it in a case or padded pouch for extra protection when not in use. These simple precautions will help your external hard drive last for many years.
Back Up on a Regular Basis
It is critical to back up your computer files regularly to prevent data loss. Experts recommend backing up important files at least once a week, but ideally every 24 hours (Source). Setting reminders can help you remember to manually back up key files on a consistent schedule.
For frequent automatic backups, use backup software like Apple’s Time Machine. Time Machine saves hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all previous months to an external drive or network storage (Source). This ensures you have multiple versions of files over time in case you need to restore a previous version.
Automating the backup process is ideal for comprehensive protection of your system and files. Schedule regular backups to run automatically so you do not lose important data if you forget to do manual backups.