External hard drives provide a convenient way to add storage capacity to your computer. Many people like to keep their external hard drives plugged in all the time for easy access to the data. However, there are some advantages and disadvantages to consider when deciding whether to leave an external drive connected indefinitely.
This article will examine the pros and cons of leaving an external hard drive plugged in constantly. It will look at ideal usage habits to maximize drive lifespan, discuss signs of potential hard drive failure, and provide tips for backing up your data. Power management settings, alternative storage options, and drive lifespan will also be covered.
Pros of Leaving External Hard Drives Plugged In
There are some advantages to leaving an external hard drive plugged in at all times. One major pro is convenience. Keeping the drive constantly connected provides instant access to your data. There’s no need to plug in the drive every time you want to access files, which saves time and effort.
In addition, keeping the external drive plugged in enables instant backups. Services like Apple’s Time Machine can periodically and automatically back up data to the external drive when it’s connected. This provides continuous real-time backup rather than periodic manual backups.
According to discussions on Apple forums, Time Machine and other backup software rely on the external drive being connected 24/7. Keeping it plugged in ensures your data is always protected and backed up.
Cons of Leaving External Hard Drives Plugged In
While convenient, leaving an external hard drive plugged in all the time does come with some downsides to consider:
Overheating – External hard drives can overheat if left plugged in continuously, especially if they are experiencing heavy usage. The heat buildup can lead to potential damage or failure over time. As one Reddit user commented, “Electronics tend to last longer if powered off when not in use” [1].
Power surge damage – External hard drives plugged into the wall are vulnerable to power surges that could fry the drive. Surge protectors can mitigate this risk but do not eliminate it entirely.
Unnecessary wear – The read/write heads inside a plugged-in hard disk are constantly moving, even while idle. This introduces unnecessary wear over time compared to unplugging the drive when not in use.
Overall, while the risks are generally low, unplugging your external hard drive when not in active use can extend its lifespan by reducing strain on its components.
Ideal Usage
There are a few best practices to balance convenience and longevity when using an external hard drive:
- Avoid leaving the drive plugged in and powered on at all times, as this can shorten its lifespan. However, it’s fine to leave it plugged in when actively using it.
- Aim to unplug the drive when it’s not in use for extended periods, such as overnight or when away from your computer. This avoids unnecessary wear and tear.
- Turn on your computer’s power management settings to spin down the external drive after a period of inactivity. This will extend its life without sacrificing too much convenience.
- Use the Safely Remove Hardware option before unplugging the drive. This ensures any cached writes are flushed to avoid data corruption.
- Store the external drive properly when not in use – in a protective case, dry location away from magnets or excessive heat.
Following these tips will help prevent premature failure of the drive while still allowing convenient access when needed.
Hard Drive Lifespans
The average lifespan of an external hard drive is around 3-5 years, though it can vary considerably depending on usage and storage conditions. According to a Reddit thread, most people report their portable hard drives lasting 3-5 years before failure depending on utilization. Research by EaseUS suggests that, assuming no physical damage, external hard drives tend to function for about 3-5 years before issues arise.
Specifically, the average lifespan for an external HDD is often estimated at around 3 years according to CEGSUPPORT. Meanwhile, external SSDs may last around 4-5 years on average.
There are many factors that impact hard drive lifespan, including running time, temperature, handling, workload, and more. But in general, most consumers can expect their external drives to remain functional for about 3-5 years when used intermittently and stored properly.
Signs of Hard Drive Failure
There are several signs to look out for that may indicate your external hard drive is failing:
Blue Screen of Death errors – Frequent blue screen crashes or error messages mentioning the hard drive could indicate it is failing (source).
Strange noises – Clicking, beeping, grinding or buzzing coming from the hard drive are common signs of failure (source).
Failure to mount or recognize – If your computer is not detecting the external drive or struggling to access files, it could mean the drive is damaged (source).
Corrupted files – Frequent file errors or corrupted data is a major red flag for hard drive problems.
Slow performance – If the external drive is extremely slow to load or transfer files, it may be failing.
Overheating – Excessive heat coming from the hard drive points to a potential mechanical issue.
Backing Up Your Data
It is crucially important to routinely back up the data on your external hard drive. Hard drives can unexpectedly fail at any time, and if you don’t have a backup, you could permanently lose all of your files and data. According to Wired, “A good rule of thumb is to get a backup drive that’s two, or even three, times the size of the drive in your computer.”
There are a few strategies you can use to back up an external hard drive:
- Back up to another external hard drive: Plug both drives into your computer and use backup software to copy your files from one external drive to another. This article from BackUpEverything provides step-by-step instructions: How to Backup External Hard Drive?
- Back up to the cloud: Use an online backup service like Backblaze, Carbonite or IDrive to automatically back up your external drive files securely to the cloud. This ensures access to your data if both external drives fail.
- Back up to your internal drive: Use the backup software built into your operating system (like Time Machine on Mac or File History on Windows 10) to copy important files from the external drive to your internal drive.
No matter which method you choose, be sure to back up your external drive on a regular basis, such as once a week or month. This will minimize the chance of losing your valuable photos, documents and other data due to an unexpected drive failure.
Power Management Settings
You can configure your external hard drive’s power management settings in Windows to prevent it from going to sleep. This can be done by going to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options. Under “Plugged in” settings, you can change things like turn off hard disk after a certain time period of inactivity.
According to Microsoft, you can prevent an external USB hard drive from sleeping by going into Device Manager, right clicking on the external drive, going to Properties > Power Management, and unchecking “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”.
These settings can prevent your external hard drive from going to sleep while ensuring it does not continually spin and draw power when not in use.
Alternative Storage Options
As external hard drives come with risks of failure and data loss, many users look for alternative storage options. Two popular alternatives are cloud storage and internal hard drives.
Cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and iCloud provide ample online storage that can be accessed from anywhere. Data stored in the cloud is protected against hardware failures, allowing users to access files across devices. Cloud storage provides virtually unlimited capacity, removing concerns over running out of space (Best Portable External Storage Drives).
However, cloud storage relies on an internet connection. Users with spotty internet may want to consider internal hard drives instead. Internal hard drives connect directly to the computer’s motherboard, offering quick read/write speeds. Modern internal drives come in large capacities up to 10TB. An internal drive keeps data within the user’s physical possession instead of on a third-party server. Users should still back up an internal drive’s data in case of failure.
For most users, a combination of cloud storage and a large internal drive provides adequate, redundant storage. But hardware failures are still possible, so backing up important data in multiple locations remains essential.
Conclusion
In summary, there are pros and cons to leaving an external hard drive plugged in all the time. The convenience of always having your data accessible and automatic backups are weighed against potential shorter lifespan and higher electricity costs.
For most users, the ideal compromise is to keep the drive plugged in when actively using it, but eject and disconnect when not needed for extended periods. Backing up important data to a second external drive or cloud storage provides redundancy against drive failure.
Rather than keeping a drive constantly powered, it may be better to use power management settings, external SSDs, flash drives or cloud storage alternatives for lightweight storage needs. But for large media libraries and backups, a traditional external HDD connected when in use can provide the best blend of high capacity, performance and affordability.
By balancing these factors and following manufacturer guidelines, you can enjoy the benefits of external hard drives while maximizing their lifespan and minimizing risks. The key is finding the right usage patterns and setup for your specific needs.