A separate hard drive that is not the primary internal hard drive in a computer is most commonly referred to as an external hard drive. External hard drives can be connected to a computer through a USB port or wirelessly, providing additional storage space and backup capabilities.
What are the different types of external hard drives?
There are a few main types of external hard drives:
- Portable external hard drives – These are small, lightweight and powered through the USB cable. They are easy to move around and transport.
- Desktop external hard drives – These sit on or next to your desk and require a power adapter. Though less portable, they often have higher storage capacities.
- Solid state drives (SSD) – With no moving parts, these external drives are faster, lighter and less prone to damage if dropped or shaken. However, they are typically more expensive per gigabyte.
- Wireless hard drives – These can connect directly to WiFi without any cables. This allows you to access files remotely.
What are the benefits of using an external hard drive?
There are several advantages to using an external hard drive:
- Extra storage space – External hard drives allow you to drastically increase the storage capacity of your computer. They provide hundreds of extra gigabytes to terabytes of space.
- Portability – A portable external drive enables you to easily transport large files between locations and computers. Everything is stored in one device.
- Backups – One of the most common uses is to back up the data from your main internal drive. This provides an extra copy in case the internal drive fails.
- Security – Sensitive files can be stored on an external drive and kept secure if needed. The drive can be stored safely when not connected to your computer.
- Upgrades – Upgrading to a larger external drive is simpler than replacing the internal drive when you need more storage space.
What connection types do external hard drives use?
External hard drives connect to computers through cable connections like USB, Thunderbolt, eSATA or FireWire. Wireless hard drives can also connect via WiFi or Bluetooth.
Here are some of the most common external hard drive interface types:
- USB – The most universal connection interface used on Windows PCs and Macs. USB 2.0 and 3.0 are the fastest.
- Thunderbolt – Very fast but not broadly compatible with older computers. Mainly found on Macs.
- eSATA – Interface designed specifically for storage that provides faster speeds than USB 2.0.
- FireWire – Faster than USB 2.0, but not as fast as USB 3.0. Used mainly on older external drives.
What size external hard drive should I get?
Choosing the right size depends on your storage needs. Larger drives provide more storage capacity but are pricier. Smaller drives are more affordable but fill up faster. Here are some guidelines on popular external hard drive sizes:
- 1-2TB – Good for basic extra storage like documents, photos, music and video.
- 3-4TB – Enables storing larger media files and backups for one computer.
- 6-8TB – Ideal for storing photos, videos and backups for multiple computers.
- 10TB+ – Necessary for very large volumes of HD video editing or full system drive backups.
Consider how much space your files currently take up and how your needs might grow. Videos, photos and games use large amounts of storage space compared to word documents.
What external hard drive brands are the most reliable?
These brands consistently earn high marks for performance, durability and reliability:
- Western Digital – Top selling drives with affordable prices and reliable models like the My Passport and My Book lines.
- Samsung – SSD models like the T5 and T7 are fast and compact with encrypted security features.
- Seagate – Budget friendly performance and popular portable drives like the Backup Plus Slim.
- LaCie – Premium brand focused on fast speeds and high-end design by Porsche.
- SanDisk – Leading brand for portable SSDs that are super fast and sturdy.
Check external hard drive reviews on sites like PCMag and CNET to research the latest models and see real-world benchmarks and tests.
How much do external hard drives cost?
Price ranges can vary greatly depending on the drive capacity, speed, form factor and brand. Some general price ranges are:
- 1-2TB portable HDD – $50 – $80
- 4TB portable HDD – $90 – $130
- 1-2TB portable SSD – $100 – $200
- 4-8TB desktop HDD – $120 – $250
- 10TB+ desktop HDD – $250+
HDDs provide more storage per dollar spent compared to SSDs. Desktop drives are pricier than portable versions for the same capacities. Additional features like hardware encryption, rugged construction and fast transfer speeds also increase the cost.
How do I use an external hard drive?
Using an external hard drive is very simple:
- Connect the drive – Use the included cable to plug the hard drive into your computer’s USB port. For desktop drives, also plug in the power cord.
- Wait for recognition – Your computer will automatically detect the new drive.
- Format (optional) – You may want to format the drive before using it if it is brand new. Formatting erases any preloaded software and cleans it for your storage use.
- Use normally – The external drive will now show up just like any other drive. You can click on it to view files and copy files back and forth.
- Eject before unplugging – Use the “Safely Remove Hardware” function before unplugging the drive to avoid data loss.
If your computer does not recognize your drive, you may need to initialize the drive, install drivers or assign a drive letter in your computer’s Disk Management utility.
How are external hard drives powered?
There are two main ways external hard drives receive power:
- USB cable – Most portable external HDDs are bus powered, meaning they draw power through the same USB cable used for transferring data. No extra power outlet needed.
- Power adapter – Desktop external hard drives need to be plugged into an electrical outlet as they draw too much power for USB alone. The adapter is included.
Some high capacity desktop HDDs use two USB connectors, with one only for supplying extra power from two USB ports. Portable SSDs typically use a USB cable for both data transfer and power delivery.
How fast is an external hard drive?
The data transfer speed of an external hard drive depends on:
- The hard drive technology – HDDs max out around 140 MB/s while SSDs can reach over 500 MB/s.
- The interface connection – eSATA, Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 are faster than USB 2.0.
- Drive rotation speed – Faster RPMs mean faster data access but also produce more heat and noise.
- Caching – Drives with larger caches have improved read/write performance.
As a reference, here are typical sustained speeds for different external hard drive types:
| Drive Type | Speed |
|---|---|
| Portable HDD (5400 RPM) | 100-130 MB/s |
| Portable HDD (7200 RPM) | 130-150 MB/s |
| Desktop HDD (7200 RPM) | 150-180 MB/s |
| Portable SSD | 400-520 MB/s |
What cable do I need for an external hard drive?
The cables needed to connect an external hard drive to your computer include:
- USB – Any USB cable like USB A to Micro B can connect a portable HDD. USB 3.0 cables provide faster speeds.
- Thunderbolt – Requires a Thunderbolt cable to interface with Thunderbolt ports.
- Power adapter – Desktop HDDs need the included power adapter and cord in addition to data cables.
Cables are normally provided with external hard drives. Replacement cables can be easily purchased if needed. Always use branded cables for reliability rather than cheap generic cables.
Can I use an external hard drive on any computer?
External hard drives are designed to work interchangeably between operating systems like Windows, Mac, Linux and Chrome OS. However, you need to reformat the drive to suit each system:
- Windows – NTFS formatted drives work out of the box. But they need reformatting for Mac.
- Mac – APFS or HFS+ formatting works natively. Reformat for Windows use.
- Multi-platform use – Use exFAT which works on both Windows and Mac. But backup software may not work.
For casual transfers, you can format to exFAT. For backup or permanent storage, use the native format for your computer’s OS and reformat when switching systems.
How do I reformat an external hard drive?
You can easily reformat an external hard drive to work on Windows, Mac or both:
- Backup data – Move any important files on the drive to another location like your computer.
- Open Disk Utility – On Mac open Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility. On Windows open Disk Management.
- Select drive – Choose the connected external hard drive.
- Click format – Pick required file system like APFS, exFAT, NTFS, etc.
- Confirm – Double check warning message and clickFormat/Erase button.
Reformatting completely erases all content on the drive. So backup your data first before reformatting. The drive will now work natively with your selected format.
Do external hard drives need special care or maintenance?
External hard drives are reliable and do not need much specialized care or maintenance. However, here are some best practices:
- Avoid shocks – Dropping or jarring can damage disks and mechanisms. Place on secure surfaces.
- Proper ejection – Unplug using the Safely Remove function to prevent data issues.
- Stay dry – Moisture and liquids can seriously damage drives. Never spill liquids on them.
- Watch placements – Don’t block vents and airflow or cover drives to prevent overheating.
- Power downs – Disconnect desktop drives when not in use to save energy and prevent accidental disconnections.
Also make sure to periodically check that your drive is still working properly and backup any important data in case it needs replacing. Following best practices will maximize the life of your external hard drive.
What is the typical lifespan of an external hard drive?
With proper care and maintenance, here are the approximate lifespans of external hard drives:
- Portable HDDs – 3 to 5 years of average use before potential issues arise.
- Desktop HDDs – 5 to 10+ years when kept powered off and used moderately.
- SSDs – 5 to 7+ years since they have no moving parts. Lifespan depends on total data written.
Heat, vibration, airflow and heavy daily use can shorten lifespans. Portable drives face more wear and tear so have shorter lifespans. Always keep backups as drives can fail unexpectedly.
Can an external hard drive get viruses or malware?
External hard drives can definitely get infected by viruses and malware like other types of storage devices. Ways viruses can infect drives include:
- Infected files – Viruses are downloaded along with files from the internet to the external drive.
- Autorun viruses – Malware automatically runs from the drive and copies infected files.
- Cross-contamination – An infected computer spreads viruses to connected drives.
Using antivirus software, avoiding suspicious downloads, and scanning drives periodically can help protect your external hard drive from viruses.
Only connect your external drive to trusted virus-free computers to prevent infection. Safely eject and disconnect after use. Never keep your drive continually connected or mounted after you’ve finished accessing it.
Can I encrypt an external hard drive?
Yes, encrypting your external hard drive helps keep your sensitive data secure if the drive is lost or stolen. Here are some ways to encrypt an external drive:
- Drive tools – Some drives include their own encryption software like Western Digital’s 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
- OS tools – Windows BitLocker and MacOS FileVault full disk encryption features.
- Third party – Use encryption tools like VeraCrypt to create encrypted containers on drives.
Encrypted external hard drives require you to enter a password or key to unlock and access the data. This prevents unauthorized access if the drive falls into the wrong hands.
How do I password protect an external hard drive?
To password protect an external hard drive on Windows:
- Open File Explorer and right click on the drive.
- Select Turn on BitLocker.
- Choose password protect and enter a password.
- Save your recovery key in case the password is forgotten.
On Mac:
- Open System Preferences and go to Security & Privacy.
- Select FileVault.
- Turn on encryption and save your recovery key.
This enables full disk encryption with a password. Only authorized users with the password can access the drive’s contents.
Conclusion
External hard drives provide a great way to expand your computer’s storage, enable file backups, protect sensitive data through encryption, and conveniently access files across multiple devices. Choosing the right size, speed and connection type allows you to tailor an external hard drive to match your specific needs. With proper care and maintenance, an external hard drive can provide reliable storage and performance for years before needing to be replaced.