external drives.
what is an external drive.
An external drive is a hard drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD) that is typically attached to a computer via a USB connection. An external drive is a portable storage device that provides a large amount of storage whenever you need it and allows you to carry a large number of files with you wherever you go. It usually comes with large storage capacities and can be used to store files from multiple devices.
hdd vs. ssd external drive.
HDDs are mechanical and contain moving parts, such as mechanical platters and moving read-write heads to access data. This makes them more vulnerable to physical damage due to accidental drops and other shocks, vibration, extreme temperatures, and magnetic fields. Because of these, external hard drives have a higher probability of a physical fault, such as a head crash or motor failure. HDDs are more affordable, offer more storage space than most SSD models, but they are larger and use more energy.
SSDs use flash memory chips and are entirely solid - have no moving parts and are therefore more durable. They are immune to magnetic fields and can withstand more shocks and vibration than hard drives. They also weigh less and aren’t as energy-intensive as HDDs. SSDs tend to deliver faster performance because of the way they process, store, and access data. However, once SSDs are full, they can only write new information by erasing older information, same as HDDs. The difference is that flash type memory cells can only be programmed and erased a limited number of times. Over time, this creates wear and tear on flash cells and ultimately renders them unusable. While SSDs cost a lot more per gigabyte, their prices are continuously dropping.
uses of external drives.
storage.
Every computer, desktop or laptop, is equipped with an internal hard drive. Whenever you save a file, photo, or software to your computer, it’s stored on your hard drive. External drives can be used as supplemental storage to the storage already on your computer. For example, if your computer is often giving you low disk space warnings, it's working hard to keep things running on the little bits of free space it has left. This can lead to slowdown when playing games, streaming movies, running programs, or even just browsing the web. If you have a large amount of high-definition photos and videos that are slowing your computer down, you can copy some of your files on your external drive to free up storage on your primary hard drive. External drives are commonly used to store files that we don’t access very frequently, like old photos or videos, records and archival data or completed projects.
backup.
We store so much valuable information on our computer drives - from photo and video collections, to work files and financial documents. One of the most important things you can do to protect your computer data is to back up your drive. A backup is just a second copy of your drive that you’ll have available in case something happens to your computer. You should be making backups as frequently as possible. Be sure to store these drives in different locations so they won’t be exposed to the same risk of environmental damage or theft.
If you are using an external drive as a backup for your data, make sure that there will always be a second copy.
data sharing.
External drives are great for moving files between computers, regardless of their operating system. Whether you’re trying to transfer data from an old computer to a new computer, trying to exchange data with a business partner, or if you have an album on your PC that you want to share with your friend who has a Mac, all you need to do is put the data on an external drive, and then connect the external drive to whichever computer you want to transfer the data.
editing.
An external hard drive is indispensable for digital editing when you work with libraries of large image files, digital illustration, or in audio or video editing.
gaming.
Modern PC games are massive in scope and graphical detail and take up a lot more space on your drive. Your computer won’t perform as quickly if you’re running low on free space. If your drive is getting filled with games, get an external drive to store them on.
reasons for data loss from external drives.
Most common reasons for data loss from external drives are connected to our everyday lives and the way we save, store, and handle our data:
1. Deleting files accidentally
2. Viruses and malware
3. Mechanical damages
4. Power failures
5. Theft
6. Spilling and other water damages
7. Fire accidents
how to protect external drive data and avoid data loss.
- Handle your external drive with care to avoid drops, spills, and other damage.
- Keep it out of direct sunlight and do not expose it to extreme temperatures or moisture.
- Keep your external drive safe. Don't leave it unattended on top of your desk where it could be an easy target, especially when working in public places.
- Make regular checkups on your drive and address any error message immediately. There are several freeware programs online to perform regular drive checkups.
- Keep your drive under storage capacity. Filling your drive close to capacity forces the drive to work harder for access which increases wear and tear.
- Always select the “Remove Device” option instead of just pulling your drive’s USB out of your laptop or computer. This will decrease the likelihood that your data transfer will be interrupted and corrupted and prevent your drive from suffering the power surge commonly associated with improper unplugging.
- Have more than one copy of data that is very valuable or that can not be recreated. You can make a full copy to another device of similar or greater capacity or back up your external drive to the cloud.
- Label external drives to minimize the potential of accidentally formatting the wrong device.
what do to when you lose external drive files.
Stop using your external drive immediately because new data is highly likely to overwrite lost data, which will make the lost files unrecoverable. If you can't get your operating system to recognize the drive, your best option to restore the data is to engage a professional data recovery service.
Kotar Data Recovery, with 22 years of research and expertise, can successfully recover your valuable data from failed external drives.
