Best Use Of External Hard Drive

Summary :

1. What Are The Best External Hard Drives
2. External Hard Drive Best Price
3. How To Use An External Hard Drive
4. Best Use Of External Hard Drives
5. Use External Hard Drive Laptop

How to use an external hard drive? In this article, you can know how to add an external drive to your computer. In addition, you are offered the way to manage, use and maintain an external hard drive. MiniTool Partition Wizard is a good tool to help you to manage the drive.

What Is an External Hard Drive

An external hard drive is a portable storage device that can be attached to a computer wirelessly,or through a USB FireWire connection. It becomes more and more popular in computer users for the following benefits:

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1. It is portable. An external hard drive can be connected to almost all computers because they have a USB port. Therefore, you can easily pick up your external hard drive, take it out and connect it to another computer.
2. It comes with a high storage capacity. An external hard drive can store much larger data than a USB flash drive. It helps a lot if you are found of videos or audios, whichtake up a large amount of disk space. In addition, you can use it to store lots of photos, entire programs, and more on it.
3. It is a safe Backup Device. To avoid data loss, you can use an external hard drive to back up your files and programs. After system crashes, you can easily connect the external hard drive to another computer so that you can recover important data.
4. It is easy to be upgraded. If your external hard drive is running out of storage space for your backup files, you can easily replace it with a bigger one.
5. It can prevent your computer from getting clogged up with downloads and large files. You could transfer large files from your computer to an external hard driveto improve

How to Add an External Hard Drive to Your Computer

'It requires a power outlet for its power supply, but that also usually means these larger external drives use the same kind of 'full-size' hard drives that desktop computers use, which are usually faster than the smaller laptop drives that portable hard drives use.It's a good hard drive however it comes with a short a cord, not to mention I. An external hard drive can store much larger data than a USB flash drive. It helps a lot if you are found of videos or audios, whichtake up a large amount of disk space. In addition, you can use it to store lots of photos, entire programs, and more on it. It is a safe Backup Device. Seagate Backup Plus Slim. Our list starts with the Seagate Backup Plus Slim. The headline feature is.

If you get a new external hard drive, you need to add it to your computer before you can use it. Here is how to do it.

Step 1: Plug one end of the external hard drive's cable (usually the larger end) into the USB port on the housing to see whether it works.

Step 2: Plug the other end of the cable into your external hard drive.

Step 3: Now you need to format the external hard drive.

1. Double click This PC.
2. Right-click your external hard drive and choose Format..from menu.
3. Uncheck Quick Formatand select a file system. Then click Start.

After formatting the external hard drive, you should partition the drive reasonably for better management. As for partitioning tool, you can choose freeware MiniTool Partition Wizard.

How to Use an External Hard Drive in Windows 10

Extra Storage Device

It has been mentioned that an external hard drive has many benefits. The basic one is to use it as an extra storage device, especially when you need to free up disk space.

You can transfer files to an external hard drive after you connect it to your computer. Here is a tutorial on how to use an external hard drive in Windows 10.

Step 1: Press Win + E to open File Explorer.

Step 2: Select the folders or files you want to move and press Ctrl + X to cut them.

Step 3: Click your external hard drive from the left action panel to access the external hard drive and press Ctrl + V to paste the folders and files.

Step 3: Click your external hard drive from the left action panel to access the external hard drive and press Ctrl + V to paste the folders and files.

Data Backup Device

Do you know your data is in danger? If you don't have more than one backup solution, plenty of critical information includes photos, music, videos, financial and official documents could be lost when your computer dies due to hardware failure, natural disaster, system crashes or viruses attacks.

Clearly, the more copies you have, the less risk of data loss you face. Thus, just create as many copies as you entail. In other words, you'd better protect the original data with two backups.

Usually, cloud backup can be a good choice,such as Google Cloud Storage, Microsoft Onedrive, etc.

However, they are not the best solutions.They may cost you much. Some cloud services such as iCloud and IDrive just offer you a storage capacity about 5 GB for free, and most cloud services need you to pay for month. What's more, it will be troublesome if you decide to shift among these services.

In addition, it may take much time to download everything from a cloud-based backup service if you want to manage large files or large quantities of files.

On the other hand, data stored in a cloud service is possible to be attacked by a hack. So, you can store your backup in an external hard drive, which is portable and safer. Some external devices come with security features like fingerprint recognition, which prevents other people from gaining access to the stored data.

To buy the right backup drive, here are some tips you need to know.

With MiniTool Partition Wizard,a free backup tool, you can easily back up your partitions or the whole disk to your external hard drive. Here is how to use an external hard drive for backup.

Step 1: Click the following button to download and install the tool.

Step 2: Make a backup.

• To copy disk, just right-click the disk you want to back up and choose Copy from menu.
• To copy partition, you can click the Copy Partition Wizard from action panel and choose the partition you want to back up.
• Then follow the instructions to finish the copy

Create a Windows To Go Workplace

Windows To Go is a feature in Windows 10 that allows you to boot and run Windows from USB flash drives or external hard disk drives so that you can take it to anywhere.

Best au plugins for logic. To create a portable Windows, you need to prepare a device with requirements as follows:

• With 32 GB capacity at least
• With USB 2.0 and faster USB connections.

With an external hard drive, you can easily achieve it. Here is how to do it.

Step 1: Connect your external hard drive to the computer.

Step 2: Search for Windows To Go in Windows and click it from the results.

Step 3: Best buy windows office 2016. Choose your external hard drive to create a Windows To Go workplace and follow the guide to complete the process.

Then you can connect the external hard drive to another computer and boot Windows from the external drive when you go out.

How to Use an External Hard Drive for Longer

You may be aware that an external hard drive is necessary for you. However, it is easy to be broken if you don't maintain it in the right way. To avoid decreasing the life of it, you can read these tips on how to use an external hard drive for longer.

1. To protect your external hard drive, you'd better place it on a stable, flat and hard surface. Considering that the hard disk is a mechanical device, it can be damaged by vibrations. And you should also be careful to prevent it from falling off the table.
2. You need to make sure that it will not be banged around or treated roughly. Since the external hard drive is a portable device, you should treat it carelessly when you take it out.
3. You have to avoid getting your hard drive wet or exposing it to liquid.
4. Do not place your external hard drive in a restrictive area where there is no air flow. Similar to the internal hard disk in your computer, the external hard drive also gets hot when it works too long. To avoid overheating, which can damage the disk, you need to place it in an open area to dissipate the buildup of heat.
5. Check error before you transfer files to an external hard drive. It can fix disk errors and ensure that you are starting with a well-functioning drive.To do that, you can use the error checking tool in Windows.
6. Always eject the drive before you unplug it from your computer. It ensures data still stored in the cache memory will be removed, which prevents existing data on the disk from being damaged.
7. The best way to protect your data in the external hard drive is to back up it as much as possible. Hard drive failure may happen to your external hard drive.To ensure the security of your files, you'd better prepare a second external drive to back up it.

Save Lost Data from an External Hard Drive

Similar to internal hard drivers, an external hard drive may also lose data due to various reasons, such as mistaken deletion or hard drive failure when you manage it.

If you have a backup for the data in the external hard drive, you can restore your data with the backup.

If you unfortunately find that your files or programs stored in the external hard drive is lost and you have no backup for the drive, you need to stop using it right now and try to recover files from the external drive with a third-party software as soon as possible.

MiniTool Partition Wizard is powerful in recovering deleted files and data from formatted or virus attacked disk. It is worth trying.

Step 1: Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard.

Step 2: Click Data Recovery from the tool bar and select your external hard drive in This PC. And then click Scan.

Step 3: Now you just need to check the files you want to recover and then click Save to place the recovered files into a safe position.

If it is the first time to recover files from an external drive, you may be a little confused. To know more details, you can read the following article: The Full Guide to SSD File Recovery on Windows 10/8/7/XP.

Bottom Line

You can benefit a lot from an external hard drive. With the high storage capacity, you can store a huge number of videos, photos and programs, and it is a proper device for data backup.

This article helps you to know how to add an external hard drive to your computer, how to use an external hard drive in Windows 10, and how to maintain it to use it longer.

If you still have any questions about the external hard drive, you can contact [email protected] or post it in the comment section below.

Do you want to try it now?

What Are The Best External Hard Drives

How to Use an External Hard Drive FAQ

1. It has large storage capacity.
2. It's portable so that you can take it anywhere.
3. It's a safe backup device.
4. It can be used for a long time.

1. Plug the external hard drive into the computer.
2. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
3. Navigate to your program setup file and double-click it.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions to install the program, and when you are asked where you want to save the program, choose on location on your external hard drive.

External Hard Drive Best Price

Jan 26, 2021 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions

If we compare Hard drive to what it was a few years ago, we may find a variety of changes that are to our benefit. The most common and easy way to extend the life of any computer, which is running out of space, is by installing an external or internal Hard Disk. To add more Hard drive storage space to your system, simply plug in the External Hard drive. The major function is to store programs and files and act as secondary storage to your computer. To add videos, digital photographs, music, and other important text documents, you'll require a Hard drive with ample space. In this article, to help you install an external hard drive, we will tell you how to use an external hard drive on Windows and Mac. So you won't have any trouble with it.

How to Use an External Hard Drive on Windows?

As a secondary hard disk space, external hard drives are considered to be one of the most portable devices that store data and frees up a humongous amount of space in your system. Here are the few steps that'll help you to attach and fetch data from your external hard drive to your PC if you are working on Windows:

Connect the external hard drive: If you are using a hard disk for the first time, it is advisable to read the manual provided. Though there isn't any different way to use a particular hard disk, you must be familiar with the settings and configuration. Almost all the external hard drives are plug-and-play; all the user needs to do is to plug it in the USB socket through the cable and turn it on. However, in some cases, you'll have to install drivers that are required to run a particular software package. You can easily find these details and the latest update on the programs on the manufacturer's website.

Hard drive as a primary partition: As soon as you connect the external hard drive to your PC, the system will recognize it. The basic input/output system will detect the new device immediately. If you are planning to use the hard disk as a primary partition in Windows, make sure that you install Windows on the disk. To get more information, search Help and Support for 'Installing and Reinstalling Windows'?.

Installation for Windows: For the installation of a hard drive in Windows, click on the Start button; click Computer, where you can easily detect your hard drive. However, if you can't find it on Computer, attempt the following steps to improvise your search:

1. Click on the Start button, click Control Panel, and choose System and Security, then click Administrative Tools and double-clicking on Computer Management. However, if you are prompted for any kind of system password, type the password and get confirmation.
2. Click on Disk Management under Storage to look for the new hard drive.

There are possibilities that you might have to format the hard drive before you can use it. In case your system is unable to detect the new device attached, cross-check with the user manual provided with the external hard drive.

How to Use an External Hard Drive on Mac?

How To Use An External Hard Drive

When you attach your external hard drive to Mac, it should be ready to use. However, you might want to take some precautionary steps before mounting your drive for expected results. There are certain things that you'll have to keep in account, such as the drive you are using is pre-formatted to FAT32 since it is readable and writable on both Windows and OS X systems. This way, the drive can work on multiple platforms without being interrupted. A disadvantage that has been seen in FAT32 drives is that with the Master Boot Record partition scheme, this device is not capable of working with Apple's Core Storage routines, not allowing OS-supported encryption of the external hard drive.

1. Connect your Hard Drive to the system. Generally, the Hard Disk comes with a USB Cable, Firewire, and in some instances, both. Plug the cable available in the compatible slots of your hard drive and system.
2. Move on to the disk utility option by searching the top right corner of the screen.
3. You'll be able to locate the hard drive on the left part of the interface. Find the name of your Hard Drive and click on it.
4. You are now supposed to click on the Erase tab. Wait for the Volume format drop-down list to appear.
5. Go ahead and choose the format of your Hard Disk Drive. If you are using the Hard Disk only for Mac, then you must select Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
6. Click on Erase, complete the formatting, and get set to read and write data on your Hard Disk Drive.

Part 3: How to Maintain External Hard Drive

Using and maintaining the hard drive are two different approaches. External hard drives are easy to use, but it becomes a particular task to maintain them. Typically, magnetic hard drives are supposed to be placed horizontally. Other than that, maintenance of their cable is also one of the few things that must be kept in mind. Here are a few things that will be useful for you to use your external hard drive effectively:

1. Figure out what you need to purchase: Choose a Hard Drive according to your requirements. There is no point in buying something that'll be of no use later. List your needs before making a purchase.
2. Backing up the data: Your data isn't backed up until it is not stored in more than one location. A backup can easily be created by the drag and drop option or with a simple copy-paste method. Another way is to use copy software that will copy the file to the directed destination after the setup has been completed. The use of automatic backup is also highly recommended.
3. Hard Drive Security: Encrypting file information is a good option, but many smart hackers can access your file. Make sure that you maintain the security of your hard drives with passwords and other security files that'll encrypt the critical data on the hard drive.

Best Use Of External Hard Drives

One needs to know how to use an external hard drive as proper maintenance and installation help in the sustainability of the Hard Disk. To begin with, one can consult their manuals or simply follow the instructions given above on how to use an external hard drive effectively.

Part 4: How to Recover Lost Files from External Hard Drive?

If you lost data on your external hard drive, unfortunately, don't worry! You still have the chance to get lost data back. To recover files from external hard drives, you can have tried the following tool.

Wondershare Recoverit - Best External Hard Drive Recovery Software

• Recover lost or deleted files, photos, audio, music, emails from any storage device effectively, safely, and completely.
• Supports data recovery from recycle bin, hard drive, memory card, flash drive, digital camera, and camcorders.
• Supports to recover data for sudden deletion, formatting, lost partition, virus attack, system crash under different situations.

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