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Questions tagged [external-hard-drive]

A hard drive designed to be connected to a computer via an external interface such as USB, eSATA, Thunderbolt, or IEEE 1394.

0 votes
1 answer
54 views

How to use an external harddrive as the main harddrive [closed]

What I mean by this is that I hope to eliminate the use for an internal hard drive since I'm having some issues with it that I'd rather just leave behind
andreas senneset-søtorp's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
54 views

How can I make three 10TB external hard drives act as one 30TB hard drive?

I have a huge collection of videos I am using for a book. I have over 30TB of data. When I am searching for and downloading new videos for my research, it is a huge benefit for me if I do not download ...
Boballoo's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
21 views

External power for 3,5" HDD with USB-C charger

I'm trying to use one of my 2 HDDs (requiring 0,75A and less on both 5V and 12V) as external drive for storage. I tried using UGREEN Sata to USB-C adapter, but it has not enough power. I know, that 3,...
HaxerOne's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
57 views

Understanding the Relationship between Device IOPS and Throughput

I'm trying to understand the relationship between device IOPS and throughput. I used AmorphousDiskMark to gather some information, and I have one question: My SSD disk is based on 4KB per block. So, I ...
David.Chiang's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
27 views

Windows Drive Name Is Permanently Renamed?

When I plug in any external drive, the drive name keep showing as E: PANDORY, which I did rename one drive to in the past, but they used to show up as the blank name of the drive manufacturer, how do ...
Duncangaryd's user avatar
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0 answers
13 views

"Device not configured" after external HD improperly unmounted

I accidently unplugged my external HD before the eject was done :-/ /Volumes/Red is still there and can't be deleted. The HD still mounts but as /Volumes/Red 1. How can I remove /Volumes/Red? $ gls -...
Pascal Polleunus's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
47 views

TestDisk - rebuild NTFS partition on dead WD Elements [from macos]

I have a 5TB WD Elements external USB disk, which was formatted as a single 5TB NTFS partition without about 4TB of files. It's not a bootable disk. It stopped mounting, so I pulled it apart and ...
frumbert's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
48 views

Building a NAS - cannot get HDDs to work, is there something I'm doing wrong?

I am trying to build a NAS, here are the specs of the system: - AMD Ryzen 9 7950x3D - 128GB DDR4 (3200MHz?) - RTX 4070 - 1TB 970 evo - 4 6TB WD Red Plus - Focus GX-1000 1000w PSU So whenever I plug ...
Arshia Rostami's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
142 views

How to interpret SMART Reallocated Sectors Count (WD Elements)

Update, 23 later: the drive failed, most data can't be read, even though the SMART values did not deteriorate a lot. I wanted to replace it in two weeks, since I was busy. Don't fall into a "this ...
jippin-slimmy's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
35 views

Can't access HDD External

So I have 2 HDD external that can't be accessed Both showing at devices and printer But doesn't show at computer In devices and printer it says BUP portable and expansion but I can't access both Light ...
Prince Charming's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
206 views

Linux backup of USB drive using rsync hangs

I have a Western Digital My Book 4TB external USB drive. If I attempt backup using the tar command tar cvf - . | ( cd $bkdir ; tar xvpf - ) I have no problem performing the backup. If I attempt the ...
Eric Marceau's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
54 views

How to reach the maximum bandwidth on many USB drives?

I have many (~60 at now) external USB drives which I need to occasionally, but regularly, connect to one Linux workstation because I need to run a sanity check program on data saved on them. I don't ...
Mat's user avatar
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0 answers
19 views

external HD RAW, then what?

Argh. It is one of these bad days really. I had my work archive external 6tb HD attached on my main computer (no bootable system on it) I don't really know what happened, but when I put it back on, ...
lostsf's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
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What are my options for installing Windows (10/11) on an external m.2 ssd, to later be used on an internal one, and is using windows to go okay?

My friend's birthday is coming up, me and some mutual friends are planning on building him a computer. I have been given the SSD and have been tasked with preparing it so it's ready to go asap (we are ...
Ibraheem Masood's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
21 views

Trying to diagnose external hard drive malfunction

What's the issue with this Seagate external hard drive: its activity light stays on after I issue the 'safely remove hardware' command on laptop 1 (before physically removing it from the laptop); ...
Upon theroad's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
22 views

Symlink Messages Library Data

My hard drive is completely full on my mac, mostly due to my extensive Messages archive. I have an external drive and would like to move the data over to it using a symlink (or other solution). When I ...
chazbot7's user avatar
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1 answer
50 views

Are disks in multi-bay enclosure seen as individual disks or one?

I have only experience with single disk enclosure, so sorry for naive question. Let's say I buy 2-bay disk enclosure and put there 2 disks. Will I see them as two separate disks (this is what I would ...
greenoldman's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
59 views

Is it possible to use a PC to simulate an external hard drive?

What I would like to do is to divide a hard drive into partitions, and connect my PC to other devices. While connected, I want the other device to recognize a partition of the hard drive as if it were ...
Raymond Richt's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
213 views

How to find what programs are using an external SSD?

After buying a Samsung Portable SSD T7 shield I connected it to my Asus computer (running Windows 10) and then opened a setup file and followed the steps to install and put a password on the drive. ...
Logenis's user avatar
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0 answers
63 views

Why does my external USB hard drive (bus powered) keep making noise long after it's unmounted?

Why does my external USB hard drive (bus powered) keep making noise long after it's unmounted? I am using macOS 14.3.1. The noise is very similar to, or the same as, that the drive makes when writing ...
Ryo's user avatar
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0 answers
108 views

Can a faulty motherboard kill external HDDs?

Last year I got a new external HDD (drive 1) which failed without warning in less than 2 months. I got it replaced with a different but also new external drive (drive 2), and now four months later it ...
Rhaenys's user avatar
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0 answers
16 views

MacOs, Ext. Hard drives killing computers?

in the same week, I’ve had 3 computers fail to turn on when being connected to my two external HDDs. The drives are a LaCie 500Gb and an IBM 250 Gb in an OWC case. Both connect through Firewire 800 or ...
GregR's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
29 views

How can I test external HDDs after 3 computers fail to turn on after using external HDDs?

In the same week, I’ve had 3 computers fail to turn on when being connected to my two external HDDs. The drives are a LaCie 500Gb and an IBM 250Gb in an OWC case. Both connect through Firewire 800 or ...
GregR's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
125 views

File Transfer of ISO files using ROBOCOPY and Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V

I have these two products: Virtual iODD External Encrypted Enclosure Virtual Samsung SSD 4TB I have a Sabrent SATA Driver Enclosure on the side connected to my main computer, with a Windows 10 OS. ...
EnlightenedFunky's user avatar
-3 votes
1 answer
91 views

Why is my WD HDD making a curious sound?

I've tried to access an 3.0TB Hard-Drive from Western Digital (Model WD30EZRX). The hard drive is not being shown by the operating system and it creates the following (repeating) sound: https://...
Adrian Preuss's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
171 views

REALLOCATED SECTOR COUNT 4948. Request for advice

I felt need of testing because some of my stored games were failing to boot properly. Quick test from HD Tune Pro app displayed 3 red blocks in one of the test runs and a full test always reports 3 ...
KkyleReese's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
1k views

How can I use the full 6 Gbit/s mode on my SATA HDD?

I am using an old WD My Book (don't know which version, but it's most likely the one from the video How to open a WD my book case) with a WD 2 TB HDD. It is connected via mini USB b <=> USB A to ...
Masamune's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
45 views

WD External Drive Stopped Working - Are there any Non-Destructive Diagnostic Options? What's the Best Course Of Action?

I'm having problems with my Western Digital My Passport 4TB External Drive. This model, specifically: WDBYFT004BBK-0A I was in the process of cross-backing-up data between my live setup (laptop), my ...
DarKo__xD's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
63 views

Should I be worried about my SMART values of my drive?

From what I gather, this is really really bad. I should probably replace my drive. But could I get verification that I am correct before doing so? SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16 ...
Gavin Sochalski's user avatar
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0 answers
108 views

Problems with usb3 attached drive ERROR: Transfer event for disabled endpoint or incorrect stream ring

I have a HP Microserver gen8 that I'm using for testing and some minor backup. This machine has a debian 9 installation, I'm planning to upgrade it to debian 12 when I will have some time, the machine ...
user3450548's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
40 views

Automated dismounting & mounting of external hard drive

I have an external hard drive for my backups, but to better protect it against ransomware, I want to have a scheduled script after the backup finishes, that dismounts the drive, and then a similar one ...
pabaxe's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
110 views

Bootable External Drive Issue on Apple Silicon M2- Need Help Resolving

Note: It is working Fine on M1 machine. I've been encountering difficulties with my bootable external drive on my Apple Silicon Mac. I've tried creating the bootable drive using ASR, Carbon Copy ...
Umair Iqbal's user avatar
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0 answers
70 views

How can I delete at least some data from an external HDD with write/read problems without physically damaging the drive?

I'm seeking advice on how to handle a faulty hard drive that I need to return to Amazon. There are many articles suggesting ways to wipe or physically destroy a drive, but these options aren't viable ...
Gecko's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
57 views

HDD suddenly disappeared from Explorer

I have an older Seagate 120 GB HDD, that I'm connecting to my laptop with an IDE/SATA to USB adapter. The drive is easily 15 years old, but when I connected to the SATA/USB adapter (which is powered),...
BruceWayne's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
34 views

What is the expected write-speed drop for SSDs [duplicate]

Basically, the problem is this: An external SSD (SATA drive in an enclosure) drops the write speed after some time when uploading large files/ a lot of files. I first noticed this when just uploading ...
J13C's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
163 views

Changing a folder icon on an external hard drive not working

So I've been putting custom icons on folders for years. I do it on my desktop. I do it on any external hard drive folders I have....just for fun and it looks better. Here is the method I use: Take ...
Matt Corzine's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
34 views

How to Programmatically Eject a Drive for Immutable Backups with Physical Connection?

We are looking for a practical and cost-effective way to enhance the security of our backups. Our initial idea was to go for immutable backups but unfortunately, due to cost constraints, we are ...
forumresearcher007's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
166 views

Dropped HDD seems to be working fine with Windows, makes clicking noise when connected to Raspberry Pi 5

I dropped my External HDD (WD My Passport 5TB) while unplugging it from my Windows PCs USB port. Drop height was about 1m/3ft and it fell on the floor immediately after USB was disconnected. I'm ...
Domi's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
132 views

How to save data from an external disk that died

A little under 4 years ago I bought a Seagate Backup Plus Portable 5 TB external hard drive. It's worked fine for years, but recently it started having problems - it would disconnect and then ...
Shaggydog's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
111 views

Mounting external HDD initiates high-resource background processes in Windows 11

It is basically not possible for me to unmount and disconnect my externall HDD because as soon as I plug it in, Windows Explorer uses massive disk usage (>100 MB/s) for about 10 minutes, and then ...
cst_ramirez's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
240 views

Unable to merge all partitions (including the Recovery partition) in my Old Laptop hard drive turned external drive

I have the hard drive of my laptop that was replaced with a SSD so I wanted to use it as an external storage space by combining them all into one. There were 3 partitions previously that I formatted ...
Chatrapal Singh Rathore's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
44 views

Disk Malfunctioned But They All Disappeared - Is This Disk Still Trustworthy?

I have encountered a situation I have never seen before. I recently bought an Seagate One Touch 5TB external HDD, and to ensure it would store data properly, I tried to run chkdsk. However before that,...
Mango's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
427 views

How to delete ProgramFiles x86 and Windows folders (external hard drive)

I’ve upgraded an old HDD on a laptop to an SSD (the SSD has already windows on it, last update, drivers etc, so the laptop is fully operational). I’d like to delete the ProgramFiles, ProgramFiles (x86)...
Monesh Rathod's user avatar
15 votes
2 answers
2k views

Could a low quality SSD enclosure prevent the TRIM functionality on my SSD?

I'm about to purchase an external SSD enclosure (case) for my Samsung 860 QVO. Some case manufacturers mention "supports TRIM" in the description, some don't. Reading online, I only could ...
J13C's user avatar
  • 190
0 votes
0 answers
40 views

My new laptop keeps killing externals

My HP Envy x360 2 in 1 laptop 15-fe0053dx that I got this last (2023) black Friday keeps killing my external hard drives. After purchasing it I also bought a 1tb Crucial external SDD and a 1TB Seagate ...
dems's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
86 views

ddrescue 0% recovered - is the external hard drive dead?

I assume my external exFAT hard drive is dead. There are many questions about ddrescue but typically the poster manages to recover something. I just want an analysis of my results. ddrescue shows: I ...
80432232's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
456 views

Drive not appearing in Optimise Drives (Windows 10)

Running Windows 10 with two 16GB pen drives (mapped to F: and P:) and a larger 4TB WD external disk (mapped to W:). All drives work correctly, appear in Windows Explorer, Disk Management, you can ...
AlainD's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
313 views

Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD (1TB) not visible

I have a SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (1TB), and have been using it for two years without any issue. This weekend I connected it to a new Synology NAS (DS223) and tried to copy the files over. The ...
Raymond Liang's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
90 views

External hard drive unmounts when spun down

I'm using a Raspberry Pi 5 with an external hard drive connected via USB 3. On boot, it is mounted with the following entry in /etc/fstab: LABEL=external /mnt/external ext4 defaults,noatime,nofail 0 2 ...
Thomas's user avatar
  • 21
0 votes
1 answer
42 views

Trying to understand SmartCRTL results: Normed value less than the worst value?

Please see the below output of smartctl for external hard drive. For attribute: Offline_Uncorrectable, the current normed-value is less that the worst value. How is it possible? It should be always ...
Porcupine's user avatar
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