Storing all your files and data on an external hard disk or pen drives is very resourceful due to their ability to back up data, having large storage capacity and are also portable. While our laptops and PCs come with their own storage drives, space is sometimes not sufficient. And due to the everyday usage, we don’t realize the type of files and data that get downloaded causing virus and infecting all the files in our systems. In such cases, external hard disks work as a backup for all the files. But what happens when our hard disk fails? It’s scary to even think about it. So here are some simple hacks to protect your external disk from failure.
Hack 1: Never overstuff the external hard drive
Transferring all possible data without knowing what it is, reduces the lifespan of the hard drive. Overstuffing your hard drive with data causes the drive to function slowly. Remove and delete all the files that unwanted to make more space on the external drive.
Hack 2: Don’t unplug the disk abruptly
It is very common to unplug the drive without ejecting it first. But doing this leads to the external disk to get corrupted and losing all data. To make sure that your external drive is safe from all corruptions, safely eject the disk instead of just unplugging it.
Hack 3: Scan before transferring data
It is always mandatory to scan the external hard disk and the laptop or PC before transferring data. It is possible that our PC or hard disk might be infected with a virus. Connecting the drive and transferring data might also transfer the virus. So it is essential to scan before transferring every time.
Hack 4: Always handle with care
It is also equally important to protect the external surface of a hard disk. Keep it away from sunlight to cause overheating of the device. Also make sure to keep it away from dust, water, fire, and power fluctuations to prevent the external disk from failing. Additionally, keep it on levelled and flat surfaces to avoid any physical damage.
Hack 5: Keep a check on external hard disk health
It is necessary to keep a regular check on the health of an external hard drive as it will let you understand and fix the problems that the hard disk is facing. A periodic check on the external disk can be done using Chkdsk and S.M.A.R.T programs to deal with the issues and fix them.