Any special method to shutting down an external hard drive?

sn1ckers · 08-17-2006, 10:57 PM

I just bought an external enclosure and put my extar storage hard drive in it (so that I can use it on both my laptop and desktop). The only supplied material was a registration card and a intructions manual (no how to properly use stuff). It connects in one of two ways to a computer (either with an E-sata cable or with a regular usb). It also has it's own power adapter (like most?). Now is there any special method to shutting it down? I know I should probably shut it down in the start bar (only available if connected via usb). Should I just disconnect the cable? Or should I manually shut it off with the power switch on the device's back panel?

Thanks. I have never worked with external hard drives before.

**The_Other_One** · 08-17-2006, 10:59 PM

I just flip the power switch on mine. I don't disconnect or anything. As long as it's not in the middle of anything, it shouldn't hurt it one bit.

sn1ckers · 08-17-2006, 11:14 PM

Thanks. I didn't think that it would hurt, but I just wanted to be sure. Didn't want to lose me crud.

**The_Other_One** · 08-17-2006, 11:20 PM

Worst case, you'd get currupt data, or maybe just loose whatever you were writing. I doubt you'd loose everything on the drive.

sn1ckers · 08-17-2006, 11:25 PM

Ok. What about heat? It is a passive cooled aluminum case. Should I worry about the drive over heating?

SirKenin · 08-17-2006, 11:27 PM

Overheating shouldn't be a problem. Just hitting the power switch is fine too. No worries.

sn1ckers · 08-17-2006, 11:35 PM

thanks

Tayl · 08-18-2006, 11:29 AM

Never used on with an e-sata cable but with a USB I always remove it using that 'safely remove hardware' within Windows. Better to be safe than sorry in my opinion.

sn1ckers · 08-18-2006, 04:08 PM

I don't think I'll be using the E-SATA much; it quit working last night so I switched to usb.

Sacrinyellow5 · 08-19-2006, 12:50 AM

I have 3 different external HD's and I have never had any problems with loss of data from disconnecting using the above methods. I myself use the disconnecting hardware through windows, but on occasion have had to pull the usb cable or turn the drive off to make the HD disengage.

08-17-2006, 10:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
sn1ckers Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 53	Any special method to shutting down an external hard drive? I just bought an external enclosure and put my extar storage hard drive in it (so that I can use it on both my laptop and desktop). The only supplied material was a registration card and a intructions manual (no how to properly use stuff). It connects in one of two ways to a computer (either with an E-sata cable or with a regular usb). It also has it's own power adapter (like most?). Now is there any special method to shutting it down? I know I should probably shut it down in the start bar (only available if connected via usb). Should I just disconnect the cable? Or should I manually shut it off with the power switch on the device's back panel? Thanks. I have never worked with external hard drives before.

08-17-2006, 10:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 25 Posts: 13,432	I just flip the power switch on mine. I don't disconnect or anything. As long as it's not in the middle of anything, it shouldn't hurt it one bit. __________________ Primary- i7 920 \| 6GB RAM \| 9800GT \| 160+160+500GB Secondary- Athlon X2 4200 \| 2GB RAM \| 7600GT \| 80+250GB Netbook - Atom N280 \| 2GB RAM \| GMA945\| 160GB

08-17-2006, 11:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 25 Posts: 13,432	Worst case, you'd get currupt data, or maybe just loose whatever you were writing. I doubt you'd loose everything on the drive. __________________ Primary- i7 920 \| 6GB RAM \| 9800GT \| 160+160+500GB Secondary- Athlon X2 4200 \| 2GB RAM \| 7600GT \| 80+250GB Netbook - Atom N280 \| 2GB RAM \| GMA945\| 160GB

08-18-2006, 11:29 AM	#8 (permalink)
Tayl VIP Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: West Midlands, UK Age: 23 Posts: 1,271	Never used on with an e-sata cable but with a USB I always remove it using that 'safely remove hardware' within Windows. Better to be safe than sorry in my opinion. __________________ Formerly known as RoveWolf/Breaks. Thermaltake VC3000BWS Armour Jr SuperMidi Tower - Black Gigabyte GA_965P_DS3 PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard Intel Core 2 DUO E6300 "LGA775 Allendale" 1.86GHz (1066FSB) HIS ATI Radeon X1950 Pro ICEQ 3 V2 TURBO SILENT Heatpipe 256MB GDDR3 (PCI-E) Western Digital Caviar RE 160GB SATA-II 16MB Cache Enermax Noisetaker 535W EG565AX-VE(W) SFMA ATX2.0 SLI Compliant PSU Corsair 2GB DDR2 XMS2-6400C4 TwinX (2x1GB) Samsung 18x18 DVD+RW (Black)

08-19-2006, 12:50 AM	#10 (permalink)
Sacrinyellow5 Platinum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: St. Louis Posts: 927	I have 3 different external HD's and I have never had any problems with loss of data from disconnecting using the above methods. I myself use the disconnecting hardware through windows, but on occasion have had to pull the usb cable or turn the drive off to make the HD disengage. __________________ Harvey Pekar "Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff" ------------------------------------------------- -Tower /AMD 64x2 Dual Core 4400+ (2.3Ghz) 3 GB DDR2/Geforce 8600GT(SSC)/160 SATA HD/DVD-RW/Vista Home -Laptop /Core 2 Duo T6460 (1.66Ghz)/2 GB DDR2/Intel GMA X3100/250 SATA HD/Vista Premium -Server /P4 2.26 Ghz/1 GB Ram/GeForce FX 5200/80 & 250GB HDx2/500 GB External HD/DVD-RW/XP -MAC G4-QS (2x1Gz)/1.5 GB Ram/GeForce TI 4600/40 GB & 2x120GB HD/DVD-RW/OSX Go Cards!

08-17-2006, 11:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
sn1ckers Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 53	Thanks. I didn't think that it would hurt, but I just wanted to be sure. Didn't want to lose me crud.

08-17-2006, 11:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
sn1ckers Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 53	Ok. What about heat? It is a passive cooled aluminum case. Should I worry about the drive over heating?

08-17-2006, 11:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
SirKenin banned Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 4,711	Overheating shouldn't be a problem. Just hitting the power switch is fine too. No worries.

08-17-2006, 11:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
sn1ckers Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 53	thanks

08-18-2006, 04:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
sn1ckers Bronze Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 53	I don't think I'll be using the E-SATA much; it quit working last night so I switched to usb.

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