Summary :
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.
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What Is an External Hard Drive
Double-click your external hard drive's name. You'll see it below the 'Devices and drives' heading in the middle of the page. If you don't see anything below the 'Devices and drives' heading, click once the heading to expand it. If you can't find your external hard drive here, try using a different USB slot for your hard drive. Seagate 2TB Backup Plus Slim Portable Hard Drive USB 3.0 for PC Laptop and MAC, Black (STHN2000400) Features: Portable external hard drive for file backup Compatible with USB 3.0/2.0 Works with Windows and Mac without needing to reformat Offers customized backup and file mirroring Powered by USB connection Includes 1-year Mylio Create plan and 2-months Adobe CC Photography.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- Choose between a traditional hard drive and a solid-state drive. Solid-state drives (SSDs) are significantly faster than traditional external hard drives, but they're also much more expensive. If you're planning on running an operating system or editing software from the external drive, though, an SSD will be better for responsiveness than a.
- Hard drives for video editing Best Buy customers often prefer the following products when searching for Hard Drives For Video Editing. Browse the top-ranked list of Hard Drives For Video Editing below along with associated reviews and opinions. WD - Easystore 4TB External USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive - Black.
How to Add an External Hard Drive to Your Computer
Apple laptops with 1tb storage. 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. Reeder 3 1 2 – rss reader app.
- Double click This PC.
- Right-click your external hard drive and choose Format.from menu.
- 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.
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.
Android camera snapchat. 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. Umc blue card program lubbock.
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.
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. Powerphotos 1 7 9 download free.
Step 3: 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- You have to avoid getting your hard drive wet or exposing it to liquid.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Best Portable Hard Drives Reviews
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?
How to Use an External Hard Drive FAQ
- It has large storage capacity.
- It's portable so that you can take it anywhere.
- It's a safe backup device.
- It can be used for a long time.
- Plug the external hard drive into the computer.
- Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
- Navigate to your program setup file and double-click it.
- 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.
Portable Hard Drive Reviews
These top rated external hard drives are very popular among customers because they're lightweight, easy to take on the go, dependable, safe, and come at a price that most customers can afford. When you're ready to purchase an HDD that is going to suit your needs, then you can feel confident buying one of these drives. Should you wish to continue your search then you can read through the following buyer's guide to find something that is going to suit your specific needs.
There are so many external hard drives out there and it can be quite daunting when it comes time to find the right one for you. That's why this guide is going to highlight all the major features that you need to look out for so that you can find the perfect HDD that is going to accommodate your needs.
14 products considered
10 products reviewed
30 hours reviewing
1. Toshiba
Best Overall Portable Hard Drive
This portable hard drive from Toshiba is one of the top rated models on the market due to its ample storage and sleek design. Easy to take on the go, this hard drive features a capacity of 1 TB and an ample speed of 5400 RPM. The device is powered by a USB with 3.0 powered portable add-on storage.With its simple plug and play operation you're going to see that this device is incredibly easy to use and maintain. There's no complicated software to install, and the device is made to accommodate large digital files with spacial storage capacity.
The design is not only sleek but it is smudge free so that you never have to deal with pesky fingerprints. All in all, this is a top rated design because it's so easy to take on the go and makes storing all your extra data as easy as pie.
– Darius Spieth
2. Western Digital
Best Overall Portable Hard Drive – Runner Up
This is a secure portable storage device by WD with a 3 TB storage capacity, and optimal 256-bit AES hardware encryption. You get completely automatic local and cloud backup with this device, and it all comes in a stylish design that is available in a range of wonderful colors to choose from.With its USB 3.0 connectivity, you're going to see that this drive is incredibly easy to use, and it's formatted for Windows, but can be reformatted for Mac. With a 3 year limited warranty, this device is guaranteed to stand the test of time and gives you the storage performance that you crave.
A top rated hard drive, this device is praised by customers because it's easy to use and lightweight enough to carry on the go. The sleek design and superior performance make this the external hard drive of choice among PC users, and even Mac users can benefit from it as well. If you're someone who has a lot of data and you're looking for a place to securely store it, then look no further then this expert hard drive by WD.
– Darius Spieth
3. Silicon Power
Best Budget Portable Hard Drive
This portable hard drive by Silicon Power is completely shock proof, and it features drop protection that meets all US military standards. With SuperSpeed USB 3.0 connection, you get the best possible transferring rate of up to 5Gb. You also get a wrap-around cable system that gives you a brilliant USB 3.0 storage design that is easy to use and built for the ultimate in performance.This works with either a PC or a Mac, and it allows you to share data and files between different platforms with ease. You also get a tremendous 3 year manufacturer warranty that backs your purchase, so you can be sure that this hard drive is going to stand the test of time and last you for years to come.
In fact, you're going to be amazed by the overall durability and performance of this hard drive. Customers love it because it gives them a safe storage outlet that they can truly trust. When you're ready to safely and securely store your data on a lightweight and dependable drive, then you've come to the right place.
– Darius Spieth
Summary of Our Top PicksThese top rated external hard drives are very popular among customers because they're lightweight, easy to take on the go, dependable, safe, and come at a price that most customers can afford. When you're ready to purchase an HDD that is going to suit your needs, then you can feel confident buying one of these drives. Should you wish to continue your search then you can read through the following buyer's guide to find something that is going to suit your specific needs.
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?
How to Use an External Hard Drive FAQ
- It has large storage capacity.
- It's portable so that you can take it anywhere.
- It's a safe backup device.
- It can be used for a long time.
- Plug the external hard drive into the computer.
- Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
- Navigate to your program setup file and double-click it.
- 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.
Portable Hard Drive Reviews
These top rated external hard drives are very popular among customers because they're lightweight, easy to take on the go, dependable, safe, and come at a price that most customers can afford. When you're ready to purchase an HDD that is going to suit your needs, then you can feel confident buying one of these drives. Should you wish to continue your search then you can read through the following buyer's guide to find something that is going to suit your specific needs.
There are so many external hard drives out there and it can be quite daunting when it comes time to find the right one for you. That's why this guide is going to highlight all the major features that you need to look out for so that you can find the perfect HDD that is going to accommodate your needs.
14 products considered
10 products reviewed
30 hours reviewing
1. Toshiba
Best Overall Portable Hard Drive
This portable hard drive from Toshiba is one of the top rated models on the market due to its ample storage and sleek design. Easy to take on the go, this hard drive features a capacity of 1 TB and an ample speed of 5400 RPM. The device is powered by a USB with 3.0 powered portable add-on storage.With its simple plug and play operation you're going to see that this device is incredibly easy to use and maintain. There's no complicated software to install, and the device is made to accommodate large digital files with spacial storage capacity.
The design is not only sleek but it is smudge free so that you never have to deal with pesky fingerprints. All in all, this is a top rated design because it's so easy to take on the go and makes storing all your extra data as easy as pie.
– Darius Spieth
2. Western Digital
Best Overall Portable Hard Drive – Runner Up
This is a secure portable storage device by WD with a 3 TB storage capacity, and optimal 256-bit AES hardware encryption. You get completely automatic local and cloud backup with this device, and it all comes in a stylish design that is available in a range of wonderful colors to choose from.With its USB 3.0 connectivity, you're going to see that this drive is incredibly easy to use, and it's formatted for Windows, but can be reformatted for Mac. With a 3 year limited warranty, this device is guaranteed to stand the test of time and gives you the storage performance that you crave.
A top rated hard drive, this device is praised by customers because it's easy to use and lightweight enough to carry on the go. The sleek design and superior performance make this the external hard drive of choice among PC users, and even Mac users can benefit from it as well. If you're someone who has a lot of data and you're looking for a place to securely store it, then look no further then this expert hard drive by WD.
– Darius Spieth
3. Silicon Power
Best Budget Portable Hard Drive
This portable hard drive by Silicon Power is completely shock proof, and it features drop protection that meets all US military standards. With SuperSpeed USB 3.0 connection, you get the best possible transferring rate of up to 5Gb. You also get a wrap-around cable system that gives you a brilliant USB 3.0 storage design that is easy to use and built for the ultimate in performance.This works with either a PC or a Mac, and it allows you to share data and files between different platforms with ease. You also get a tremendous 3 year manufacturer warranty that backs your purchase, so you can be sure that this hard drive is going to stand the test of time and last you for years to come.
In fact, you're going to be amazed by the overall durability and performance of this hard drive. Customers love it because it gives them a safe storage outlet that they can truly trust. When you're ready to safely and securely store your data on a lightweight and dependable drive, then you've come to the right place.
– Darius Spieth
Summary of Our Top PicksThese top rated external hard drives are very popular among customers because they're lightweight, easy to take on the go, dependable, safe, and come at a price that most customers can afford. When you're ready to purchase an HDD that is going to suit your needs, then you can feel confident buying one of these drives. Should you wish to continue your search then you can read through the following buyer's guide to find something that is going to suit your specific needs.
There are so many external hard drives out there and it can be quite daunting when it comes time to find the right one for you. That's why this guide is going to highlight all the major features that you need to look out for so that you can find the perfect HDD that is going to accommodate your needs.
Portable Hard Drive For Laptop
5. Toshiba Canvio
7. Seagate 8TB
9. Silicon Power A60
Portable Hard Drive Comparison
Toshiba | Western Digital | Silicon Power | Seagate 400 | Toshiba Canvio | Toshiba Canvio Advance | Seagate 100 | WD BU | Silicon Power A60 | WD BY | |
Capacity (TB) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
Style | Classic | Classic | Modern | Drive | Contemporary | Contemporary | Drive | Classic | Modern | Modern |
Casing | Matte finish | High Gloss finish | Matte finish | Diamond Edge | Matte finish | High Gloss finish | Diamond Edge | Matte finish | Matte finish | Straight Edge |
RPM | 5,400 | 7,200 | 5,200 | 5,400 | 5,400 | 5,400 | 5,400 | 7,200 | 5,200 | 7,200 |
Warranty (years) | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Portable Hard Drive Buying Guide
What is a Portable Hard Drive?
You always want to back up your computer, but you may not be confident just storing data in the cloud. When you want a physical copy of your computer's files and not just something floating in the air, then you need an external hard drive to do this for you. It can be daunting when it comes time to purchase an external hard drive, because there is so much out there to choose from. That's why we're going to help you out in this buyer's guide by pointing you in the right direction.
When it comes to finding what is going to work best for your needs then consider what you're going to be using it for, how much space you have to place it and how much storage space you need, and how often you're going to be backing up files. You also need to consider whether you're going to be transporting your external hard drive from place to place. If you don't need to carry it around then it's possible to purchase a heavier device at a lower price.
When you answer these questions then you'll get closer to discovering which is the right external hard drive for you. Lets now take a look at some of the features that you want to consider before you buy.
Storage Capacity
Storage capacity is a very important factor, and in HDDs it can range from 2GB to 4TB, dependent upon how much data you need to store. There are some drive companies that put two 4TB drives into one chassis, and this makes for a whopping 8TB HDD. This is going to be way too much for most people, but you simply need to know what's right for you. Most computers these days come with something between 250GB to 750GB of space in the hard drive. A mini external hard drive is known as a flash drive, and this well may be enough storage space for you. But if you need something larger to store documents, photos, videos, songs and much more, then you definitely need to look for an external hard drive. If you're looking to store a lot of videos then you may want to consider a HDD with 1TB to 2TB of storage. Should you just be storing emails and documents then you can go with something that is smaller. The more that you want to store and the larger the file type, the bigger you should go. You're going to find the price for your drive will greatly vary dependent upon the speed and storage capacity.
Transfer Speed
If you want to back your computer up every week or so then most external hard drives are going to work for you. If you're going to be using it to store large files then you need something that has more space and works more quickly. Look for a hard drive with USB 3.0 capability instead of USB 2.0. 2.0 is quite common but it's not going to be sufficient for your needs. 3.0 is going to work faster so that you can quickly and more efficiently store larger and more complicated files. Speed is an important consideration because there's nothing more frustrating than sitting around waiting for these things to upload and be saved. If you're merely storing documents then the speed shouldn't be such a huge consideration, but if you're storing larger files then speed is definitely going to be an important consideration. Keep in mind that not all external hard drives work with all computers, so you need to make sure that they're compatible. There's also Thunderbolt to consider, which is gaining in popularity these days. This was developed by Intel as a collaboration with Apple. Thunderbolt is incredibly fast, and in fact, it is one of the fastest out of all the ports. Just keep in mind that this is going to come with a huge price tag.
Portability
Portability is an important consideration when it comes to external hard drives. Should you want to keep your drive at home, then you can purchase one that weighs a bit more and costs less. If you need to tow it back and forth from home and work then it makes more sense to spend extra money on something that is lightweight. In fact, there are pocket-sized devices that are so lightweight you're not even going to realize that you're carrying them around. You also want to consider practical features such as enhanced data protection, and this reduces the risk of failure caused by shock should the device be dropped. You want to make sure that no matter which portable storage device you purchase that it is built from durable materials so that it is safe in the case of shock or damage. You want to avoid purchasing anything that seems flimsy and seek something that has solid, durable materials such as aluminum or plastic.
When it comes to a desktop style drive, they are technically portable but they're mostly designed to stay in place and require a power adaptor. Should you want something that is thin and more lightweight that you simply plug this into your computer without using an external power source, then this kind of desktop drive is not the right choice for you. You want to be sure to find one that comes with a built-in fan if you're using it more frequently or when it comes to heavy file transfers. This built-in fan is going to help you to extend the life of the HDD.
Safety
You want to definitely be sure that your hard drive comes with hardware-based encryption which is much more dependable than software-based. This is particularly important should you want to purchase a portable mobile drive to carry around, and it's also great when you are storing very sensitive information. When you carry your private files around it makes them more prone to theft and loss, and that's why encryption gives you that extra level of protection.
Reliability
Should you be someone who is new to using HDDs then you want something that is reliable and easy to use. Be sure to choose a drive that comes with included software, as this will just make things much easier in the long run. But no matter what you purchase it isn't going to be fail-safe, so you want to get something that is backed by a warranty. Look for a warranty that lasts longer than one year.
Compatibility
You need to take into consideration whether you have a PC or a Mac before you purchase an external hard drive. Some HDDs are only compatible with one kind of computer or the other. If you're buying a PC specific hard drive for a Mac, you're either going to need to reformat the hard drive that you buy or just purchase one that's specifically designed to be compatible with your computer.
Conclusion
Owning an external hard drive is a smart choice if you're someone that has a lot of data on your computer and you want to safely and effectively store it. There are numerous hard drives out there and that's why it can be daunting when it comes time to find the right one for you.
The buyer's guide is intended to help you understand which drive might be right for your particular needs. Asking yourself certain questions about how much data you have and how you plan to use the drive is going to help you to find something that will fulfill your needs. The top rated drives that we discussed above are smart choices, and they're guaranteed to serve the needs of most computer users.
Should you need something that is different then you can continue your search online to find a drive that meets your specifications. It really comes down to how portable you need the drive to be, as well as how much data you need to store on the device.