external drive issues

batchmister1batchmister1
edited March 2008 in Hardware
Sometimes my external drive will shut off by itself. Why? What should I do?


Secondly, when should one boot up and shut down the drive (before or after booting up or shutting down the computer)?

thanks

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited March 2008
    Most hard drives are set to automatically power down with inactivity. This saves on electricity costs, otherwise the hard drive will spin just like your car would idle and waste gas.

    As for when you turn it on and off, that's up to you.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2008
    It's probably best to turn the drive on before you boot up the computer and turn it off after the computer is shutdown.

    However you can do it at anytime. The only thing you should do is use the 'Safely Remove Hardware' tool in your taskbar if you are disconnecting the drive while your computer is on. It will ensure that there are no open connections to that drive and help ensure the integrity of the drive.
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