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4 Tips for Protecting Your External Hard Disk Drive

Like most storage devices such as memory cards and flash drives, all external hard disk drives fail to function sooner or later. However, that doesn’t mean they all stop working at the same rate. Sometimes the cause of malfunction stems from the manufacturer, but in most cases, it is the fault of the user for not taking care of the device. To keep it away from failure, here are the tips on how to take care of your external hard disk drive.

Designate a cool and safe place

It is important that you keep your hard drive away from direct sunlight. This is because hard drives, in general, are designed to function within a limited range of temperatures. So, always keep your external hard disk drive within the safe temperature range while it’s operating. Another important thing to keep in mind is designating a safe place for the cables of your hard drive so that no one can pull them accidentally from your work table. Fastening cable ties on them not only makes the cables organized but also keeps your work table free from clutter.

Defrag the drive from time to time

File fragmentation causes your external hard disk drive to have difficulty finding all the essential bits that compose a certain file. The bits are scattered across the hard disk drive instead of staying in one place, making it work harder and experience more wear and tear. The damage might not show up for a short while but over time it adds up till you cannot use a particular file. To avoid this, the solution is simple: defragmentation. It not only improves the integrity of your files but also allows for a quicker data access rate of your hard disk drive. You can find many defragmentation tools on the internet. Some are freeware like the “Defraggler’, while others are payable like the “Distrix Ultimate Defrag”.

Protect it against power surges

Keep in mind that electric current isn’t always constant; there are instances that it will spike drastically for a few seconds which is called a power surge. This causes damage to devices including external hard disk drives, affecting its internal components. To protect your hard disk drive from these surges, use a surge protector. This small yet powerful device can monitor electrical surges and deflect it from the external hard disk drive that is plugged in. However, you should remember that not all surge protectors are infallible. The performance still depends on the one you buy as your devices will only be protected from certain surge strengths. It’s best to get one if you want to keep your external hard disk drive safe.

Use color coding when working with multiple external drives

When working with multiple external hard disk drives, it’s essential to mark the plugs of the adapters with different colors. Doing so prevents you from accidentally swapping the power adapters. Overlooking this procedure can result in damaging the internal components of your hard disk drive since the wrong voltage can cause shortages.