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Best way to keep external hard drives?
- Thread starter kylera
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Put them in anti-static bags and then in your box. This will protect the contacts and against dust.
Are you talking about storing them in a shoebox, or hiding them in a shoebox (e.g. having them still connected & running)?
I see no problem with storage, but if they're going to be running you want to have some airflow.
I see no problem with storage, but if they're going to be running you want to have some airflow.
If you just plan on storing them and not having them connected and running, do like was mentioned and get some anti-static bags to store them in.
If you plan on using them, you should get an enclosure to put them in.
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The link didn't work, so I tried a search for "hard drive enclosure" minus quotes. The results I got were basically what looked like the external enclosures you see from branded external hard drives. Are they the same?
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For bare drive storage, I like these hard anti-static cases. They even have a little access flap on the end so you can hook up the drive to a cable without removing it from the case.
Maybe the links didn't work because you're in Korea; those were US Amazon.com URL's. All I did was search the Amazon store for those items and linked them.
Makes sense...damn region differences...
Anyway, are what you linked basically the same as external enclosures you see when you buy branded external hard drives?
For the most part. What I ordered recently was a Wintec Filemate 3.5-Inch USB 3.0 External Hard Drive Enclosure - Mirror Finish Dark Gray. That is what I linked to in my earlier post from Amazon.
Does that particular enclosure feature anything special compared to the kinds of enclosures that came with my externals? (Seagate FreeAgent, WD My Book)
Judging from the overall flow of the thread so far, it seems I could just put them in a box, maybe poke some holes, and plug them into my Mac and use them as usual.
The one I ordered is a basic USB 3 enclosure that had an overall good review rating on Amazon.
I don't recommend using the HDD in a box. If you're going to store it, put it in a static proof bag. If you're going to use it, put it in a proper enclosure. There is too much risk involved for static shock to ruin the HDD while plugged in and even a potential for fire.
But what about storing an external hard drive like the MyBook, which is already in an enclosure? Would that still be risky?
That should be fine since its in an enclosure. What I'm referring to is a bare hard drive with no protective enclosure.