to power off / not power off external hard drive???

[Chuck Jeanneret]

Hi all! I am a switcher going on about a month now and getting settled in.

Question about external hard drives: I've read in posts that people never power off their external HD, and that the constant on/off actually damages the HD. Is this true? Can't remember where I've read it cuz I've been reading so much in these and other forums lately.

I am running a MBP, and I power off the MBP when I'm not using it. If the answer is that I shouldn't power off my external HD, can I do that even if I power down my MBP?

Thanks in advance for the answers, and thanks to all you guys in this forum for helping me through my early Mac days (and I suspect my later ones too).

 

[angelwatt]

I personally don't turn my external HDs off. It's hooked up to my MacBook and even when I close it or take it with me my external HD keeps running, though obviously doing nothing. I usually forget about it. Turning it on and off on a frequent basis can potentially be hard on it, but generally not an issue. Maybe more an issue with generic drives.

 

[jihad the movie]

I've wondered the same thing. I had a Western Digital external about four years ago that I would only use when I needed it, and I would turn it off when I didn't need it. The enclosure died after two years of use, but the drive was okay. I have always wondered if turning it on and off was what killed it. I have a Lacie D2 right now, and I have been debating what is the best procedure for it.

 

[0007776]

I only turn mine off when I turn my computer of for more than a day, which is maybe once a month, sometimes longer.

 

[sbluetruck]

i have a WD MyBook connected to my windows machine and it turns off when the computer turns off and on when it turns on.

it has all my pictures + backup data. if i don't need my pictures or the drive for that matter, i just leave it off (partly bc windows can get confused sometimes... okay, a lot )

it's all a matter of preference really.
if you think about it, you only turn your Mac's drive off when you turn the computer off.

 

[flopticalcube]

Most drives spin down after a few minutes of inactivity anyways.