Re: How do I power save a HDD?

Onsokumaru wrote:
"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eWLChkXsIHA.4392@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Frank Martin wrote:
"Anna" <myname@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O%236WyDRsIHA.2068@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Frank Martin wrote:
I have just installed another HDD just
for
ghost backups.

I do not want this disk to spin all the
time,
so how can I power it down when not in
use,
yet leave the main (other) HDD going?

Please help, Frank


"Bill in Co."
<not_really_here@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message
news:%23KoklUOsIHA.1872@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
One solution is to pull it out and put it
into an external USB hard drive enclosure,
and power that on ONLY when you need to
make a backup. Works well for me (in
conjunction with Acronis True Image).


Frank:
Another option to consider...

Assuming this is a desktop PC and you have
an available (vacant) 5 1/4" bay in your
computer case...

Why not install a removable HDD in that
bay? That way you can easily disconnect
that HDD from the system after you've
finished backing up your system to that
drive. Just a simple turn of the switch to
the OFF position would do it. Installation
of a removable HDD is no more difficult
than installing an optical drive.

Another advantage to this type of device is
that the system would treat the removable
HDD as an *internal* HDD rather than a USB
device so you would gain considerable data
transfer speed.
Anna


Thanks, but I wonder if I could just remove
the power plug (easily accessible) from the
back of the HDD yet leave the other wires
connected. The HDD is a Seagate ST3500630A
3AAF SATA 500Gb?

Regards, Frank

I wouldn't recommend it. If you're thinking along those lines, you
might reconsider the external HD enclosure idea (with its own built-in
power switch). That would be a lot safer and better. Or consider what
Anna said about the removable rack drives.

What's wrong with the power saving settings under windows?

Nothing. (But I wasn't talking about that).

My secondary disks stop spinning using this method.

It's probably a good idea to turn off system retsore and fast find or the
windows file indexer. Any program that accesses the other disks will cause
it to remain active.

By unplugging and reconnecting drives directly from the mobo will
potentially cause other problems.

Quite likely.

If you want to physically turn the drive on and off get an external
enclosure.

That's what I was getting at.


.

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