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long term storage of external hard drive

  • 04-05-2012 11:19AM
    #1
    enniscorthy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,046 ✭✭✭


    hi all -

    seeking a few ideas and opinions on this

    i have read contradictary reports on several different sites about the long term storage of external hdd

    in other words - does it harm the drive to archive it away safely in a plastic box in a wardrobe - not in use for up to a year or more

    i ask this as some people have suggested that as the device is intended to be spinning that prolonged non-use could speed up the possible eventual failure of the drive

    interested to hear thoughts


Comments

  • #2
    fionny
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,369 ✭✭✭fionny


    I have no hard facts but I would imagine as long as the drive is in a nice sealed box and is not get banged around or roasted hot etc it should be absolutely fine. Maybe pack some silica gell saches with it to prevent moisture.


  • #3
    vibe666
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭vibe666


    yep, can't say fairer than that.

    there used to be a problem with older (very old, talking back when enterprise drives were a few gigabytes) hard drives would have problems with the lubricants migrating from the drive bearings if they were left powered down for long periods of time, but as far as i am aware, that hasn't been the case for quite a while, although given enough time (i'm guessing a decade or two) i'm sure it might still be an issue, although by then you'll be able to store your entire library of archived hard drives in your neural implant in your head, so that shouldn't be a problem. :D


  • #4
    enniscorthy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,046 ✭✭✭enniscorthy


    hehehehehahahaha phew thanks mate


  • #5
    vibe666
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭vibe666


    enniscorthy wrote: »
    hehehehehahahaha phew thanks mate
    obviously i'm not making any guarantees, your own mileage may vary and when it comes down to it, ALL hard drives will fail eventually at some point in their lives, whether they are in use or not so it's not a permanent solution.


  • #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,656 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Even if a HDD should last a few years in storage without siezing up, it doesnt mean your specific HDD will. You shouldn't trust important data to generalisations or assumptions.

    Backup your data to a high-quality optical disc or quality flash drive. Both are more suited to long-term storage. The chances of your HDD and your DVDR both failing while in storage are much slimmer than either on their own.

    If you absolutely must use a HDD only (because its TBs of data), then in the very least have it on two different HDDs, from different manufacturers and stored in different places.


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