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External Hard Drive Power Mangement ? RRS feed

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    Reading this thread (http://forums.microsoft.com/WindowsOneCare/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=870555&SiteID=2 )

    I see there is a recomendation that i use an external hard drive for backup purposes, which is how i've had it setup the past few weeks. However, i am not sure if windows internal power management turns off my external hard drive when it is idle. I have setup power management so that my internal hard drive powers down after about 20 minutes, but i am not sure if it does the same for my external hard drive.

    Does windows take care of power management for my external? (Anyone know for a fact?). For daily backup purposes, i suppose i need to keep my external on all day everyday, to make sure i dont miss schedule, however, i do not want my external hard drive overheating and potentially ruining my external hard drive, which would defeat the purpose of backing up my data with one care.

    Anyone with a definite answer know?
    Tuesday, August 7, 2007 12:37 PM

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    As far as I know, the drive needs to support a low power state or a parked state when not being accessed. Windows will not turn off the drive. I only have one external drive, a WD MyBook, that spins down to a low power state when not in use and this is independent of any power management settings that I have configured. If your external disk is in a decent enclosure it has adequate ventilation. I've never had an external disk overheat.

    -steve

     

    Tuesday, August 7, 2007 5:43 PM
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    As far as I know, the drive needs to support a low power state or a parked state when not being accessed. Windows will not turn off the drive. I only have one external drive, a WD MyBook, that spins down to a low power state when not in use and this is independent of any power management settings that I have configured. If your external disk is in a decent enclosure it has adequate ventilation. I've never had an external disk overheat.

    -steve

     

    Tuesday, August 7, 2007 5:43 PM
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    thanks for the insight, but i doubt i have the feature. i bought an ide->usb enclosure for a spare hard drive that i had, it does not have any cooling features, and i doubt it has an automated low power state.

    i suppose i have to turn it off and on.

    oh well oh well
    Tuesday, August 7, 2007 6:52 PM