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running an external HD 24/7?
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Old 28-08-2014, 14:30   #1
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running an external HD 24/7?

Wondering if someone could give me some advice please

I have an External HD and an Asus RT-N56U router that has USB ports on it. I was wanting to add my External HD to it so that it can be networked as a back up device for laptops around the house.

I'm just wondering on the wear and tear on a HD 24/7 or will this only become active when when used? I wasn't sure if it would simply shut down like windows does when they aren't active.
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Old 28-08-2014, 15:34   #2
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Re: running an external HD 24/7?

Wear and tear is not generally an issue. Repeatedly shutting down a drive causes more wear than leaving it on 24/7. However if power use is a concern you can program it to shut down when idle either directly on the drive or possibly on the router too, depending on what software you have on the router.
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Old 29-08-2014, 23:05   #3
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Re: running an external HD 24/7?

I run 2 external drives 24/7 on my media server.
Neither have had an issue and qasdfdsaq is right about turning them on and of causing more "wear"

The only drawback and it's not really a drawback is that the drives take a few seconds to spin up when accessed.
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Old 29-08-2014, 23:18   #4
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Re: running an external HD 24/7?

I've got the same router as you and have had an external drive on the go for maybe a couple of years. I go on the logic that it will fail one day and I make sure I've got a copy of everything important somewhere else (eg on our home network, or better still in a different building, or both!).

I'm using a WD drive, don't think it spins down, but it's upstairs so can't hear it. One thing though, the router's only USB2 so it's not the quickest option.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

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Old 31-08-2014, 02:22   #5
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Re: running an external HD 24/7?

Some external drives may have an automatic timed spin down when idle, but running a drive 24/7 is better than excessive stop/start.

Take care that drive and power supply do not have their cooling obstructed - better for the drive to be vertically orientated, as that gives better passive cooling.
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Old 31-08-2014, 12:38   #6
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Re: running an external HD 24/7?

I have the same router and have a 2.5" HDD on USB connected to it 24/7. it's been running on it since I got the router between 18 months and 2 years ago I should think. no issues at all. I also have a USB memory stick plugged in 24/7 too - also absolutely fine.
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Old 01-09-2014, 00:33   #7
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Re: running an external HD 24/7?

Thanks for the feedback I'll get that sorted tomorrow then
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Old 05-09-2014, 14:07   #8
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Re: running an external HD 24/7?

Just to echo what others have said it will be fine. I used to have a twin bay external usb/esata drive enclosure that ran 24/7 for 3 years before I found usb 2.0 wasn't quick enough for me so I put them internal instead. In my case it was a DIY enclosure so I just used old desktop drives in it but you will find any off-the-shelf external hard drive has a normal internal hard drive at its core. These drives are ofcourse fine for 24/7 use and the only factors could be how well designed the enclosure cooling is or if your drive is in direct sunlight, as heat can have a dramatic effect on the speed and lifespan of a mechanical hard drive.
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Old 05-09-2014, 14:56   #9
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Re: running an external HD 24/7?

There is a interesting report from an on-line storage company into the longevity of the standard drives that they use.

Seems the median HDD life (at which 50% are still running) is about 6 years.


Out of curiosity I had a look at the stats on my HDD:

It's been running for about 12,500 hours and has been started 3,000 times. Maybe I should think about a replacement.
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Old 05-09-2014, 17:39   #10
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Re: running an external HD 24/7?

12,500 hours and 3,000 cycles is nothing. I have drives with 35,000 hours and 5,000 cycles that are nowhere near needing to be replaced. I've even seen laptop drives with over 50,000 cycles on them...
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