# Re: External Harddrive preferred usage.



## Jddolbee (Oct 9, 2009)

*External Harddrive preferred usage.*

This question is not related directly to LR, but I was hoping that someone would be able to answer it or point me in the right direction to get an answer.

I recently purchased a 2 TB external harddrive and have configured it in Raid 1 to mirror files on the two drives within the unit. I use this as primary back up and achrive storage. I download from my camera to my computer HD, do my LR processing on my primary computer HD and when complete, create .tiff files and move them and the NEF files to the external drive for final storage. I also store a backup copy of my LR cataloge there.

I generally only go to the external drive 4-5 times a week for limited periods of time (not more than an hour at a time). My question is: Is it better for the life of the external drive to leave it connected to the desktop and running all the time (24/7) eventhough I don't use it very offten, or better to start it for each use and then shut it down following each use? Is there any advantage to the life of the drive one way or the other?

Thanks

Jim


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## Denis Pagé (Oct 9, 2009)

I do power off for my drives used under the same conditions as they are used less than 5% of the time. I keep those that I use more or less running all the time and made them internal.


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## sizzlingbadger (Oct 9, 2009)

I would switch off also...


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## MarkNicholas (Oct 10, 2009)

Apparently, external hard drive life is measured in hours of usage (or the disc spinning) so in theory the less you use it the longer it should last longer. Even if you leave it connected to the computer all day it will not be spinning constantly, unless you are using it constantly. I have seen 4',''' hours quoted on some forums which equates to about 4.5 years constant use.


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## clee01l (Oct 10, 2009)

My external HDs are attached via the Newtork Router. i.e. they are NAS Drives. In all respects, they are the same drives in your computer or your USB external drive. 

In the 6-7 years since I got my first one, they run pretty much 24X7 Each NAS unit runs a flavor of Linux and take a little more that the space for the 1-2 HDs contained in each one. I out grew my first NAS, a 25'GB single HD. In stead of taking it out of circulation, I replaced it with 2 5''GB running RAID1. About 2 years ago one of the 5''GBHDs died, I restored from my one remaining 5''GB I replaced the dead 1TB NAS with two 1TB NAS units, One of the 1TB NAS units is used to backup my laptop and my wifes laptop as well as an image archive for Lightroom. The old 5'' GB from the RAID Unit was still servicable and I bought a USB Enclosure for it to attach it to the NAS. Since I am doing backups on several machines over the netwrok, these NAS units have to be ready and available. So in 6-7 years of continuous use, I've had one drive failure and no loss of data. In that same period I've had two Sony laptop HDs fail and some data loss that was not being backed up to the NAS. 
I pulled this off a forum addressing a question about HD Life Span:





> The Western Digital MTBF specification is 3'',''' hours. If a disk drive is operated for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it would take an average of 34 years before this disk drive will fail.


 So, the 4',''' hours is a little off target. Of course, I am not optimistic enough to think my data safe for 34 years either. 

With a RAID setup, you will not likely have all the HDs fail at once and recovery is possible. Most IT Shops run extensive storage facilities and routine backups. These do run 7X24. You might take a page from their play book  Equipment failure is to be expected. Prepare for it but don't think you can prevent it.


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## Jddolbee (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks for the comments. Much appreciated.

Jim


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## MarkNicholas (Oct 12, 2009)

I suppose they are a little like our cameras. They could break on the first day or last forever.


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## Replytoken (Oct 12, 2009)

I am guessing that two possible factors in a drive's life, beyond bad manufacturing or design, are heat and powering up. Of the two, I would believe that the former is the bigger issue. If a drive is kept from overheating, then running it for long stretches of time should not be a problem. Powering up a drive is probably less of an issue, if an issue at all, but it could possibly put some wear and tear on a drive's life. My advice would be similar to those who have audio equipment utilizing vacuum tubes - minimize frequent on/off cycles and avoid leaving equipment on for long periods of time when it will not be used. Either way, just remember to keep current in your back up routine!

--Ken


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## hollis_f (Oct 12, 2009)

[quote author=Jddolbee link=topic=8'58.msg54956#msg54956 date=1255117778]create .tiff files and move them and the NEF files to the external drive for final storage. I also store a backup copy of my LR cataloge there.
[/quote]

If you're moving the files then the only place they exist is on that drive? If that's the case then you don't actually have proper backup. There are many possible situations where data one one drive can be lost - and the loss get's mirrored to the other drive in a Raid 1 setup.

I'd get an independant 1.5TB drive and a SATA dock and use that to backup once a week.


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## Jddolbee (Oct 12, 2009)

I have a second external drive that I back-up to in addition to the mirrored drive. So I think I'm ok there. My concern was with trying to give the mirrored drive the best environment to operate in.

jim


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