Is It Best to Keep External Backup Hard Drive Powered Off

[Durango]

I use a Seagate USB 3.0 external hard drive to do automated system backups on a weekly basis, using both Windows and Acronis. I have always left this drive on all the time, even though I only use it weekly.

I have read where some users power their external hard drives off between backups.

Any recommendations on the best thing to do.......leave it on or turn it off?

Thanks in advance.........

 

[RolandJS]

If you can disconnect this drive when backups are not happening, you increase your odds of not having any viri or malware hitting the ext HD. Other than that, disconnecting and powering off ext HD saves some wearNtear on said device.

 

[Layback Bear]

A backup has a purpose and that is to protect the saved data.

I recommend unplugging the external drive and put in a safe place when ever it's not in use. That gives protection from any problems the computer might have.

Examples:
Infections including randsomware.
Power surges
Tinkering mistakes the owner/operator might make.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I only connect back up drives when I use them = right or wrong

 

[Durango]

If you can disconnect this drive when backups are not happening, you increase your odds of not having any viri or malware hitting the ext HD. Other than that, disconnecting and powering off ext HD saves some wearNtear on said device.

Thanks for your response.

It is easy for me to turn the power off to my hard drive because I can reach the surge protector it is plugged into. Will that suffice as a disconnection, or must I also unplug the USB cord from the back of my computer tower (difficult for me to get to)?

 

[RolandJS]

X HD powered off means no X HD exists within Windows

 

[Durango]

A backup has a purpose and that is to protect the saved data.

I recommend unplugging the external drive and put in a safe place when ever it's not in use. That gives protection from any problems the computer might have.

Examples:
Infections including randsomware.
Power surges
Tinkering mistakes the owner/operator might make.

Thanks for the response Layback.

I totally agree with your advice. It so happens that I have a 2nd hard drive that I use for backups, and I do exactly what you said. I do this backup manually about once a month, after which I totally disconnect this drive and store it in another room.

But with my other drive, I wanted to automate my backups on a weekly basis. I was hesitant to disconnect this drive because I was afraid I would forget to turn it back on for the backup. Maybe I should go ahead and disconnect it and see how often I forget to power it back on.

And how did you know that I make tinkering mistakes?

 

[Durango]

X HD powered off means no X HD exists within Windows

OK, thanks. That I understand. When I turn the HD power off at the surge protector, the HD no longer appears when I click on Computer, so it must no longer be visible within Windows.

 

[RolandJS]

"But with my other drive, I wanted to automate my backups on a weekly basis. I was hesitant to disconnect this drive because I was afraid I would forget to turn it back on for the backup. Maybe I should go ahead and disconnect it and see how often I forget to power it back on."
There is a geeky solution. If this particular ext HD has its own AC-power, you can install an electronic timer between outlet and HD plug. Set the time to allow approx 15 minutes before scheduled backup is to happen, and double the time you think the backup will take. If this is a usb powered HD, then, you'll need to find a utility that can OFF/ON/OFF/ON said HD on a schedule.

 

[Durango]

That geeky solution would work. I just thought of another geeky solution using my iPhone. I could ask Siri to remind me to turn on my disk drive every Wed night before I go to bed. At least I think she can be programmed to set repeated alarms.

Thanks again for your responses.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...
And how did you know that I make tinkering mistakes?

Easy, we all make tinkering mistakes.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

There are a couple of problems with the "geeky solution". One, if you computer gets infected before you update your backup, you will backup the infection. While most infections are stealthy, some, like the crypto viruses are very visible and if you manually start your backups, you at least may be able spot the infection before running the backup. It's also a good idea to run scans with all your antimalware programs before updating a backup.

Two, automatic backups require leaving your backup drive in the immediate area of your computer, making it visible to any crook who might steal your computer. The drive still needs to be plugged in to the mains, making it susceptible to any surges that might come down the line.

Overall, it is far better to complete disconnect the drive from the computer and the power and store it out of sight of the computer, similar to what Jack (LayBackBear; he's smarter than the average bear) said to do.

Depending on your work flow, you may want to consider increasing the frequency of your backups. You are already using two backups, which is excellent. I would suggest keeping the drive you have been backing up only once a month offsite, such as at a trusted friend's or neighbor's home, in a locked locker or desk drawer at work, a bank safe deposit box (my personal choice), etc. and swap it out with the one you keep at home as frequently as possible. If you don't add data very often, updating you backup only after adding the data would be adequate. When determining the frequency of your backups, keep in mind any data that hasn't been backed up can't be recovered from a backup. If your computer loses all its data, data that was added or changed since the previous backup will be lost.

 

[Durango]

Good things to think about, Lady. I have a friend who does indeed store his drive in his safe deposit box and then swaps them out occasionally. I am thinking about doing this. I don't worry about crooks where I live (I am retired and live in a very safe community, plus my two dogs keep vigilant watch); however, I do worry about fire, storm damage, etc.

I have never had a security breach, and only once in the past 10 or 12 years have I had to do a restore using a system image (too much user tinkering). But I am still fanatical about doing backups. I actually create 4 system images to 3 different drives (2 external and 1 internal) using two different programs (Acronis and Macrium). Additionally, I use SyncToy to automatically backup all my data files on a weekly basis. Except for the one drive that I disconnect after doing a manual backup about once a month, all my drives stay connected. Thus my original question........is this a good thing to do.

Now I think I will disconnect all but one of the external drives......it is partitioned, and I use it almost daily to store my wildlife photos and videos. But even this drive is backed up manually to the one drive that I have been disconnecting.

Thanks to all for your input.........

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yep disconnecting hdd's the only issue you might face is not doing it properly or dropping the hdd's

 

[Brds7t7]

I used to always keep one of my backup drives permanently connected and had one disconnected, but now with all these ransomware/crypto viruses popping up I don't keep any connected.
Now, I only connect when I'm doing a backup. I disconnect from the Internet, check running services before connecting the drive and only then will I connect it, do the backup, remove the drive and then reconnect my Internet. I'm very careful anyway and use many different types of protection, I've found cryptoprevent to be the most reliable so far. But some of these crypto viruses are getting a lot more sneaky. I don't mind being overly cautious when it comes to ransomware.

 

[Durango]

Brds - what do you mean by "check running services before connecting the drive"? What specific services are you checking and what are you looking for? Thanks.....

 

[RolandJS]

"...if you manually start your backups, you at least may be able spot the infection..." Neither Macrium Reflect nor Acronis True Image will give one a running directory of what is being backed up as it is being backed up. The only way I know of to spot an infection is by sheer luck of the draw -- with explorer.exe and calling up a sample of various docs, graphs, pics, etc.

 

[Brds7t7]

Brds - what do you mean by "check running services before connecting the drive"? What specific services are you checking and what are you looking for? Thanks.....

Well, anything with random weird looking names for starters Although that's not always a sign of a virus.
I recognise most of the services running on my system unless I've just installed something new.

 

[RolandJS]

"... I actually create 4 system images to 3 different drives (2 external and 1 internal) using two different programs (Acronis and Macrium)..." -- Durango
Ahhh, a mahn after me own hart! His devotion to backup matches mine, which brings tears of joy similar to Tammye Faye at a 50K collection day at Praise Me Lord ministry [long long long ago].

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

"...if you manually start your backups, you at least may be able spot the infection..." Neither Macrium Reflect nor Acronis True Image will give one a running directory of what is being backed up as it is being backed up. The only way I know of to spot an infection is by sheer luck of the draw -- with explorer.exe and calling up a sample of various docs, graphs, pics, etc.

A ransom note to unlock your data is one clue. More reliable is to run scans with your security programs to find and remove any infections before updating a backup.