hey guys I have 2 external HDD full of my video work files, I probably know the answer but I would like to know for sure, that if I take them out of there casings and put them into my PC, would my files be affected?
I'm no professional, so this may not be the most correct answer. Be warned.
It sounds like it should work fine. I would aassume that since it's not originally an internal HDD, you may not be able to mount it. As long as nothing is scratched or jolted around as the HDD runs, meaning there's no damage, I would assume that the files would be just fine.
Some external HDDs don't use a conventional internal type HDD inside. Instead, they used a HDD that had a direct USB interface instead of the more conventional SATA connection and cannot be used inside a computer. Before attempting any kind of modification to a HDD, make sure you backup the data on it to another HDD.
Even if you aren't making any modifications, you should never have data stored in only one place. All storage media, including HDDs, are subject to failure without warning. Data isn't safe unless it exists in at least three places with one of those places being offsite.
Last edited by Lady Fitzgerald; 04 Nov 2014 at 15:28. Reason: Senioritis
Taking HDDs out of their casing can be a delicate operation. And then there could be the problem which Lady Fitzgerald points out. I would reconsider the operation.
If those are USB2 HDDs, you could win a bit of speed. But if they are USB3 HDDs there is not much to be gained.
And to answer your question - if they come out easy and are standard Sata disks, then it should work without impact on the files.
... listen to the people above. Don't listen to me.
I'm thinking the OP feels having the disks installed internally would be far more convenient, not just faster, than using them externally, something I would agree with. If he (she?) doesn't already have those two drives backed up, a safer route would be to get one or two more drives large enough to hold the data on the two external drives in question, install them in the computer, then copy the data from the externals to the new drive(s) in the computer. That way, the data will be on the new drive(s) in the computer and the external drives will become backups for the data with no need for risky surgery.
While data is safest with at least two backups, I realize there may be budget constraints so only one backup will be better than none. However, no backups can prove to be more costly than only one backup. If the only HDD with data on it should fail (actually, it's just a matter of time before a HDD will fail, often without warning), recovery of the data will prove to be far more costly (the cost could easily run over $1000) than the cost of new internal drives, assuming the data could be recovered (more times than not, it can't). Keep in mind there are only two kinds of HDDs, one that has already failed and one that is going to fail someday.
Thanks for the opinions people, they are seagate USB3 drives (3TB, 2TB), I have got 1 of that type as an internal already so there are normal sata connections. I think for safeties sake I will leave them as external. And Lady Fitzgerald I am male!
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