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Question

Can anything go wrong with my hard drive?

Nov 19, 2011 9:10PM PST

Hello,
i have bought a docking station and an internal WD 500 gb hard drive. I dont use the hard drive often. Just used it once to back up everything on my computer and put it away. So am wondering can anything go wrong with the harddrive?
Thanks

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Not very likely, but not impossible either.
Nov 19, 2011 9:14PM PST

And
remember, if anything happens to your computer and the original files
get lost, this external disk is the only copy. So we always recommend to
have more than 1 backup.


Kees

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Answer
I agree with Kees. I too have removable storage that I use
Nov 20, 2011 12:17AM PST

and put away as a backup but I also have at least one internal drive dedicated to selected data and complete (image) backups of the entire system. And depending on how critical your data is....'remote' or 'offsite' storage might be something to consider as well.

VAPCMD

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Answer
Storage
Nov 20, 2011 5:13AM PST

Hard drives, of course they can fail. As stated to you, its best to have multiple copies of you critical data, whatever it is. Since, you have a docking station, the ease of using another 2nd HD is a plus. Also, the super critical data that just can't be lost should still be stored on CD/DVD/BD discs. Just treat your backup HDs like eggs and store them in a safe place.

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Answer
Simple answer - Yes!
Dec 2, 2011 9:11PM PST

Slightly longer answer, yes, hard drives can fail even when sitting on a shelf - case in point, I had one that I had intended to copy to a bigger drive when I got "a round tuit". Well, by the time I did, Sticktion had taken hold (heads stuck to parking zone) and the drive just wouldn't spin up when put back in a machine. Fortunately, I had followed "Rule Number One" and had a couple of additional copies on DVDs. Never ever rely on a single backup copy on whatever medium.

By "Docking Station" I assume you mean the ones you just push a bare hard drive into? Be sure to retain the original packaging the drive came in and pack it away in that packaging, including the anti-static and silica gel bags, when you store it away.