Questions tagged [external-drive]

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USB 2.0 external 5.25" enclosure doesn't show up in Windows Explorer [closed]

I am running Windows 10 on a HP EliteBook 650 G9 laptop. I plugged in a Vantec NexStar DX external 5.2" enclosure. It doesn't show up in Windows Explorer. I used Disk Management to see that it ...
user2153235's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
1k views

How do I emulate a "fake" external USB drive?

My goal is to create a disk partition that my Windows computer recognises as a removable device, but is actually a virtual hard disk.
Josh Roberts's user avatar
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0 answers
336 views

Windows 10 0xc000021a error after booting from external Windows 11 USB flash

I can't boot into Windows 10, it shows blue screen with 0xc000021a error code. Then tries to autorestore, but fails. I tried to restore it from Windows 11 on USB drive with DISM, but it shows me an ...
Im Im's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
99 views

do hard drives have aluminum on them for a reason or just to keep dust out

i grabbed this hard drive from my laptop thinking it was a lost cause, now i've found out that i MIGHT be able to save my data but... when it came out of the laptop it had an aluminum cover on it... i ...
user avatar
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1 answer
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What would the best practice be for installing any OS onto an external drive that could boot and run or install for use on a Lenovo Thinkcentre m82?

I first got the desktop from the scrap bin at my old job, it had no ram or internal hard drive. Just got the ram sticks in mail and now it goes to the recovery menu. I have a win 10 and a win8.1 ...
Sudo-Tom's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
650 views

How to recover file system access after losing non-mirrored MFT records?

After I unplugged my external drive after a phony safe removal on Ubuntu, two sectors are destroyed. The important sector contained records 4 to 7 (which is $AttrDef, $ (root), $Bitmap and $Boot) of ...
ChrisoLosoph's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
229 views

Permissions depend on from where the command is executed

I have encountered a very strange behaviour I do not know how to solve: the action permissions depend on where the command is executed. My situation: I set up a Nextcloud server on a Raspberry Pi 4. ...
Solenoid's user avatar
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0 answers
11 views

Swapping software on external drives then changing drive letter [duplicate]

I received a new external SSD from Santa :-) I have software that runs on an older external drive. Can I transfer the contents of the old drive to the new SSD then swap drive letters to save ...
Gerry B's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
250 views

Do modern USB external disks need parking or "safe removal"? What is the recommended way to turn them off?

I am trying to turn the off when I do not use it, as Seagate 3.5-inch USB drives never seem to lower the spinning speed even after I have not accessed the drive for hours. I would like to use the &...
Damn Vegetables's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
109 views

How to know the disk name instead of "Eject device" on the "Safely Remove" context menu on the notification area?

If the drive has partitions that Windows can recognise, the menu displays the drive label and letter. But for disks that do not have such partitions, it just shows "Eject Device" like the ...
Damn Vegetables's user avatar
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0 answers
177 views

How do I share a USB DVD Writer on a Linux host machine with a virtualised windows guest using Virt-manager?

I am using openSUSE Tumbleweed, and the windows guest is a Windows 10 instance. I tried to share the drive by passing through the USB host device but I could not find it on Windows. I looked around ...
gny-001f2's user avatar
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1 answer
1k views

Why an external USB SSD drive light is blinking after ejecting it in Linux?

I am running MX Linux 19.2 (Debian 10) with KDE desktop manager. Normally, after I eject this SSD drive, the light will be off. But today, I noticed that the light keeps blinking after I ejected ...
sgon00's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
1k views

What partition types should I use for my external HDD? Will the choice affect the performance?

Background I have a 2TB external HDD with two partition = 1.6 TB for files+ 300GB for system image(made after ransomware attack). The 300GB partition is NTFS format with partition type primary. The ...
Pragyan's user avatar
  • 113
1 vote
1 answer
56 views

What is the best way to use an external drive with a double USB plug on a laptop with only USB-C ports?

I have an external optical drive that has a double USB connector, presumably to supply more power to the drive. I have a 2019 16" Macbook Pro with only USB-C plugs. Is there any risk of harming the ...
David Rudnick's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
5k views

Arch Linux: Extending / using an additional HDD

My root partition for Arch Linux is running out of space (2.4GB), which isn't enough space for a project I'm going to start, the only option I have is my Micro SD but i cant switch my installation to ...
SSF scott's user avatar
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0 answers
221 views

USB File Explorer stops recognizing discs in external Blu-Ray drive after hibernation

This is my first question on this website. I hope it's the right place to ask this type of question here. I have a problem with an external USB 3.0 Blu-Ray drive (ASUS BW-16D1H-U PRO). If I hibernate ...
Player701's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
54 views

Using iCloud Local Drive for Installation

Is there a way that you can use the iCloud space on the hard drive for an installation? I am installing programming which is asking me for space it only needs temporarily. Ia there a way I can use ...
Phillip G. Schloss's user avatar
-2 votes
2 answers
247 views

Is it possible to tweak a hard disk drive’s firmware? A hard drive from a satellite decoder cannot be mounted on a PC

Is it possible to install/replace a hard disk drive’s firmware with a customized firmware that makes the hard disk drive be read by certain devices only? I have a hard drive that reads on a satellite ...
Neil Tsakatsa's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
508 views

When installing Linux Mint, what are the realistic considerations for choosing automated installation vs. manual selections?

I'm a non-technical computer user who uses applications in Windows 7 to get my work done; I don't dabble with the operating system. With support ending for Windows 7, I'm looking at transitioning to ...
Makram Zaki Shenouda's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
3k views

Is it possible to put a full installation of Windows 10 on a USB flash drive?

I have a laptop in which the internal drive bay has been destroyed, but the rest of the laptop works fine. I was wondering if it's possible to do a full installation of Windows 10 on a USB flash drive....
Aaron Franke's user avatar
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0 answers
1k views

What is the fastest way to copy cds

I have hundreds of legacy cds containing customer account statements. They are currently the backup copies but one year from now they will be the only copy as we are losing the system we use to access ...
imjustaboy's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Why does Windows store temporary files outside the TEMP folder? How to avoid that?

I have seen quite often that Windows (7 and above, maybe even since XP) creates folders with names like 4efc85e3bb644236da736f0e22bfd0 for storing files while an installation is running. Usually it ...
Tobias Knauss's user avatar
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1 answer
5k views

BSOD after successful Win10 install to external SSD on Mac OS cause: WppRecorder.sys

I don't know how to fix a BSOD I get booting for the first time into a newly installed Win 10 on my MacBook Air. I did a VirtualBox install to an external SSD (Samsung T5), actually installing it ...
JuJu's user avatar
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0 answers
40 views

How to migrate a laptop Windows 10 boot partition to an external USB drive

Is it possible to clone (migrate) a laptop Windows 10 boot partition (no way to diconnect the drive) to an external USB drive and then boot Windows from the external drive? I've looked over the ...
OneArb's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
69 views

Can I use a macOS installation on an external drive with different hardware

If I install macOS Mojave to an external USB drive using computer A, can I then use that drive and macOS installation on a computer B with different hardware? And then back on computer A? Even if ...
Gehrard Raven's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
953 views

SSD Drive USB Power Issues (ADATA SU800)

So I recently bought a brand new SSD Drive, ADATA SU800 1TB, and two USB enclosures to go with it. However, my laptop (surface pro 3) couldn't detect it in disk manager or diskpart, so I couldn't ...
woojoo666's user avatar
  • 345
0 votes
2 answers
125 views

How long should a 4 TB USB drive last?

I have had 2 4TB USB Seagate drives go bad. How long should they last and how can I make them last longer? They only lasted a year.
Charles Hesse's user avatar
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0 answers
32 views

is it possible to know when an hdd was manufactured using either smart features or not?

I got the following information from smart - /home/shirish> sudo smartctl -i /dev/sdb | grep Model [95%] ...
shirish's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
352 views

Backing Up Symlinks

I may have dug myself a deep hole ... I am running Windows 8.1. I can ask for temporary administrator privileges, but some requests get denied for policy reasons. Media in question is on a single ...
boobounder's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
25 views

Windows 7 shows (barely) HDD but Debian 8 does not

I have a 2.5" 320gb Seagate hdd that was given to me because it's "broken". I need this drive to work muchly. In Windows 7, connected via external "pluggable" brand HDD dock, the drive shows up as ...
Ben's user avatar
  • 111
6 votes
1 answer
4k views

windows VM extreamly slow when running from external USB3.0 SSD compared to a Linux VM and a USB3.0 HDD

Long Info: I'm trying to run a windows virtualbox vmdk from a USB 3.0 external SSD. The system I use is Arch Linux which is also installed on this external SSD. The VM runs fine if I load it from the ...
MADforFUNandHappy's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
2k views

Can Samsung T3 SSD run under Linux?

1- It's foramtted as exFAT and needs to be activated by Windows first prior to use. As frustrating as this may be, I'm willing to deal with it if it will work fully under Linux afterwards. So is it ...
Mars's user avatar
  • 292
1 vote
1 answer
2k views

Change drive letter of disconnected (reserved) device?

First off, I've done this before so I know it is possible. The problem is I just can't recall HOW I did it before. Basically, I reinstalled Windows 10. Before doing so, it was working well and it was ...
Corey Iles's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
177 views

Installing Windows 10 on External Drive

This question has been asked a few times and all had good replies that I have followed and it seems I am SO close to getting this done... But the Windows 10 ISO I have downloaded from Microsoft does ...
Mark Jelic's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
17k views

Make Windows see SSD as an external drive?

So whenever I plug my Samsung 850 EVO into any computer with a SATA to USB 3.0 adapter, the PC recognizes it as an internal drive. This makes it impossible to just right click it and "Eject" when ...
Shane Smiskol's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
55 views

Play a game from external cd-drive

Since the internal cd-drive of my computer is broken, I purchased an external one. I was able to install a game with this external drive, but when I want to start the game with the exact same drive, ...
JNevens's user avatar
  • 113
0 votes
1 answer
5k views

I can't copy "Appdata" to a external disc

So I'm doing a backup, manually. I copied some folders in wich there is all my files (I only save things inside them). Now I want to save application data. So in case I lost the programs, I can ...
Santropedro's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
155 views

What do Samsungs "GN/RSBD", "CN/RSBS", "CN/RSSS" for external devices mean?

I am currently looking for external dvd devices and found three from Samsung which look almost identical: Samsung SE-218CN/RSSS Samsung SE-218CN/RSBS Samsung SE-218GN/RSBD I guess the second last ...
Martin Thoma's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
153 views

Securing USB or external HDD mounts with a password (open-source solutions)

I would like to have a password required each time I mount a USB drive or memory stick onto a Windows Vista or 7 computer. It seems to me like I would need an encrypting filesystem: move everything ...
Jack Maddington's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Windows 7 Pro x64, Intel eXensible 3.0 Driver and not working USBs (almost)

After installing Intel eXtensible Host Controller Driver (http://www.dell.com/support/home/uk/en/ukbsdt1/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=KG9P5). USB ports (both 2.0 and 3.0) stopped working for USB ...
AcePL's user avatar
  • 1,806
1 vote
2 answers
31k views

How to ensure an external DVD drive will receive sufficient power from a USB port - before purchase [closed]

There are various external USB drives, some require external power supplies, some have optional external power supplies, some have 2 USB plugs, 1 for power and 1 for power + data. If I have a device ...
Peter's user avatar
  • 4,602
-6 votes
2 answers
78 views

Which external drive is better for server data backup? [closed]

I need to backup my server from data center having around 700GB of data. Which external drive shall I use (it will be directly connected to the server) for backup? How long it will take to copy data ...
user307277's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
162 views

Restoring old documents found by search engine Everything from $recycle.bin of hard drive D of another PC

I'm trying to recover some old files whose status I do not quite understand. Back in ~2006, I accidently deleted some essential Word documents from my then D:\ -hard drive (Windows ME). Some years ...
phil294's user avatar
  • 320
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

External HDD is not working on Mac notebook

I have this extenal HDD drive that connects to computer via cable with blue USB port (USB 3.0). It's working perfectly fine with my new ASUS laptop, but it's not working with an old MacBook (OS X 10....
Slava Fomin II's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
995 views

Moving downloaded OneDrive file off Mac external drive

I've managed to download a 4.86gb file off OneDrive Cloud to a Mac. Now it won't allow me to move/copy it to an external drive. If I try any Mac file it doesn't like it either. But if I copy a file ...
Collinssharon's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
4k views

Moving/copying files off onedrive to external drive XP

Moving/copying files off onedrive to external drive XP It only gives me options to move to folders within onedrive. Not to external destinations I don't have win 8 Please help. I have 1200 photos I ...
Collinssharon's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Virus on DVD-writer

A fried of mine has a notebook without a DVD writer and wants to borrow my external DVD/CD writer. Is it possible that the DVD writer gets a virus or malware etc. if my fried is using it and his ...
user312744's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
26 views

DVD Drive USB Full Eject

I don't know if this is the place to ask this question. I am trying to look for a usb dvd drive that has a full eject tray. I want the tray to eject all the way out the same way that my tower does. ...
HelloW's user avatar
  • 103
0 votes
1 answer
61 views

Windows 8 to go USB 3 vs USB 2

I have windows 8 installed to an external drive. The drive came with my laptop and is the one I exchanged with a SSD. At present it runs over USB 2.0 and is slow. Will buying a new USB 3.0 enclosure ...
Ashwin Singh's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
3k views

Can I use a DLNA BluRay player as an external BD drive for my Windows 7 laptop?

I have a DLNA enabled Samsung BluRay player. It is connected to my home network and I am able to stream media from my Win 7 computer to the TV via the player. However, I'd like to use this player as ...
ysap's user avatar
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