Let’s face it. Technology today is a confusing and changing whirl of ever-changing products and capabilities. Its not surprising, therefore, that you may have questions about external hard drives. But everyone with a computer should know some basics about peripheral devices and external hard drives are some of the most powerful peripherals around. Take a little time to learn what they are and what they can do and you’ll be glad you did.
What is an External Hard Drive?
An external hard drive is just that. It is designed along the same lines as the hard drive that keeps your computer running day in and day out. The main difference? It lives outside of a computer’s shell. Instead it is a peripheral device, but one that is incredibly powerful. It connects to your machine, or any other machine that you choose to connect it to, via a USB port. That connection allows the hard drive to talk to the machine it is connected to. Essentially, it can share data.
The Benefits of an External Hard Drive
An external hard drive is more powerful than some of the other drives you can connect to your computer. It is also more stable, although it does need to be cared for and protected in roughly the same way as an internal hard drive. The unique qualities of an external hard drive will allow you to use it in a number of different ways. For example, you’ve probably encountered the external hard drive already if you’re searching for storage solutions for your data. Many people use them to create long-term back-ups of their most important data. But they can also be used to store and run applications and even an OS. This can be particularly useful if you need to run an application of your own to perform work on someone else’s computer. Alternatively, you can store a snapshot of your entire computer system on an external hard drive and use it to restore your computer if you are attacked by a virus. In the end, there are many different uses for this technology, almost as many as there are for the hard drive inside your computer.