jstoneob

Q: Quick question about external HD

Got a new iMac 21", and was just wondering if it makes any difference in proformance if I leave external drive plugged in, or should I eject, and unplug it after using it?

Posted on Sep 1, 2016 7:49 AM

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Q: Quick question about external HD

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  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Sep 1, 2016 7:52 AM in response to jstoneob
    Level 9 (58,115 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 1, 2016 7:52 AM in response to jstoneob

    I have always left my EHD's plugged in and running and they seem to run for years. However I always make it a point to get high quality enclosures. The only enclosure I will use on my iMac are the OWC Mercury Elite Pro line (www.macsales.com). I have found that cheap enclosures such as WD, Seagate, etc. tend to have a higher failure rate.

  • by jstoneob,

    jstoneob jstoneob Sep 1, 2016 9:00 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (18 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 1, 2016 9:00 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Thanks for the quick reply. I was more interested in the performance of the iMac being affected if external HDs are left plugged in and mounted. Do they use up more  CPUs or memory?

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Sep 1, 2016 9:04 AM in response to jstoneob
    Level 7 (31,893 points)
    iPad
    Sep 1, 2016 9:04 AM in response to jstoneob

    I only need mine about once or twice a week, so I eject and turn them off - less wear and tear on the externals. If you need them constantly/daily, leave them plugged in - as long as they are not doing anything (such as read/write), they should not consume any resources from your Mac (except electricity if they are plugged into the wall).

  • by rkaufmann87,Solvedanswer

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Sep 1, 2016 10:40 AM in response to jstoneob
    Level 9 (58,115 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 1, 2016 10:40 AM in response to jstoneob

    jstoneob wrote:

     

    Thanks for the quick reply. I was more interested in the performance of the iMac being affected if external HDs are left plugged in and mounted. Do they use up more  CPUs or memory?

    They will not affect CPU or RAM. They are intended to be left plugged in and on, the only time mine are off is when I am away from my computer for an extended period like a week or two. The only downside to leaving them on all the time is they use a tiny bit more electricity and in the long term (years) they may wear more because they are spinning. What tends to affect electrical components is the heat and mechanical stress of turning them on and off which is why I leave mine on all the time.

  • by jstoneob,

    jstoneob jstoneob Sep 1, 2016 10:39 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (18 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 1, 2016 10:39 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Thanks, plugged in it is then.

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Sep 1, 2016 10:44 AM in response to jstoneob
    Level 9 (58,115 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 1, 2016 10:44 AM in response to jstoneob

    Your welcome.