External HDD Doesn't have a power button?

[kim_foxx]

I bought another external HDD today and i notice that this one doesn't have a turn on/off power bottun like my old HDD does...

I was wondering should I have it on all the time? or should i unplug it from the power when I'm not using it?
Is it bad if i keep unpluggin and pluggin it into the power?

 

[Interscopia]

The best thing to do (If you're running windows) is to "Safely Remove" the hardware by right clicking the icon in the taskbar and selecting "Safely Remove Hardware". Because if the HDD is writing as you disconnect it, it could cause bad sectors to appear.

 

[Sharky]

Mine has a power button but I don't use it - it turns itself on and off by itself based on usage maybe yours is the same.

 

[Smith6612]

A lot of drives shut themselves off after a little while if they are not accessed, or if they do not detect a link via USB/Firewire/eSATA. It doesn't hurt to leave the drive running. They're made to run for years continuously with little issue.

 

[henk506673]

i agree with smith6612, the other thing that may happen is that they expect you to plug the power supply into the power strip that the computer is pluged into and when you turn your computer off at the strip, also turn off the supply. unless it is powered by the usb, in that case it turns off itself.

 

[locogeek94]

On my HDD, I notice the ready light goes off when I turn off the computer.
But when I touch the HDD, it seems to still be powered. So I simply turn off the power surge protector.

 

[frankpee]

My external drive case has no power button.
It's been running almost continuously for five years with no trouble.
The drive seems small now, though. Might be time to swap it out for a bigger one.

 

[alou764]

I have one with no power but i noticed that it heats up occasionally,just puled in with no use!
So i turn the cord off!