The original post: /r/datahoarder by /u/venjah on 2025-04-06 02:40:39.
Hi, I've got a question. Like the title said, I have a 4TB Seagate Backup Plus portable HDD that I've been using as a backup dump for all of my personal files for a few years now, and only recently have I started to pay more attention to my HDD's usage and trying to prolong its lifespan a bit before investing in a new drive in maybe a year or two.
I've seen some posts in this sub regarding keeping external HDD's plugged in at all times, but mine is not a "heavy duty" requires external power source type of HDD like the ones in the other posts, so I'm not exactly sure if the same answers apply. Should I only plug my portable HDD into my laptop when I need to use it and unplug right after use, or is it safe for me to keep it plugged in?