If you have ever wondered how to disconnect a hard drive without turning off the PC? – Easy and fast, we recommend that you carefully read the following guide where you will learn everything about disconnecting hard drives without cutting off the power supply.
How to disconnect a hard drive without turning off the PC? – Fast and easy
Sometimes disconnecting a hard drive while the computer is still on can be very convenient. This is something especially useful for all those who manage a server since it is common that it is necessary to make a change of some component without completely shutting down the machine.
The truth is that there are various technologies and methods to achieve this function. One of the best known is hot swapping. This is a feature that has been built into many components for several years now.
Similarly, by purchasing various components, it is possible to disconnect hard drives even more safely, but this would entail an extra expense.
For the average user, it is best to always turn off the computer before disconnecting or changing a hard drive. Therefore, there is no safer option since the so-called hot swapping includes some risks that could lead to the total loss of the unit or another component of the computer. In such circumstances it would be impossible to recover files from hard drive on a PC that won’t boot.
Perform Hot Swappi ng to disconnect a hard drive without shutting down the PC
When we refer to hot swapping, we speak of the action of disconnecting components of a computer system without the need to turn it off, restart it or cut the power supply. Clearly, this relates only to components that can offer this function, the hard drive being one of them.
On the other hand, components such as the central processing unit (CPU) or the RAM memories cannot be disconnected while the computer is in use. For this reason, if you want to install or change RAM memory modules in your PC, you must disconnect the power supply first.
The hot swapping function can be especially useful in the case of having a server, since this way hard disks and other components can be easily changed.
Some perfect examples of this technology are USB devices, which can be connected and disconnected at any time without representing any kind of risk. However, for other components, functionality is often not built in at this level.
For this reason, you must inform yourself properly to know if your component (such as the hard disk or the motherboard) has this functionality. Otherwise, you could irreversibly damage the components.
How is hot swapping activated?
Once you have verified that your computer and all its components are capable of using the hot swapping function, you will surely ask yourself the process to activate the option. The truth is that this can be done easily using the BIOS configuration options. Remember to make a backup of the BIOS to avoid greater evils.
This differs for each computer and motherboard, however, if the option is available, in most circumstances it is within the configuration options of SATA devices. In turn, keep in mind that it often has a different name, such as “Hot Plug”.
Independent component or controller
One of the safest options with which we can easily disconnect a hard drive without turning off the computer, is using a drive or case designed for this purpose. Tool that you can find on different websites such as Amazon or eBay.
An enclosure or box for hard disk with compatibility with hot swapping, is the ideal option to disconnect our hard disks when the computer is still on. In fact, it is the elective that we recommend, since it is much safer than other options.
As a negative aspect, it is fair to point out that using a unit of these characteristics will entail an extra expense, but it is well worth it, understanding that we completely eliminate certain risks that are better to avoid.