External harddisk help

[Dutch Guy]

I am thinking about getting an external harddisk, I will use it for backup of important files like photo's, videos etc and use it as an external drive for my PS3.

But how do they work, are they always on (and thus making noise) or do they only turn on when the computer/PS3 is on?

 

[fobose]

All the 3.5" hdd ones plug in to the mains, so you can turn them off at the wall if you want. Some of them have a switch on the back which turns them off also. When my PC turns off, the external drive sounds quite loud if I leave it on.

2.5" external caddies dont come with a mains adapter, and use a USB port for power, this would turn the external drive off once you turn your computer off.

 

[Dutch Guy]

All the 3.5" hdd ones plug in to the mains, so you can turn them off at the wall if you want. Some of them have a switch on the back which turns them off also. When my PC turns off, the external drive sounds quite loud if I leave it on.

2.5" external caddies dont come with a mains adapter, and use a USB port for power, this would turn the external drive off once you turn your computer off.

Ah, that's too bad it doesn't switch on and off automatically but then again I can also just turn it on when I need to.

 

[longshanks]

Aren't there some that turn off with the pc?