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External Drives


Minimoog

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Hey Folks

 

Do you leave your external drives connected and mounted when not recording…I used to switch the power on my old data drives to mount when needed. Now the ssd with no power buttons,…I feel like unplugging and plugging will probably cause more wear…just curious what most users do?

Thanks

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I always leave connected devices on.

Drives included.

 

However, I don't think that booting up a Mac with a turned off (or disconnected) external SSD could cause any arm, except perhaps if it contains data which Logic (or plugins/softwares) expects to retrieve.

 

Connecting an SSD drive (and/or other devices) to a power bar equipped with an on/off switch may be quite convenient and even recommended in the advent of power surges (providing it has a surge protection system).

I also turn my system completely off that way, every day when leaving the studio.

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Do you leave your external drives connected and mounted when not recording…I used to switch the power on my old data drives to mount when needed. Now the ssd with no power buttons,…I feel like unplugging and plugging will probably cause more wear…just curious what most users do?

The debate whether or not equipment should be turned off when not in use is decades old and still unresolved.

 

While not applicable to an SSD, it can be argued that a drive with a spinning disk gets more wear if left on, but then, everyone knows the sound of the drive head mechanism chattering away like mad for a good few seconds to minutes after switching on which does not happen when left on.

 

Also, most failures happen when switching something on, as supply voltages which should be constant do vary quite substantially during the first second or so of powerup which can and occasionally does blow a component with a snowflakey disposition.

 

There's the ecological argument of using less energy when switching things off, but frankly, we're not even in the race here since we bought this computer and have that smartphone in the pocket.

 

A backup app can and will only do its job when you're not driving the system at full steam, so switching drives off after recording will not only make your audio files go offline, they will not be backed up either which is never a good idea.

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I have one ext spinner which is only turned on as needed which isn't often (the case has a power switch) When Im done it makes zero sense to keep it going and I need its USB port anyway as they're maxed out.

 

I have 3 external SSDs (see my sig) and leave them connected. They're all to do with Logic and music and Logic doesn't like it when it cant find its files. You're in for more of the same if your project files can't be found and the same for 3rd party libraries which are used in those projects. You'd certainly put more wear and tear on your ports if you physically remove drive/s.

 

I shut down my computer when the days done. The only time I physically disconnect ext SSDs is for things like OS updates and Logic isn't in the picture or disconnecting one for the spinner.

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Thanks for the information guys, I have my drives connected to a powered hub that I’m shutting down when finished. But I leave the Mac on 24/7 even when not recording. The only times I had issues with my old MBP was if I shut down. It just works better when not powered off,

Thanks again

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For the past 20 years or so, I haven't turned off my Mac unless I'm going away for the weekend (or longer) or I'm going to do some work on the house that requires shutting down the power. I feel like turning off and on every night puts probably more stress on the equipment than it does to leave it on all the time.

 

But as Christian said, it's an age old debate, with no clear conclusion.

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