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External solid-state drives (SSDs) are great for storing your data and files when you don’t have enough space in your laptop or computer. It’s also a very handy device to carry around given its portability. SSDs are also fast provided they have a USB Type-C port for fast data transfer speeds. So even if it’s to store data and files or transfer files to your laptop, <keyword id="12234722" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="external-ssds" source="Orion">external SSDs</keyword> are highly recommended. <br /><br />To make your decision easier, here’s a list of the best USB-C external SSDs.<br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B07LGGMW41" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07LGGMW41_head"><div type="image" title="Portable design" msid="88691189" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07LGGMW41</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07LGGMW41_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07LGGMW41_7053774430076961"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Dell External SSD</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This is a super slim and portable external SSD from Dell that looks like a pendrive. It comes in a silver platinum finish and has a slim design. The external SSD has 256GB of storage with transfer speeds of 550 Mbps. It is claimed to support 250GB of data transfer within just 15 minutes. The Dell external SSD has a USB Type-C port and it comes with a cable as well.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B07LGGMW41_9991790086335461"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This external SSD is recommended for those who want something ultra portable and easy to carry around.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B08GTYFC37" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08GTYFC37_head"><div type="image" title="Recommended" msid="88691232" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08GTYFC37</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08GTYFC37_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08GTYFC37_0958081706028935"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This is also a portable external SSD and it’s from SanDisk. You get 1TB of storage capacity along with 1050 Mbps of read and 1000 Mbps of write speeds. This external SSD has universal compatibility with PCs, computers, smartphones and tablets via USB Type-C and Type-A cable. It also has password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption for your files. It offers up to two-meter drop protection and IP55 water and dust resistance.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08GTYFC37_1801194213032078"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This SanDisk 1TB external SSD is a highly recommended option that you can go for.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B087DG2BHB" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B087DG2BHB_head"><div type="image" title="Value for money" msid="88691252" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B087DG2BHB</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B087DG2BHB_body"><bulletContentRow name="B087DG2BHB_2881555842770660"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Samsung T7 500GB</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This is a 500GB external SSD from Samsung. It offers up to 1050 Mbps of data transfer speeds, and it has a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port. The external SSD has a shock resistant internal frame and optional password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption. It comes with USB Type-C to Type-C and USB Type-C to Type-A cables. You can use it with Windows PCs and laptops, Macs, and Android devices. It also has a portable design and comes in three colour options of blue, red and gray.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B087DG2BHB_4802633968416198"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Samsung T7 500GB external SSD is a value for money option to go for.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B08XKKSBTS" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08XKKSBTS_head"><div type="image" title="Budget friendly" msid="88691266" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08XKKSBTS</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08XKKSBTS_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08XKKSBTS_0389412425970517"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Seagate One Touch 500GB External Portable SSD</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Seagate One Touch is another 500GB external SSD that you can go for. It offers 1030 Mbps data transfer speeds, and it’s compatible with Windows, Mac and Android devices. There’s also an Android backup app so you can seamlessly transfer photos and videos from your phone. The external SSD has a USB Type-C port that is compatible with Type-C to Type-A cables as well. In terms of design, the external SSD is compact making it portable and easy to carry around.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08XKKSBTS_0940086017012255"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Seagate One Touch external SSD is a budget friendly option that you can go for.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B082VVSJTH" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B082VVSJTH_head"><div type="image" title="Also consider" msid="88691291" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B082VVSJTH</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B082VVSJTH_body"><bulletContentRow name="B082VVSJTH_3615977042831398"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Samsung T7 Touch 500GB</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Samsung T7 Touch offers 500GB of storage capacity and up to 1050 Mbps of transfer speed. The external SSD has a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port that is also backwards compatible. It comes with a shock resistant internal frame that lets the external SSD withstand falls from up to two meters. For security, you get fingerprint and password protection along with AES 256-bit hardware encryption. It also comes with USB Type-C to Type-C and USB Type-C to Type-A cables</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B082VVSJTH_8921437075939730"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Samsung T7 Touch is another 500GB external SSD that you can consider.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B08F2L6TLR" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08F2L6TLR_head"><div type="image" title="Pocket friendly" msid="88691320" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08F2L6TLR</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08F2L6TLR_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08F2L6TLR_0464645830290526"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Western Digital WD My Passport SSD</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This is a portable external SSD from Western Digital with 500GB of storage capacity. It is cross compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2 and USB Type-C cables. The external SSD has a shock and vibration resistant design, and it’s drop resistant up to 6.5 feet. You also get password protection with AES 256-bit hardware encryption. This external SSD has universal compatibility so you can use it with Windows, Mac and Android devices. It also comes in four colour options of red, gray, blue and gold.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08F2L6TLR_0710250548273922"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Western Digital WD My Passport SSD is a pocket friendly option that you can go for.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br />

Best external SSDs with USB Type-C port in India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A solid-state drive (<keyword id="176562" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="SSD">SSD</keyword>) and hard disk drive (<keyword id="257682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="HDD">HDD</keyword>) can perform the same storage role in a computer, but there are notable differences between the two options.</li><li>This is how SSDs and HDDs stack up considering capacity, cost, reliability, and performance.  </li><li>In most respects, an SSD is a better choice for your next computer. </li></ul><p>In the last few years, what we think of as the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/hard-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hard drive</a> in our computers has changed. At one time, a hard drive meant only one thing: the mechanical spinning platter known as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-hard-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a hard disk drive (HDD)</a>. These days, you're more likely to have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-ssd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a solid-state drive (SSD)</a>, which is essentially a collection of memory chips that have a lot in common with a USB flash drive. </p><p>Why would you choose one over the other? SSDs are more modern, but what advantages do they have? And when is an HDD the better choice? Here's an overview of the pros and cons of SSDs and HDDs. </p><h2><strong>SSD vs. HDD: Capacity</strong></h2><p>You can get both SSDs and HHDs in all the common capacities you would ordinarily need for a laptop or desktop compter. Most computers have no more than a 1 TB or 2 TB hard drive, so it's easy to equip them with either kind of storage. But beyond 2 TB, SSDs are virtually nonexistent, while HDDs are inexpensive and plentiful. </p><p>The bottom line is that if you need high-capacity storage, HDD is still the better option. </p><h2><strong>SSD vs. HDD: Cost</strong></h2><p>While the cost of SSDs has fallen substantially in recent years, and it's now possible to get capacities up to and including 2 TB without spending a fortune, HDDs are still a much cheaper technology. A typical 2 TB SSD costs about $200; an equivalent HDD is as little as $50. In fact, while you can save money by buying a much smaller SSD (a typical 512 GB SSD costs about $50), HDDs are so inexpensive that there's essentially no benefit to buying a smaller one - why spend $35 on a 512 GB HDD when you can get 2 TB for $15 more?</p><p>The bottom line is that HDDs remain much more affordable than SSDs, though that price advantage is shrinking. </p><h2><strong>SSD vs. HDD: Reliability</strong></h2><p>An SSD has no moving parts. There is no spinning platter that must operate in a sealed, near-vacuum environment, nor is there a tonearm-like mechanism that moves rapidly to read and write data. That makes an SSD far more durable, able to withstand jumps and drops much more effectively. An SSD also isn't subject to mechanical failure simply due to age and use.</p><p>The bottom line: By most measures, an SSD is far more reliable than an HDD. </p><p>There's another consideration, though: SSDs can only be "written" a fixed number of times, and there is some reason to worry that writing too much data to an SSD too frequently may cause it to fail. That said, SSD technology has improved, and now operating systems are much smarter about how data is written to the device. </p><p>The bottom line: An SSD should last at least as long as an HDD, which will inevitably suffer mechanical failure. </p><h2><strong>SSD vs. HDD: Performance</strong></h2><p>If you make the transition from an HDD to an SSD, the performance difference is noticeable immediately. With a traditional hard disk drive, it can take several minutes for a Windows computer to boot. Booting from an SSD can be measured in seconds. Everything done with an SSD is faster than an HDD, and noticeably so: reading files, saving files, starting apps, and more. </p><p>The bottom line is that there's no contest - SSDs are much faster. In addition, SSDs won't slow down over time due to use in the way that HDDs will, even if the drive is mostly full.</p><h2><strong>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</strong></h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-computer-virus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is a computer virus? Here's how to spot signs of viruses and avoid them<br /></a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-wipe-computer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to wipe a computer if you want to sell it or give it a fresh start</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-backup-files-on-windows-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to back up the files on your Windows 10 computer, and keep copies of your data for security</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-backup-mac" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to backup your Mac computer using Time Machine or iCloud</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-partition-a-hard-drive-in-windows-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to partition a hard drive in Windows 10, and keep your most important files separate from the rest</a></h3></li></ul>

SSD vs. HDD: How to decide which storage option is the best for your computer

Best gaming laptop under ₹70000

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Optical drives let your computer read and interact with discs like CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays.</li><li>While nearly every computer had them a few years ago, they're rare to see on new computers now.</li><li>If you need an optical drive but your computer doesn't have one, you can buy an external optical drive.</li></ul><p>Optical drives were once so common that virtually every computer came with one, or even two. Now this storage solution is quickly becoming obsolete - it's increasingly rare to find a mainstream desktop or laptop computer with a built-in optical drive.</p><p>You can still find them, however, on several other devices. These include game consoles, DVD and <keyword id="152650" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Blu-ray">Blu-ray</keyword> players, and car stereos.</p><p>Here's everything to know about optical drives, including what they do, how they work, and what to do if you need one.</p><h2>What are optical drives?</h2><p>In the simplest terms, an optical drive is the piece of hardware that lets a device read and interact with a disc. These discs can be CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, game discs, and more.</p><p>All optical drives are based on the same fundamental technology. An optical drive is composed of a laser that's used to read and write data that's encoded in a plastic disc which spins on a platter. Depending on the specific kind of optical drive - <keyword id="6358954" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cd">CD</keyword>, DVD or Blu-ray - the wavelength of the laser will vary, along with the rotational speed of the disc. </p><p>The CD was the first kind of optical disc, initially designed without regard for computer storage. The first prototype arrived in 1979 to play back music but was adapted into the <keyword id="827056" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="CD-ROM">CD-ROM</keyword> format in 1985, capable of storing 700MB of data, which at the time was substantially more storage space than commonly available in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-hard-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hard disk drives (HDDs)</a>. </p><div type="image" title="optical drive laptop cd player" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81767344" hostid="261"></div><p>Optical formats evolved over the years; DVDs debuted in 1997 to play movies in standard definition format (720x480 pixels), and early DVD-ROM discs could store 4.7GB. So-called dual-layer DVDs could store 8.5GB, and the format went up from there with many additional variations. A dual-layer BD-ROM can store 50GB.</p><p>Regardless of the internal details, most optical drives connect to a computer motherboard with a data cable and power cable, and feature an open/close button that controls access to the disc tray. Some optical drives dispense with the tray entirely; you simply feed the disc into a narrow slot, like in a car's CD player. </p><div type="image" title="Mac CD drive optical drive" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81767346" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>Types of optical media in use today</strong></h2><p>The optical drive exists to accommodate media, and there's a bewildering array of optical media formats.</p><p>That's a consequence of the decades-long development process that optical drives went through. Many different companies developed different versions of optical drives and optical media, often competitively, rarely ever collaborating.</p><p>The good news is that, in general, most modern optical drives can read and write most common formats. <br /><br /></p><ul><li><strong>Read-only formats</strong>: Some optical discs are read-only, which means they can't be used to store new data, and the "-ROM" suffix is used to indicate this format. Commercial software, when it ships on disc, is commonly sold on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM, while read-only Blu-ray is rarely used for anything except movie distribution (and even that is quickly being supplanted by streaming services). </li><li><strong style="color: #222222;">Recordable and rewritable discs</strong>: Many optical media formats have a suffix that includes an "R," which indicates that the disc can be written to a single time, so once the disc is filled with new data, it is permanent. A "RW" disc is rewritable, which indicates that you can write, erase, and rewrite data to it multiple times, like a regular hard or flash drive (though many RW discs have limitations on how many times they can be rewritten). Some common formats include: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW and others.</li><li><strong>Rewritable Blu-ray formats: </strong>These exist but, since they arrived so recently (starting around 2003, with new versions arriving as recently as 2017), it isn't a popular consumer format. They've already been made obsolete by a host of competing technologies like flash drives, high-capacity HDDs, SSDs, and cloud storage. </li></ul><h2>How to read or write optical disks without an optical drive</h2><p>While most older computers have a built-in optical drive, few new computers include one - a sign that most people don't need these drives anymore. Most new software and data is downloaded from the internet rather than installed from a disc, and most common place to find optical drives now is on game consoles.</p><p>Even so, you might occasionally have the need to read or write a disc on your computer. Here are some ways to work around not having an optical drive in your computer:</p><ul><li><strong>Look online</strong>. If you need to install software from a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, check the internet. In many cases, the program, utility, or device drivers you need will now be found on the manufacturer's website or archived on another site. </li><li><strong>Use another computer or a USB flash drive</strong>. If you need to recover files (like backups or photos) from an optical disc, you can probably open the disc on another computer that has an optical drive and then copy the files you need to a USB flash drive. Even a small flash drive should have more capacity than even the largest optical discs. </li><li><strong>Purchase an external optical drive</strong>. You can connect an external optical drive to your computer via USB. External drives are so inexpensive - you can routinely find CD/DVD drives online for <a href="https://bestbuy.7tiv.net/c/196318/614286/10014?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Flg-8x-external-usb-double-layer-dvdrw-cd-rw-drive-black%2F5852919.p%3FskuId%3D5852919" target="_blank" rel="nofollow nofollow noopener sponsored sponsored">$25 or less</a> - that it might make sense to purchase one and keep it in the closet for those rare occasions when you need it. </li></ul><div type="image" title="external optical disc drive" height="1874" width="2499" msid="81767347" hostid="261"></div>8x External USB Double-Layer DVD±RW/CD-RW Drive (small)<a data-type="5fc93d4836173513174202a7">SSD vs. HDD: How to decide which storage option is the best for your computer</a><a data-type="5fc803716bba79537a5c84b5">What is an SSD? Everything you should know about solid state drives</a><a data-type="5fc9454ead4c5d18a414b3ab">What is a hard drive? Everything you should know about the computer storage device</a><a data-type="604137799614fd2a82481b4c">What is an Ethernet cable? Here's how to connect to the internet without Wi-Fi and get a speedier connection</a>

What is an optical drive? A guide to how your computer reads CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs

<ul class="summary-list"><li>You can clone a hard drive to make a duplicate that you can use to replace a failed drive or get a new computer up and running quickly.</li><li><keyword id="6354717" type="DEFINITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Windows">Windows</keyword> can't clone a hard drive automatically, but there are free and paid commercial programs that make the process easy. </li><li>You can clone any hard drive — the system drive, a data drive, and both <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ssd-vs-hdd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SSDs and HDDs</a>.  </li></ul><p>Backup software is a good insurance policy against catastrophe - a failed drive or crippling <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/malware" target="_blank" rel="noopener">malware</a>, for example. But a clone of your <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-hard-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hard drive</a> - a duplicate of the drive in its entirety - has a lot of advantages as well. For example, if your primary hard drive fails or you are upgrading to a new <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/pc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PC</a>, having a cloned drive means you can get up and running just by swapping in the backup. In fact, a good strategy for some users is to maintain both an incremental backup using backup software and a frequently updated cloned drive.</p><p>One important caveat: While you can clone a system ("C") drive, it's only useful in the exact same computer. Because of the way Windows works, you can't clone a system drive and insert it in a new computer with different hardware components. You can clone and use a data drive (such as a "D" drive) in a new <keyword id="6365259" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="PC">PC</keyword>, though. </p><h2><strong>How to clone a hard drive</strong></h2><p>To begin, you will need a second drive that is at least as big as the content on the drive you want to copy. It can be mounted internally in your computer or an external drive connected via USB. </p><div type="image" title="How to clone a hard drive 1" height="1079" width="1600" msid="79671949" hostid="261"></div><p>You will also need a program capable of cloning your hard drive because Windows does not have the ability to do this automatically. You can use a free program like <a href="https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Macrium Reflect</a>, which is reliable and easy to use, or a commercial program like <a href="https://www.fssdev.com/shop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Casper</a>, which you can license for $49.95. The specific process for cloning your drive varies depending on the program you use, but we'll use Macrium as an example. </p><p><strong>1.</strong> Start Macrium Reflect. You'll see a list of all your drives. </p><div type="image" title="How to clone a hard drive 2" height="859" width="1527" msid="79671950" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>2.</strong> Find the drive you want to clone and then click "Clone this disk…" under the drive.</p><p><strong>3.</strong> In the pop-up window, click "Select a disk to clone to…" and choose the destination drive you want to use to make the clone. </p><div type="image" title="How_to_clone_a_hard_drive 3" height="875" width="1555" msid="79671951" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>4.</strong> Click "Next" and then click "OK" to start the cloning process. </p><p>It will take a while to create the clone, depending on how much data is stored on the drive. When it's done, you will have an exact duplicate you can use to restore or set up a new PC.  </p><h2><strong>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</strong></h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ssd-vs-hdd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SSD vs. HDD: How to decide which storage option is the best for your computer<br /></a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-ssd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is an SSD? Everything you should know about solid state drives</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-partition-a-hard-drive-in-windows-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to partition a hard drive in Windows 10, and keep your most important files separate from the rest</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-update-drivers-in-windows-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to update or reinstall your drivers in Windows 10 to keep your computer running smoothly</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-are-drivers-on-windows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Your Windows computer runs using 'Drivers' - here's what they are, and how to find them</a></h3></li></ul>

How to clone a hard drive as a backup for your Windows computer

<ul class="summary-list"><li>If you're looking to buy a used or refurbished <keyword id="6365259" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="PC">PC</keyword>, there are some important things to look out for. </li><li>Avoid buying a computer that's more than three years old, and watch out for components that are out of date or obsolete.</li><li>If you're getting a used laptop, make sure the battery holds a charge and works properly. </li></ul><p>A new computer can be expensive, and like a car, it loses a lot of its value the moment you take it home. </p><p>There's a huge marketplace of used computers out there, which means you can potentially save money, but you should be aware of some common pitfalls before you buy your next used <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/pc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PC</a>.</p><h2>5 things you should know before you buy a used PC</h2><p>It pays to understand a few rules of the road before you bring a used PC into your home or office. </p><h3><strong>Avoid computers that are more than about 3 years old</strong></h3><p>Moore's Law is a rule of thumb in the computer industry that predicts computers double in performance about every two years. That's still roughly true, but the overall pace of personal computer innovation has slowed in the last decade. A computer from 2017 looks and performs roughly the same as a computer from 2020. </p><p>But as you head further back in time, PCs start to show their age - the CPU will be noticeably more sluggish, the computer will lack <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-usb-c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USB-C connections</a> for modern mobile devices, and the stock hard drive size will shrink to claustrophobic levels. </p><p>The bottom line is that computers more than about three years old will likely need to be replaced sooner - making them a bad investment.   </p><h3><strong>Keep an eye on the specs</strong></h3><p>If you're getting a computer that's a few years old, it may be hard to know if you're getting a good value, especially if you don't stay current on computer tech. </p><ul><li>First and foremost, avoid computers with hard disk drives (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-hard-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HDDs</a>). Consider a<strong> solid state drive </strong>(<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-ssd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SSD</a>) absolutely mandatory, regardless of the computer's age. It should also be at least 128 GB in size; some older PC <keyword id="6367615" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Laptops">laptops</keyword> came with tiny 64 GB SSDs that are almost unusably small. </li><li>As for the processor, look for a <strong>7</strong><strong>th</strong><strong> generation or later Intel Core CPU</strong>. You can tell because it'll have a number like -7000, -8000 or higher, like Intel Core i5-8400. Anything older than 7th generation, or a budget CPU like a Celeron, will feel too slow. </li><li>You should also look for <strong>full HD IPS displays</strong>. TN-based screens will look dull and washed out, and resolutions less than 1920x1080 won't give you much screen space to work with. </li></ul><h3><strong>Check the laptop's battery</strong></h3><p>The single most critical component in a laptop is the battery, and an aging (and failing) battery is the most common reason why someone would sell their old laptop. </p><p>If you buy a used machine, test the battery right away: Make sure you can charge it to full, and then run the laptop until the battery dies. If you have time, repeat the test a second time. If you find that the battery can't hold a reasonable charge, you should probably return it for a refund, unless you can replace the battery inexpensively. Keep in mind that it might be hard to get a replacement battery for an older laptop. </p><h3><strong>Wipe the hard drive before you start to use the PC</strong></h3><p>Can you trust a used computer's hard drive? Probably not - it might have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-malware" target="_blank" rel="noopener">malware</a> installed, even if it appears to be wiped and ready for use. That's why it's a good idea to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-wipe-a-hard-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wipe the hard drive yourself</a> before you start using a used or even refurbished computer. </p><h3><strong>Stick with refurbished computers</strong></h3><p>You can find computers billed as both "used" and "refurbished." A refurbished laptop or desktop PC has been inspected to make sure it's working, comes with a warranty, and often has worn components replaced to return it to like-new condition. This is especially important for a laptop, which should have a new battery installed. Various manufacturers sell factory-refurbished computers from their own website - check out <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fshop%2Frefurbished%2Fmac" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dell.com%2Fen-us%2Fdfh%2Fshop%2Fdell-refurbished%2Fcp%2Foutlet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dell</a>, <a href="https://h41369.www4.hp.com/pps-offers.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HP</a> and <a href="https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage.jsp?_dyncharset=UTF-8&amp;browsedCategory=pcmcat230600050001&amp;id=pcat17071&amp;iht=n&amp;ks=960&amp;list=y&amp;qp=condition_facet%3DCondition~Refurbished&amp;sc=Global&amp;st=pcmcat230600050001_categoryid%24pcmcat138500050001&amp;type=page&amp;usc=All%20Categories1&amp;type=page&amp;usc=All%20Categories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Best Buy's Lenovo page</a>, for example. </p><p>A used computer is just that - used. It's usually sold as-is and isn't backed with a warranty. While you're generally safer buying a refurb, a used PC might be okay as long as you can return it for a refund if anything is amiss - be sure to test it quickly and thoroughly after you buy it.</p><h2><strong>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</strong></h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-wipe-a-hard-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to wipe a hard drive and data drives on a PC or Mac computer and reduce the chance of someone accessing your files<br /></a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-an-external-hard-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is an external hard drive? One of the best ways to protect your important files, explained</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ssd-vs-hdd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SSD vs. HDD: How to decide which storage option is the best for your computer</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-is-my-pc-so-slow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why is my PC so slow? 7 ways to speed up a lagging computer</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-wont-my-pc-turn-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why won't my PC turn on? 10 ways to troubleshoot your Windows computer when it fails to start</a></h3></li></ul>

5 things you should know when buying a used PC laptop or desktop

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/122662432@N04/13740073235/in/photolist-mWat5p-ofp1YP-2cNeb2-Jy4N5M-6MsVK8-6iRk6x-bTDxA6-kXxahX-9EJw4Z-BwS3T-4zz6FZ-875tuZ-zsiVWc-4AmKPY-osb3Wq-ohr6p2-bcBuoz-7RtUDM-chnocy-ofK1cx-nA8uB9-nzoLtZ-2cBvLk-9Y5S4L-qB6yMp-kTZtdP-5LwmAJ-b52QA-otLNQB-725HG-nsAHQF-c2qfCd-bN6w8H-cigQb7-7ShS5d-pFxWE7-opXBt7-bwRyni-63skAT-4oDUyJ-kZeBZ8-6KjkJK-oKCD4W-4kFupK-p3S1H-ftkXex-61a2PD-6mpw5v-abztai-xWDF1">Allan Rotgers/flickr</a></span></p><p class="caption">Losing data is a special kind of torture.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>I've made a lot of mistakes since I left New York to <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> around the world as Business Insider's<span> </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/harrison-jacobs">international correspondent</a>. By far the worst was when the external hard drive with all of my photos, videos, and interviews failed.</strong></li><li><strong>When I returned home in September, I decided to find a foolproof method for backing up all my important data so I would never lose it again.</strong></li><li><strong>I decided on three layers of backup security. I now back up everything to two highly reliable external hard drives and then use iCloud, Google Drive, and Google Photos as a fail-safe for my most important files and low-res copies of all my photos. </strong></li></ul><p>Mistakes are inevitable when you travel for a living. Flights are missed, visa forms are forgotten, and travel pillows and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pack-for-travel-electronics-dopp-kit-2019-1">power adapters</a> get left in hotel rooms.</p><p>I've learned to live with those kinds of mistakes, even <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travel-advice-biggest-travel-mistakes-2018-10">keeping a running list of the worst mistakes</a> I've made while traveling. A few of the more humorous ones: visiting Mykonos when there were tons of cruise ships in port, getting a migraine after a single whiskey on a long-haul flight, and getting tricked by a tour company that kept changing its name to avoid its poor online reviews.</p><p>There was one mistake I made during my first six months on the road that was not funny at all. Even now, when I think about it, I get a little sick to my stomach.</p><p>It happened innocuously enough. I was editing photos while sitting on a couch in an Airbnb when I shifted a little too much and knocked my external hard drive, a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TKFEE5S/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_012219_foolproof-photo-backup-system-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B00TKFEE5S&amp;linkId=be6faffbe496c9a3c533ea893b3cb927">Seagate Expansion Portable Hard Drive</a>. The drive dismounted and, rather than keep editing photos, I went off to sleep.</p><p>When I plugged it in two days later, I heard a clicking sound. After trying every online-forum solution possible, I brought it to a data specialist and got the worst news: a head crash, the worst kind of hard drive failure possible. Even if the hard drive had been semi-recoverable, it would have cost me hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to recover the data.</p><p>Thanks to one bad jolt, I lost three months' worth of photos, interviews, and videos. When I found out, I had a full-blown panic attack.</p><p>When I came back to New York two months later, I decided that I needed a foolproof method to back up my data. Here's what I came up with.</p><h2>First, switch to a solid-state drive</h2><p>My first step was to find a reliable and fast external hard drive that I could trust as my primary backup. The best solution these days - though not the most affordable - is a <a href="https://www.storagereview.com/ssd_vs_hdd">solid-state hard drive</a>, or SSD.</p><p>The standard hard drives that most people use are hard disk drives (HDDs). Inside HDDs are spinning platters that store your data. The benefit of an HDD is that it is cheap for a high storage capacity. The downside is that, due to the moving parts on the inside, they are much more prone to failure. </p><p>Studies have shown that SSDs have annual failure rate of less than a tenth of 1%. HDDs can have a <a href="https://www.networkworld.com/article/2873551/data-center/debunking-ssd-myths.html">failure rate as high as 4 to 6%</a>. My hard drive that failed in Israel was a poorly made HDD. One slight shift in movement and the platters spun out of control and crashed. </p><p>The alternative, an SSD, uses integrated circuits to store your data, like a USB memory stick or the memory card in your camera. The benefit of an SSD is that it has no moving parts, making it able to absorb shocks, vibrations, and the occasional drop. SSDs tend to be much more expensive than HDDs, particularly for high storage drives, like what you would need for a backup hard drive or to store lots of photos and videos.</p><p>While SSDs have gone down in price in recent years, they are still considerably more expensive than an HDD, at about 5 cents per GB for HDD and 25 cents per GB for SSD. </p><p>I didn't want to worry so I splurged. I bought a 2 Terabyte Sandisk Extreme SSD <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078T9SZ3K/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_012219_foolproof-photo-backup-system-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B078T9SZ3K&amp;linkId=ce2dcb38ec8f0dc33964b7430e10a81c">for $400 on sale</a>.  I opted for the Sandisk because it is extremely reliable and the size of a business card. If you don't need a drive that small or with that large a capacity, there are many other cheaper options.</p><h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table center float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">If you're wondering what type of person you are dealing with: This is how I would lock my bicycle up in New York City. I don't take chances.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Back up your data and then back up again</h2><p>The Sandisk Extreme SSD became my first layer of security. All photos, video, and audio interviews are now backed up to this hard drive first.</p><p>But I wasn't satisfied.  This time around, I needed to follow the golden rule of computers: Accept that all hard drives will fail at some point.</p><p>Keeping that in mind, I knew I needed to back up my important data on more than one reliable hard drive, even if I was using an SSD.</p><p>Rather than buy another SSD, which would be prohibitively expensive, I decided to hedge my bets with a HDD from LaCie, a <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2018/08/13/review-lacie-rugged-raid-video/">well-reviewed French hard drive manufacturer</a>. LaCie's Rugged hard drives come encased in an aluminum shell with thick orange bumpers along the edges. They are considered to be <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2018/08/13/review-lacie-rugged-raid-video/">drop, shock, crush, dust, and water resistant</a>.</p><p>At $250 for the 5TB version, it was a little more than half the price of the SanDisk, but with more than double the storage capacity and strong durability. If I end up filling up the SanDisk during this trip, I know I have the additional extra space on the LaCie.</p><p>I began backing up all data on my primary computer and everything on the SanDisk to the LaCie, using <a href="https://www.lacie.com/gb/en/support/software/intego-manager-pro/">Intego Backup Manager</a>, a LaCie software that comes free with the hard drive. It's not the most user-friendly software I've ever used, but its far more customizable than Apple's built-in Time Machine software.</p><p>Now I have everything backed up in two places. That's better than one.</p><h2>The cloud is your safety net</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/horiavarlan/4272009397">Flickr/Horia Varlan</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>I still wasn't satisfied. </p><p>If you are saying to yourself at this point, "This guy is nuts," well, you've never lost three months of information vitally crucial to your livelihood. It's a special kind of hell.</p><p>The final piece of my backup solution was to use a cloud backup service. These days, there <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2288745,00.asp">are a lot of good online backup services</a> available for a yearly fee, like Carbonite ($60) or BackBlaze ($50). I have yet to try them out primarily because I'm traveling constantly - and therefore rarely have the steady internet to do full backups online - and because having all my data in the cloud makes me a bit nervous.</p><p>Instead, I decided to utilize the free cloud services I have at my disposal - Apple's iCloud, Google Photos, Google Drive. On all three, I use only the free versions. For iCloud<a href="https://support.apple.com/en-jo/HT204247"> that means 5GB</a>; for <a href="https://www.google.com/drive/">Google Drive, that means 15 GB</a>; and for Google Photos, you have unlimited storage so long as <a href="https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/206990-google-photos-unlimited-storage-for-free-with-a-few-gotchas">you are willing to limit your photo resolution</a>.</p><p>I use iCloud to backup vitally crucial personal documents and files. For Google Drive, I backup work documents and interview audio.</p><p>Finally, I use Google Photos to backup all my photos, which, as a photographer, I have a boatload of. The free photo quality on Google Photos is not high enough that I would be stoked about making professional prints with them, but it is more than enough for displaying photos on the internet. Considering it's my last resort - all the full high-definition versions of my photos are on my two external hard drives - I'm willing to live with that.</p><p>At the end of the day, it's peace of mind that I'm looking for. Having an elaborate, over-the-top backup solution helps me get that. Maybe it will help you find find your peace of mind too.</p><section data-track-content="" data-post-type="post"><ul class="read-more-links"><li><strong>More tips from Business Insider's international correspondent:</strong></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/diehard-iphone-ios-user-switches-to-android-oneplus-6t-2018-11" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">I switched to Android after more than a decade with the iPhone, and I'm not going back. Here's why.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travel-tip-find-healthy-good-cheap-food-2018-11" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">I use the same trick in any city I visit to make sure I find amazing food</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-couchsurfing-app-to-meet-locals-traveling-2018-1" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">Couchsurfing has a hidden feature that helped me have the wildest night in Tokyo partying until sunrise</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/multicity-flights-expedia-skyscanner-mistake-2018-10" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">I found out the hard way that one of the best strategies to save money on flights can end up costing you big time</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-travel-advice-skip-attractions-that-dont-interest-you-2018-10" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">The single best piece of advice I can give you for any trip you take</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travel-advice-biggest-travel-mistakes-2018-10" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">I've traveled to more than 30 countries, and here are the dumbest mistakes I made on the road that I'll never make again</a></li></ul></section>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/get-more-storage-iphone-backup-2016-7">This one simple trick can free up a ton of storage space on your iPhone</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

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