You never know when your laptop or PC will disappoint you by suddenly crashing down. In order to keep all your confidential and important data safe, you need one of the best external hard drives to backup all your data regularly. Since the digital world is booming, most of us are in need of bigger storage space for storing and encrypting all our digital content. Based on the storage space, connectivity, HDD or SDD type and read/write speed, there is one for all. You can store all your games, videos, pictures, music collection, tutorials, official matter and a lot more on this portable storage device without any hassle, so take a look here.
For several years, external hard drives have been a convenient device to store and transfer data, however, there are some common problems associated with them as they are susceptible to damage. This can leave you in a ditch. To help you resolve these problems, we have put forth the solutions as well which will help you to resolve them. Besides, we have also added some tips to help you prevent these problems from occurring. Stay here as we have some interesting and helpful information that will leave you without any doubt.
Below are some of the most common problems that users tend to experience while using external hard drives.
1. Firmware Issues
The firmware is the software that controls the operation of the hard drive. A firmware problem can prevent the hard drive from working properly or even make it unusable.
2. Loss of Data
This is the most common problem with external hard drives. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including physical damage, power surges, software corruption, and human error.
3. Physical Damage
This can include drops, bumps, water damage, and exposure to extreme temperatures. Physical damage can cause the hard drive to fail completely, making it impossible to recover the data.
4. Corruption
This is a less common problem, but it can still be very serious. Corruption can occur when the data on the hard drive is not properly written or read. This can lead to files being unreadable or inaccessible.
5. Problems Associated With the Driver
Drivers are the software that allows your computer to communicate with the hard drive. A driver problem can prevent your computer from recognizing the hard drive or make it difficult to access the data on the drive.
Solutions
If you experience any of the above problems with your external hard drive, don’t fret. Below are a few things you can do to fix them.
Check the cables: Ensure the cables attaching the external hard drive to your computer are plugged in appropriately and securely.
Try a different port: If you’re using a USB port, try a different one.
Update the drivers: Check the manufacturer’s website for updated drivers for your hard drive.
If you’re unable to fix the problem yourself, you may need to take the hard drive to a professional data recovery service. The following section contains information that will help you take care of your external hard drive and will help it to function well in the long run.
How to Prevent External Hard Drive Problems?
Here are some tips that will help you prevent the common problems occurring with external hard drives:
Back up your data regularly: This is one of the most important things you can do to prevent data loss. Consider backing up your data to a cloud storage service, or an optical disc. If you have another external hard drive, then you can back up the data on that.
Select a high-quality hard drive: When you’re choosing an external hard drive, opt for one made using durable materials. Note that it should also have a good reputation.
Use a good quality USB cable: Always use a good quality USB cable since a faulty cable can damage your external hard drive.
Never overload the external hard drive: Generally, external hard drives are more likely to overheat or fail when they are full. To avoid this, ensure you leave at least 25% of free space on your hard drive.
Avoid dropping or bumping your external hard drive: As a matter of fact, physical damage is one of the most common causes of external hard drive failure. Ensure you handle your external hard drive carefully. Avoid dropping or bumping it. Additionally, never use the external hard drive as a doorstop or footrest.
Use a surge protector: Power surges can damage the external hard drive’s circuitry. Don’t worry, by using a surge protector, you can surely protect your external hard drive from power surges.
Update your external hard drive’s firmware regularly: Well, firmware updates can fix bugs and improve the overall performance of your external hard drive. Ensure you check the manufacturer’s website for firmware updates regularly.
Keep your external hard drive cool: Extreme temperatures can damage your external hard drive. Therefore, always store your external hard drive in a cool, hygienic, and dry place. If you’re travelling with your external hard drive, place it in a padded case.
Scan your external hard drive for errors regularly. Lastly, scanning your external hard drive regularly can help to prevent data loss. Don’t worry, many free and paid tools are available to scan your external hard drive for errors.
By following these tips, you can help prevent common problems with external hard drives and keep your data safe.
The digital world is changing, everyone is looking for bigger storage space to store all their digital matter. Any external hard drive in UAE can be randomly selected, either based on its price or the availability, this is easy to do. But that’s not what you want or should do; therefore I’m here to brief you on some of the best external hard drives in UAE. External hard drives are small portable storage devices which can store a huge load of data. These are gadgets of extreme use as they aim towards keeping sensitive and important matter safe.
When you are buying a hard drive there is more to consider than just placing an order for the product. Did you know there are types in a hard drive too? Yes, there are and so you have to consider which is the best to suit you and your wants.
HDD
Hard Disk Drives better known as HDD. These devices have been around for quite some time and so use the earliest methods to store information into the system. The method being, the storage of files happens on an electromagnetic disk that spins around and is read by a moving arm. Because of this method being used the device has become comparatively cheaper.
But, besides being cheaper, because of the moving arm, the storage method is much slower as compared to the more recent hard drives. Also, frequent use, that is reading of the stored matter on the drive can damage the gadget itself. In turn, you can end up losing your data. As you might suspect the use of the older technology will mean the disk is a bit heavier. Not making it very pocket-friendly and easier to carry around.
SSD
These are the newer technological devices which are known as Solid State Drives. These drives replaced the electromagnetic disks with flash storage which is used in phones, laptops, etc. In flash storage, the use of microchips is prominent. So, this technology uses no moving parts and so works more efficiently with faster performance rate. The risk to lose any data is lower with this type of hard drive. And not to forget the weight which is a major reduction from the HDD type drives.
With all this good stuff there has to be catch right? In this case, the catch is the price. The price of this gadget is on the pricy side as compared to the HDD type. You can’t really expect a multi-terabyte storage system without spending a little extra.
There are enumerable models of hard drives in the markets. And I’m sure it must be hard to narrow it down to one. This is the reason why I’ve taken it upon myself to limit the list to the top 5 external hard drives in UAE. Have a look:
I’m not surprised that a Seagate external hard drive is at the top position on this list. Seagate is one of the well-known technological companies. Producing top-notch products into the market. And expect nothing less from this gadget.
Expansion Storage: The expandable storage is the main feature to be looked into. And you need not look at any further as it offers 2TB storage space.
Add On: The simplicity of the use of the hard drive is easy, just plugin and use. You can plug it in with the long 18-inch USB 3.0 cable.
Speedy Transfer: Since the device has a USB 3.0 interface, it enables the speedy transfer of the data. That is the speed of up to 4.8Gbps.
Warranty: You won’t have to worry as the device is covered under a year-long warranty.
Interface: The inbuilt interface of the drive is of USB 1.1 with the windows operating system. Hence any recent or old versions can easily recognize the device.
Dimensions: Being only 4.8 x 0.6 x 3.2 inches you can rest-assure that the drive is completely portable.
Price: With features so good, you’re sure to be a happy customer as the set price is AED 240.
Another of a big and well-known brand. I need not say anything else about this hard drive, only that it’s a WD external hard drive. You have to check out the features of this external hard drive. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
SanDisk, who doesn’t know SanDisk as a company in the technological world. They not only specialise in hard disks but a tonne of other products as well. No doubt they too have their product on this list.
Expansion Storage: With 500GB as the storage space, you can easily store your data in it now.
Dimensions: Since the dimension of the product is 4 x 5 x 1.3 inches, you don’t have to worry about the portability factor of this drive as its small size allows just that.
Interface: With the USB 2.0/3.0 interface you know you can use it on any system and ensure the same results in transferring any data.
Durability: Unfortunately, hard drives are known to be delicate. But not in this case as this SanDisk drive is built to resist any harm caused by water and dust. Moreover, that’s not it, this product is drop resistant as it can withstand even a 2-meter drop.
Compatibility: This device uses any operating system be it Windows or MAC to ensure you would get the best performance of the drive. Hence rest assured it will work the same with any computer or laptop.
Price: SDD drives such as this one are always a bit pricy with the price set at around AED 300.
Be prepared to be wowed as this Sabrent rocket nano hard drive is that good. With stunning features and amazing design. Read on to find out more about this product.
WD has done it with not just one but two of its products in this list. Have a look to know the best product to fulfil your needs and bring the best external hard drive in UAE.
Storage Space: This device stores data up to 4TB so you don’t have to worry about any data being lost.
Portable: On the other hand, another plus point is that this device is completely portable as the size is small enough to fit in your pocket.
Interface: The interface used is USB 2.0/3.0 which contributes towards the speed of the product.
Dimensions: This device has the dimensions of 4.2 x 3 x 0.8 inches which are close to that of a passport hence the name.
Backup: In fact, the drives are equipped with the special WD Backup software. Therefore enabling it for double protection of all your important data.
Smart Features: The WD Discovery software lets you connect to all your social media accounts and also cloud storages.
Hardware Encryption: The inbuilt 256-bit AES hardware encryption ensures that your data is in safe hands.
Security: Meanwhile just like any other personal gadgets you won’t have to worry if someone else gets a hold of your drive. Your data is safe as the drive is with a password.
Price: The selling price of this gadget is AED 380.
With that, here are the listings of some of the best external hard drive in UAE. To help you even further in selecting the best external hard drive here are some additional factors which contribute towards working of the external hard drive.
Factors Affecting the Performance of External Hard Drives
Read/Write Speed of disk
The read and write speed of the disk is the speed at which the data present on the drive is accessed. The ‘read’ is how fast the drive can access and display the contents of the drive. And the ‘write’ is the speed of the drive to save a new file. While purchasing the best external hard drive in UAE it is advisable to check the speed of the read and write rather than the transfer speed of the product.
This measurement of the speed is in bytes per second (ps or /s). However, the speed can change depending on the type of hard drive you are using. The speed of an HDD depends on the speed at which the internal rotating disk spins. Whereas the SSD uses semiconductors to store data. Which in turn enables faster data accessibility. This is also one of the reasons why HDD type drives are cheaper as compared to SSD.
Transfer Speed of Connection
The transfer of the data depends on three main sources. The computing device from the source of the data, the interface of the data moving and the destination. And so, all these sources contribute towards the transfer of the data. Understandably the more recent the make of the technology the faster the ability to transfer the data on the disk. The most important of all the above three factors is the connector itself which comes with the drive.
In any interface, the USB 2.0 or 3.0 or any other number directly refers to the transfer speed of the connection. However, in most cases, if you face any problem with this transfer speed, a 90% chance is the computing device, as these systems tend to slow down with the use of background applications.
So, those were some of the factors which affect the performance of the external hard disk drive. While purchasing an external hard disk drive in UAE it is always better to research thoroughly every aspect of the drive. You don’t want to later regret your choice. Keeping this in mind, to help you make this choice I’ve added some of the features to look into while investing in your very own external hard drive.
Other Features of External Hard Drives
Connectivity Options
Generally, normal hard drives come with the option of connecting to any computing device with the help of a USB cable. And this can be troublesome if you have more than one computing systems. To simplify this, some of the drives now allow the data on it to be connected to a network. This makes it easier to switch between computers and access files.
You can also give any external drive the network features. All you would have to do is connect the drive to your router but before doing so you also have to make sure your router has the supporting port. For a fully functional working, it would need some assistance from a professional. This being said, even after knowing this, your best option would be to opt for a drive that is actually designed for this specific purpose.
Physical Size
While considering to buy the best external hard drive in UAE, you must also keep in mind the use and reason behind the purchasing of the product. If you intend to use the external hard drive to store matter which needs to be carried around with you then you need to look into buying a portable one. If not then the best one would be anything that has better storage and transfer speed.
Regular HDD ones are a bit on the heavier side, as compared to the SSD type drives. This is because HDD uses a technology that involves a spinning disk. And the SSD uses a flash memory which doesn’t have a lot of mechanisms and physical moving parts involved. Besides all these factors, the main factor which is involved here is the advancements in technology where everything is smaller in size. Hence this is the main reason why SSD is preferred over HDD. The choice is yours to choose the best one to suit your needs.
Security Features
Some drives recently have arrived in the markets which understand the security aspect of a person. For exactly this reason, drives are now well equipped with high-security encryption and enabled password protection. This will keep all your sensitive information safe and out of the prying eyes of all those who don’t have your password.
Jargon Buster
With all the research of the best products and looking into each feature, on the best external hard drive in UAE. I’m sure you have come across some technical jargon. Which might have lead you to alternative research about these terms. Hence, to make that easier and break it down to you, here is the breakup of some of the terms.
Terms
Meanings
Thunderbolt
The fastest speed drive which only works with devices that support the thunderbolt drive.
USB 3.1 Gen 2
Offers the fastest speed for USB devices only. Works best with the same USB ported device.
USB 3.0/3.1 Gen 1
Has acceptably good storage speed as well as capable to handle fast transfer speeds.
USB Type C
New standard transferring data cable, has double the ability to transfer data compared to the other USB types.
USB 2.0
Comparatively slower data transfer.
SATA
Slower to boot up but less expensive. Generally found inside your computing device and is compatible with all systems.
NVMe
Fast way to access flash memory, this is 7x faster than SATA.
I hope this has helped you understand things a bit more. Even if you aren’t as familiar with technology, this is sure to help you purchase the best external hard drive in UAE. With all this done hope you have your mind made up with the best choice to suit your needs. But before you go off adding the best product to your cart, be sure to read on further for some of the most asked questions.
External Hard Drive FAQs
When is SSD External Hard Drive recommended?
In any case, the best recommendation would be an SSD external drive but also keeping the price factor in mind. If that’s what bothers you I suggest you go for an HDD one. Unless if you don’t check off even one of the following points SSD is what you need.
Firstly, you have a business and you’re looking for an external hard drive for the same. Secondly, if the hard drive is for a gaming purpose. As gaming computer has always demanded more for the working of the best features of the game and a higher need for storage. Thirdly, if you are constantly travelling and need to access or need to carry your data along with you. Your best option would be an SSD which requires lower power hence won’t hog all your battery power. Since they are smaller in size as well, portability is taken care of. Furthermore, if you are upholding servers, as the servers need a lot of storage space to store all the data available and to ensure the people can use it as and when required.
Can an External Hard Drive get corrupt if not used for a long time?
Yes, in some cases this could occur. You might find that your data isn’t accessible after a prolonged period of the drive not being used. This is because since the electronic fields have not been powered and it can’t generate enough power it now needs to work efficiently. This could be the main reason but the drive might have other reasons for not functioning as well.
Generally, the lifespan of an external hard drive isn’t too long. A minimum of ten years is a good bargain to ask for. Since the drive is a gadget it’s always a matter of when? Therefore to be on the safer side always make sure you have a copy of the important matter on the drive. And if you do face a problem with the drive always make sure to reach out to a person well informed in the field.
How are External Hard Drives Powered?
This depends on what or which sort of external drive itself is a question. As you could categorize this into two, the desktop external drives and the portable external drives.
The desktop external drives use electric currents for which you need to plug it into a power outsource. This is while it is connected to the computing device. However, in the case of the portable external hard drives, you can connect it directly to the computing device. These drives don’t need to be plugged to an external power source as it works or the power of the computing device itself.
With that, we shall wrap up with some of the questions about the best external hard drive in UAE. I hope this question and the answers to them have satisfied you. Enough to help you go and make the right choice from the list of the best external hard drive in UAE.
A Step Ahead
In conclusion, an external hard disk drive is a good and useful device. Especially to back-up and store your data. Not owning one is not too bad either but since computers are gadgets you can never be sure when something could go wrong. I hope nothing of that sort does happen but as a precautionary measure be always a step ahead. As you try your best to stay safe, likewise why not put in a little effort to keep your data safe as well. Back-up all your important data on drives that are specifical to suit your needs.
HERILIOS USB C hub with 9-in-1 ports helps you to get things done effortlessly. Nowadays, most modern laptops are equipped with only a couple of USB-C ports. This is because they have tried to make them as compact and slim as possible. However, this can be very restrictive if you need to connect many accessories. So, the next time you don’t have sufficient ports or you’re struggling with cable spaghetti, you know you can count on this USB C hub. Purchase one today, add it to your workflow, and see how much you can do henceforth.
The USB-C hub expands the number of ports on your device and gives you access to all the ports you need. USB-C hubs allow you to plug more devices into a given port because they work as splitters. It has the ability to charge smaller-scale components such as cell phones and tablets and larger devices like laptops. Additionally, they are also portable, small, and light enough. Hence, you can easily keep it in your laptop bag or any other bag all the time.
Also, a USB-C hub lets you connect your laptop to an external display and you can also add a wired keyboard and an ergonomic roller-ball mouse. With multiple ports at your fingertips, you can easily attach backup hard drives and graphics tablets. Further, you can even sync your camera without removing the memory card.
What’s New? Top 10 Features of the HERILIOS USB C Hub (9 in 1 Ports)
1. Advanced 4K HDMI Display
Now, establishing a multi-monitor setup is so easy to do. Stream high-resolution videos (4K@30Hz) seamlessly and effortlessly by the HDMI port to a compatible display. You can mirror or extend your screen to multitask or watch wide-screen movies through this 4K UHD video output. Additionally, you can also watch a high-quality 2K video at 60Hz. Benefit from a new video experience.
It is equipped with 4 high-speed data transmission ports. These include TF 3.0 card reader, SD 3.0 card slots, 2 USB 3.0 ports. These are prepared to transmit large files at extremely high quick transmission speeds of up to 5 Gbps (USB 3.0) and 480 Mbps (USB 2.0).
3. Effective PD Charging Port
The PD 3.0 port goes up to 100W, that too with power delivery charging for compatible laptops, by the USB C adapter.
Featuring a smooth, stable, and efficient network connection that supports speeds of up to 1000Mbps by its Ethernet port. Thereby, improving the internet transmission. A guaranteed approach for resolving the disconnection of the Ethernet.
Without any hassle, you can read, transfer, and backup all your files or whichever you want to. Doing this is possible due to the multiple micro SD and SD card slots. It supports various memory card formats like SD, SDCH, SDXC, Micro SD, and MMC.
Now, here is what you need to know about the USB-C device’s connection. You can pair it seamlessly with MacBook and any other USB-C laptop or tablet. The compatible devices are as follows.
Apple MacBook (2015/2016/2017/2018/2019)
Dell, ASUS, HP, Lenovo, and several other Type C laptops
Note: USB C Hubs don’t support iPad Pro 2018. Also, the USB ports are intended for data transfer. This device supports multiple flash drives, however, it can support only one external hard drive at a time due to the power requirements.
8. Dual Screen and Multi-tasking Mode
Simply share your screen or split it into two in order to multi-task. Therefore, you can make your work easy-breezy through the dual-screen and multi-tasking mode.
Featuring a smooth and elegant metal frame that goes well and matches perfectly with any MacBook or laptop. The HERILIOS 9-in-1 USB C hub is modern, sleek, and looks professional.
Finally, you’ve seen how the HERILIOS USB C hub equipped with 9-in-1 ports adds a ton of convenience. See the magic as it excels in adding one port into many. You will be glad as it gives you access to new devices and a whole lot more screen space. Indeed, it is a saviour. You may also want to check out the best power bank available in UAE.
When one talks about huge storage devices, I’m sure the first thing which comes to your mind is an external hard drive. Now in case, you don’t know what is an external hard drive. Firstly, external hard drives are portable storage devices. Which can be connected to almost any computing device to store anything and everything. With that being said, are you considering to get an external hard drive? If not you should.
Picture this… you, as usual, go ahead and switch on your laptop or computer and it doesn’t log on? What then?! But if you have your important matter backed on an external hard drive you wouldn’t be in so much panic. I don’t hope it to happen but after all, technology isn’t reliable every time. Do you still think you don’t need it? Well have a look of the many reasons you do:
1) Regular Backup of work files
One of the main reasons you should consider investing in a hard drive is to back up your work files regularly. It is of utmost importance to back-up your data once a week if not regularly. By doing this you prevent yourself from losing too much important data in case of a system failure or crash. Besides, if you did backup the data already it is better to have additional backups as well.
Also in case of a business, the audits and tax reports need to be backed-up for future reference purposes. Besides this when you are dealing with clients, to be on the safer side always have a backup of their details. By doing this you put yourself in a much more professional situation as compared to any other competition which doesn’t. Moreover, that’s not it, by backing up information your business can improve productivity. As you can refer back to the audits and rectify any error in the daily working of the business.
2) Saving your CD & DVD collection for posterity
Who wouldn’t like a good laugh with your near and dear ones? And what better way to do it than with some time spent together reminiscing over some fond memories. Looking over pictures and videos maybe even displaying your life to your kids. How fun! it’s like you’re building your very own time capsule.
All this will not be possible if you plan on storing all these priceless memories in CDs or DVDs. CDs or DVDs are trustworthy little storage devices but not something which can last for a long period of time. This is when an external hard drive can come into the picture. By saving all your content for a CD or DVD into a hard drive you can ensure that you can use your collection for posterity anytime and anywhere you wish. And rest assured that your memories will live through time.
3) Extra Storage for Light Laptops
Do you ever find your computing system lagging or even running slow? Well, that could be because of the data stored on it. Or does your laptop constantly give you the ‘storage full’ warning? Then it’s most definitely time for you to invest in an external hard drive for this matter in particular. So, you can lighten the load of your laptop and make sure for the optimum and smooth functioning of the laptop. Leaving you with more storage space to work with.
4) Gaming External Hard Drives
So are you a gamer? or you’ve always wanted to play video games but the storage space and the working RAM of your computer are holding you back? If you get an external hard drive this wouldn’t be a problem. I’ll tell you why. The reason is that a hard drive has much more storage space than you can ask for. The hard drive will take the storage pressure off your computing machine so you can live a life without the tension of the device crashing.
This feature applies not only for gamers but also for designers, developers and any other job which requires the installation of any huge working software. And that’s not it if you save your files or just use an external hard drive you make another feature available for yourself. The feature of accessibility. As you can access your document or any software be it gaming or work-related anywhere, anytime and on the go. With the only requirement being your hard drive and a laptop.
5) Encrypt and Store your Private Files
At some point of time, you have lost something or another out of the human tendency to forget or misplace things. And if you have not then you might have witnessed a robbery? So, to keep all your precious and important data safe at this time will be a concern. But not to fret as hard drives have solved this problem as well. By enabling encryption and password protection to your drive and to individual files. This can keep anyone who doesn’t have the password at bay and ensure your data is safe from prying eyes of the world.
6) Carry your Music collections with you for offline access
There have been times when you lose internet connectivity due to various reasons. In times like these, what can you do? Anything and everything which is 90 per cent of your pass time would involve the usage of the Internet. Well to solve this problem I’ll tell you what you can do. Download and save all those awesome music soundtracks of yours. So you can save and play them and brighten up your time. Now you can entertain yourself and your near and dear ones with your brilliant taste in music anywhere. Be it in a car journey, picnics and even those boring family gatherings which you might have to endure at least once in your life.
You wouldn’t have to worry about losing battery, neither space on your smartphone anymore. You can instantly share your music playlist with anyone you wish to, all this without using up your data as well.
7) Ditch Google Photos for Privacy
Considering your priority towards an encrypted and password protected drive. This means you obviously will be looking to maintain your privacy. Privacy over web browsers and other browser-related applications or anything connected to your email can be sketchy. No one bothers to read the fine print before accepting the terms and conditions. And so you can never be sure when your details are being shared to any third-party application. This, in turn, is a breach of your privacy and security.
To keep yourself safe from all this, your best bet would be to invest in an external hard drive. As you can be sure that no one other then you and if someone else has your password can have access to your data. Keeping your photos, videos and any other matter safe and which can never be used against you or sold to any other third-party application.
8) Save Money on Cloud Storage
Do you have a lot of data that you have to opt for extra storage space on cloud? Well, what if I tell you, you no longer need to pay extra for the storage space you use. Sounds good right? If you invest in an external hard drive you no longer have to pay for extra cloud storage for all your data. As hard drives offer a large storage space technically free of cost as you only have to pay once for the overall purchase of the drive itself. And after that, you can use it until you run out of space in it. Which is sure going to take quite some time. So, investing in a hard drive is going to be light on your pocket and save you all the extra hassle of making a payment for the cloud storage.
9) Common File Repository for your Office
A common repository, in this term, is one central place to save all the data related to your work. While having your own business, it is in the best interest of the firm to have all and any data matter in one place. So as to reduce any misplacement of data and ensure that the business can function smoothly without any hiccup. This, in turn, would build up a good image of your business and fetch more profits towards the overall working of the business. And for this, you need to invest in an external hard drive.
Make the Most
Now with that, you know all the reasons why to get your very own external hard drive. There is no reason you should not. All you have to do is make the most of your time. And spend your time effectively and with a less overall cost too. In case you have made up your mind to purchase one, make sure to check out the best external hard drives in UAE.
![Best External Hard Drive in UAE – Brands, Prices Explored [2023]](https://buyguide.ae/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/istock-862302404.jpg)
