Comparison of an External Hard Disk & an Internal Hard Disk

Internal hard drive

Computer hard drives store the operating system software, application programs and all sorts of other files and data. Internal and external hard drives can both be used for this purpose. The operation of internal and external hard drives is essentially the same --to store and retrieve information needed for processes being run by the operating system or application programs.

Internal and External Hard Drives

External USB hard drive

The internal hard drive is so named because it is located inside the system enclosure. It stores all programs and data. Most systems can support multiple internal hard drives. One may be used as a system backup, an alternate boot drive with a different operating system or simply to store files. External drives are attached to the computer system via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port or an eSATA (External Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) port or FireWire connection if supported by system hardware and software.

Comparisons Between Internal and External Hard Drives

USB interface cable

An internal hard drive uses power provided by the system. The available power and interface connections inside the computer limit the number of internal drives that can be installed. External hard drives connecting to the system via a USB port do not always require a separate power supply as they get power via the USB cable. Some external hard drives--particularly those housed inside enclosures--require their own dedicated power supplies.

Considerations

FireWire cable

All systems come with an internal hard drive already set up to function properly with the other system components and power supply capability. So when the need arises to increase permanent storage capacity, careful consideration should be given to what type of external hard drive to purchase. This process should began with determining what type of interface port--USB, eSATA or FireWire--is available on the computer for attaching an external hard drive. Almost all newer systems have at least one USB port. An external hard drive using an eSATA port may require additional hardware and drivers.

More Considerations

Once the type of interface the external hard drive will use is established, thought should be given to the type of information it will be used to store. For large files using audio and video a high-speed interface such as eSATA or FireWire is preferable as they provide faster transfer rates than USB ports.

Benefits

Benefits of an external hard drive include having a complete system backup, which, if ever needed, is worth the cost, having more space for very large files, less clutter on the internal hard drive making it faster, provisions for multiple users to organize their files and portability which allows it to be moved from one system to another.

References

• External Hard Drives

Resources

• Tips For Buying an External Hard Drive