Automatic USB Hard drive power down..

  • Thread starter Thread starter heruti
  • Start date Start date
H

heruti

Hi,



Greetings, fewllow-two-bit surfers,

I added a 3.5inch 80GB WD hard drive in an external USB enclosure to my
PC as a continuous backup system (i.e. without user intervention, but
only works when the PC is active).

Unfortunately it requires a separate power supply and wall socket.
How can i make it power off and on automatically when the PC powers off
and on? its not just the electricity costs; if the HD will be on all
the time, 24/7, and used only 50% of the time, its life will be
shortened unecessarily.

Unfortunately, also, the PC doesn't have one of those extra power
sockets in the back for the monitor which could be used for this.

Does anyone know of an automatic USB power switch for external devices
or PCI card that does that, or a way of deriving 240/110V current out
of a computer?


Thanks
 
How about just unplug the USB cabel out from your computer?

Usualy, those external case will shut down the power if you unplug the
usb cable from the computer. When you turn off the power of your
computer, the USB cable still gets power form the computer.

The easier way might just unplug your usb cable form the computer.

www.intldirect.com
 
The easier way might just unplug your usb cable form the computer.
Click to expand...

Well no, this hard drive gets its power from a separate wall socket and
AC adapter. It has its own power switch, I just don't trust the
employees to turn it on and off every day.
 
Well no, this hard drive gets its power from a separate wall socket and
AC adapter. It has its own power switch, I just don't trust the
employees to turn it on and off every day.
Click to expand...

You can get power switches that are slaved to a PC's PSU. They
plug into an USB or PS/2 port and syncronise one external
mains socket with the PC internal power.

Arno
 
Hi,
Greetings, fewllow-two-bit surfers,

I added a 3.5inch 80GB WD hard drive in an external USB enclosure to my
PC as a continuous backup system (i.e. without user intervention, but
only works when the PC is active).

Unfortunately it requires a separate power supply and wall socket.
How can i make it power off and on automatically when the PC powers off
and on? its not just the electricity costs; if the HD will be on all
the time, 24/7, and used only 50% of the time, its life will be
shortened unecessarily.

Unfortunately, also, the PC doesn't have one of those extra power
sockets in the back for the monitor which could be used for this.

Does anyone know of an automatic USB power switch for external devices
or PCI card that does that, or a way of deriving 240/110V current out
of a computer?
Click to expand...

Is that what you need?
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/6ee4
or without USB:
http://www.bitsltd.net/smartstrip/information.htm
 
these look excellent, one snag though- we barbarians use 240V mains
and sockets... there are converters but they are not recommended for
continuous use.
I will enquire whether they have a european version.
Click to expand...

Most computer power supplies have a switch for dual voltage. It's not
cost effective to make two products when one will suffice.
 
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