How to connect multiple external hard drives to the computer

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geo trouvetout Posted messages 47 Status Membre -  
 Anonymous user -
Hello,

I already connected an external hard drive to the computer this week, everything is working fine and it appeared with the letter H.
Can I connect a second external hard drive at the same time (the same model) to the computer, and what letter will it show up as?
Can I then copy and paste files directly between the two external hard drives?
I have an old external hard drive that, when I reconnect it (from time to time), shows up as letter I.
There are already partitions on the computer C, D, F, and G.
Thanks in advance for your advice,

Explorer 9.0</config>

3 réponses

STARGATE43 Posted messages 13754 Registration date   Status Contributeur Last intervention   2 644
 
It all depends on the number of USB ports on your PC, but you can also leave your external hard drives permanently connected to your PC and create shortcuts on your desktop so you don't always have to go to "This PC." That way, each external hard drive will have its own location and will always keep the same drive letter.

And depending on the number of USB ports, drive letters can go all the way to the end of the alphabet; for example, if you have 26 USB ports, your last connected hard drive will have the letter Z.

I hope I have answered your question clearly.

No problem, just... solutions!!!

Please remember to mark it as resolved if you consider your issue to be resolved, thank you.
2
Anonymous user
 
but you can also keep your external hard drives permanently connected to your PC <= better not, that's how they fail much faster than if you connect them only when you use them...
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STARGATE43 Posted messages 13754 Registration date   Status Contributeur Last intervention   2 644
 
Good evening Scarface, it's been a while, I wouldn't want to contradict you, but my Western Digital 640GB and my Iomega 1TB multimedia drive have been plugged in constantly for at least 4 years, and I haven't encountered any problems so far.

I'm not saying it can't happen, but I've never had any issues.
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Anonymous user
 
The drives in external enclosures hold up without any issues, but the controllers inside the external enclosures don't always do the same ;-)
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geo trouvetout Posted messages 47 Status Membre
 
Thank you for the response, perfect, I was hesitating before buying the second external hard drive.

I still have 2 USB ports free, so I will connect the external hard drives if needed.

Just a clarification: the old external hard drive appears as I as soon as I plug it in, the second one automatically appears as H. So the third one will automatically appear as J? Does the computer "remember" each external hard drive, then "recognize" it when I plug it back into the PC?
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STARGATE43 Posted messages 13754 Registration date   Status Contributeur Last intervention   2 644
 
If you plug it into the same USB port, yes it will always have the same letter, and yes, your third hard drive will have the letter J.
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Anonymous user
 
Hi

Can I connect a second external hard drive at the same time (the same model) to the computer? <= well, just try it, it won't explode...

Which letter will it appear under? <= not C, D, F, G, and H...

Can we then copy and paste files directly between the two external hard drives? <= same as answer 1°

4° do a copy-paste and delete the source file after copying, don't cut-paste to avoid losing the file in case of issues.

--
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geo trouvetout Posted messages 47 Status Membre
 
Thank you to Scarface,
I am just being careful to avoid losing the files I copy to external hard drives.
It's great to have precise advice from a pro!
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Anonymous user
 
I'm not a pro, otherwise you'd be getting an invoice :P
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geo trouvetout Posted messages 47 Status Membre
 
Thank you anyway, it's useful to have reliable answers before deciding to purchase or use new equipment.
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Anonymous user
 
You're welcome, with pleasure ;-)
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STARGATE43 Posted messages 13754 Registration date   Status Contributeur Last intervention   2 644
 
And as for copying/pasting files from one to the other, yes, of course!!!

--
No problems, only...solutions!!!

Please remember to mark as resolved if you consider that your issue is resolved, thank you.
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