Hey guys I have a PC running Windows MCE 2005
I have a Western Digital 500 gb external USB Hard Drive.

Every time my pc turns on or comes out of standby and sometime seemingly randomly, it will spin up the WD hd. So I end up unplugging it when im not suing it and plugging it in when I want it.

Is there a way I can make it invisible to windows where it will ignore it and never access it or even know that it is there unless I want it then I can access it?

All help is appreciated...

Thanks!

Is there somewhere else I should post this or is this the best thread to ask this in?

Yes, this is the sub-forum to post this question in...

But, frankly, I'm not quite sure what you are asking.

When a drive is connected, internal or external, it is going to spin up when the machine is booted. Whether or not it will spin down is controlled by the OS (sometimes BIOS). How/when it spins back up is also controlled by the OS, although some external USB drives do have their own 'schedule' controlled by the drive enclosure's controller.

You can try to set the drive for maximum power savings in Windows, but I still think that if the controller of the enclosure is making it spin up, then you will still have it coming on occasionally. Also, make sure that you turn off write-behind caching in Windows, for that drive.

If you only want the drive to spin up only when you need it or be completely 'invisible' to Windows, then probably the best way to go about it plug/unplug...like you are currently doing.

Most (if not all) USB connected HDDs (both 2.5 and 3.5" drives) that I have used remain spinning until they are turned off. The LED turns on and on many it simply changes colour or else flickers while there is data transfer taking place. Are you sure your drive is actually spinning down when you go into standby? Even my 2.5" enclosure keeps spinning connected to a laptop that has gone into standby, where the power management might be expected to be more conservative.

Is there no power switch on the drive?
If not, how would you power it on/off?

My external drive is normally switched on/off using the power switch on the housing.
USB [and separate power] cables are always connected.
When I switch on at the power switch Windows detects and displays its presence.
To safely switch off I "Safely Remove" it using the icon in the "System Tray", and only then switch off.
Windows will report that it can or cannot be safely removed.
Cannot is because some program is presently accessing the contents of the drive.

Is there no power switch on the drive?Not on the 2.5" enclosures and coverters I have used - they generally get their power from the USB port. Some use a second accessory USB cable just to ensure they obtain adequate power and some have ac/dc transformers to ensure adequate power to an external hub or PCI expansion card.

1. "Is there a way I can make it invisible to windows where it will ignore it and never access it"
Assuming the drive enclosure doesn't include an on/off power switch...

(a) You could use the icon down in the system tray [see screenshot below] to "Safely Remove" or "Unplug or Eject Hardware"...

(b) Windows will then disable its use, and it will no longer be displayed anywhere like "Device Manager" or Windows Explorer".

(c) To bring it back into use [after a "Safe Remove"] you'd need to either unplug and re-plug [equivalent to switching off then on again]...
or else "ShutDown->Restart" Windows, when [in both those cases] it's presence will be re-detected and enabled.

(d) Hibernation would/should have no effect, unless...
If you were to hibernate the PC...
Then change the status of the drive from on to off...
Windows will complain that the device has been improperly removed.

If you'd "Safely Removed", then unplugged [or switched off] the HDD...
Then hibernated windows, reconnected or switched on the HDD, then brought Windows out of hibernation...
Windows would have no problem with that; would detect the presence of the drive and enable it.
.

Hibernation and USB drives can be problematic as Mini-Me discovered (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=57501).

I haven't tried USB Drive Enable (http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Miscellaneous/USB-Drive-Disabler.shtml)r (Disabler) but it might be what you want.

"Hibernation and USB drives can be problematic as Mini-Me discovered"
That gave me my first belly-laugh of the day! :D
Did a quick read down the thread...
Got to post #17 and fell about laughing.
Now why do I find that so funny? :confused:

No it does not have a power switch. It has a button that will turn it off or on when the computer is up and running.
Yes I am sure it spins down and turns off when windows goes into standby. I hear it go quiet and the light turns off.

It looks like I just need to continue using it as I have been, plug it into the wall when I need it, unplug it when I don't.

I was just hoping there was a simpler way.

Thanks for the replies.

Out of interest - which model is the external?