Backup HD - what to check before making the switch?

[Jeff]

This was just a common sense question which occurred to me now. Besides the
extra storage, I bought a backup HD as security in case my master crashes.
(I've had a HD crash both at home and at work).

But before switching that data cable hookup to make my slave my master, what
should I check first? In other words, what faults in my other hardware
could have caused my master HD to fail which would destroy my slave if I
made it my master? The two share the same PS, so I wouldn't think that
would be a problem unless one was more sensitive than the other to a surge.
But what other hardware issues should I be alert for so my slave doesn't die
the same way as my master the moment I try booting to it?

 

[Ralph Mowery]

This was just a common sense question which occurred to me now. Besides the
extra storage, I bought a backup HD as security in case my master crashes.
(I've had a HD crash both at home and at work).

But before switching that data cable hookup to make my slave my master, what
should I check first? In other words, what faults in my other hardware
could have caused my master HD to fail which would destroy my slave if I
made it my master? The two share the same PS, so I wouldn't think that
would be a problem unless one was more sensitive than the other to a surge.
But what other hardware issues should I be alert for so my slave doesn't die
the same way as my master the moment I try booting to it?

YOu don't put your backup hard drive in untuil you make sure what the
problem is. Get another hard drive, even if it is an old one of smaller
capacity. Make sure it will run by installing a minimum system to it. If
all is well then you can install a new hard drive and then install your
backup drive long enough to restore the data.

If you are using a slave drive while using the master drive , if you have a
hardware problem , mostlikely it will take out both drives.

For backing up a drive I use a drive in a removable tray and pull it out
when I am not actually backing up the master drive.