If I place the 2.5" 7mm Seagate ST500LM030 HDD on top of another 2.5" 7mm Seagate ST500LM030 HDD, will the weight of the top HDD deform the metal of the HDD underneath, damaging the magnetic disks?
Do you mean just laying it on top?If I place the 2.5" 7mm Seagate ST500LM030 HDD on top of another 2.5" 7mm Seagate ST500LM030 HDD, will the weight of the top HDD deform the metal of the HDD underneath, damaging the magnetic disks?
Just sitting on a shelf or in a box?in storage mode not in use
It.in the horizontal position it is inside a plastic usb 3.0 enclosure case from Orico or Kesu
Have multiple copies.What precautions should be taken to maximize the lifespan of HDDs and the files inside them? Do they lose their magnetism?
for HDDs with unused files stored
But four drives of what? Four copies of your data? Or is the data on each drive the only existing copy?I have 4 drives
What type of check should I perform once a year? Is it possible without having to copy the files to the PC and without making a new copy to these HDDs?
At the very least, you need to power it/them up, and verify the data on them is still readable.I have 4 drives
What type of check should I perform once a year? Is it possible without having to copy the files to the PC and without making a new copy to these HDDs?
Having the data on more than a single drive is your safeguard for data loss.Yes, I will connect these drives and check if the data is readable, but how often? Many times a year? How can I check if they are readable without having to copy everything to the PC?
is easy lost damage files in hdd
How many years.Some HDs like mine use MLC NAND Flash chip to store BIOS/Firmware, how many years can this memory retain these files?
There's no magic rule that determines the exact perfect amount of time that will guarantee you'll catch any failure or corruption. The more important the data, the more often you should check.Yes, I will connect these drives and check if the data is readable, but how often? Many times a year?
Just copying a file doesn't tell you if its readable - it could be corrupted. The only way to tell if a file is readable is to open it. How many should you open? Well, the only 100% guarantee is to try opening every single file when checking a disk. If you only open one file, you're very unlikely to catch any corruption. The more you open the more chance of catching anything wrong, the fewer you open the more chance of discovering some data is lost. So it's up to you. Your data, your time, your responsibility to choose.How can I check if they are readable without having to copy everything to the PC?
No.The enclosure case has a sponge to stick to the bottom side in the center of the case. When you place the HDD, it tilts a little due to the sponge. When you place the top cover of the case, it closes. Will the pressure of the sponge on the HDD damage the HDD's flat cable over time?
I have to ask, what "flat cable"? The drive just plugs into the mating connector.Will the pressure of the sponge on the HDD damage the HDD's flat cable over time?