Question External HDDs are constantly making a noise ?

[CubsWin]

I have 2 Western Digital EasyStore USB drives that I use for backup purposes. Whenever the drives are connected to my PC, they constantly flash and make a noise at fairly regular intervals as if the drive is being read. I am not doing anything to actively read from or write to the drives and I want them to idle silently when I am not using them. My OS is Windows 11 Pro. Is there a setting in Windows somewhere, like some sort of indexing or searching that would cause this? If not, how can I figure out what is causing my drives to behave like this when they are not being used?

Here is a short video link showing the drive activity:

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/462mpW1z1-Y

 

[Aeacus]

Well, you can put external drives to sleep.
Guide: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...manually/e2aa3bba-5094-41af-9738-a75183f79da1

Another option is disconnecting the USB cable between PC and external drives. And when you need to use the drives, plug the cable back in.

 

[CountMike]

Windows keeps on polling all devices including all storage. As soon as any disk is accessed all disks are polled and if in sleep mode, it wakes them up at which time they do self test and arm makes couple of passes making noise like that.
If you are using them only for backups it would be much safer to have them disconnected until needed,
Your best bet would be something like this
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-4-Po...rds=usb+hub+switch&qid=1751007692&sr=8-5&th=1

 

[shaester_123]

Computers don't think like we do . A computer needs constant acknowledgment that a drive is there and able too be used . So , every few minutes, it ask your backup if it is alive . This makes it spin up and give basic data too your computer . It sucks , but it is best too unplug them entirely .

My disk drive backups are not even connected too my computer . They don't need too be . They are ... backups ... not primary.

My advice : fill up the drives entirely with one big write . Put them in a plastic bag that goes in a box surrounded by bubble wrap and taped up . Throw in a moisture absorbant pack for good measure .

THAT is how you treat backups

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

Same here. I only connect my external backup drives when I need to use them.
When I don't need them, they are safely stored away.

 

[Misgar]

Put them in a plastic bag that goes in a box surrounded by bubble wrap and taped up

Make sure the "plastic bag" is an ESD bag, otherwise there's a slight risk of zapping the drive with static and killing the drive. It's highly unlikely you'll damage a hard disk inside an enclosure, but it pays to be careful.
https://www.amazon.com/Static-Resealable-7-87x11-8in-Labels-Electronic/dp/B09KNCSJDD

 

[Bob.B]

I have 2 Western Digital EasyStore USB drives that I use for backup purposes. Whenever the drives are connected to my PC, they constantly flash and make a noise at fairly regular intervals as if the drive is being read. I am not doing anything to actively read from or write to the drives and I want them to idle silently when I am not using them. My OS is Windows 11 Pro. Is there a setting in Windows somewhere, like some sort of indexing or searching that would cause this? If not, how can I figure out what is causing my drives to behave like this when they are not being used?

Here is a short video link showing the drive activity:

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/462mpW1z1-Y

Device manager/usb controllers.
Look at the properties of each entry for power management.