by Since most people who use computers or Macs deal with tons of files and folders daily, storage space plays a crucial role. With ample storage space, Mac or Windows PC users can store tons of digital files, including documents, images, audio and video files, apps, etc., without hassle. However, if there is not enough storage space present on the local storage component of a Mac or PC, it may prevent the user from using their device efficiently and working productively. Thankfully, there are numerous ways following which users can work around the issue. For starters, they can try deleting unnecessary files present on their device. However, this may be a time-consuming process. Another effective way to deal with the low storage space issue is using an external drive. As per Seagate, using an external drive offers numerous benefits to the users. For starters, it facilitates users to easily store ample files, thereby preventing their Mac or Windows PC’s internal storage component from being cluttered. Besides this, users can use external drives in numerous ways. Here is a detailed look at some of the most popular ones:
If your Mac or Windows PC’s internal storage component does not have free space, it will not only limit you from storing more files but also prevent it from functioning normally. This is where external drives play a significant role. External drives generally offer users ample space; hence, they can conveniently store multiple big files without worrying about running out of space. To free up space on your computer’s internal storage component, you can transfer important files to your external drive and keep it safe and secure. Besides this, you can also use the external drive for backing up data. For instance, if you wish to format your computer but do not want to get rid of the files present, you can transfer all the files to your external drive and restore them once you have reset your device’s operating system.
There are instances when users switch computers. Even though the majority of the new computers offer a seamless switching experience, it may be possible that the user’s device does not support automatic data transfer. However, using an external drive allows users to transfer all of their old computer’s data into the new one without hassle. All the user needs to do is plug in their external device to their old computer, copy the files and folders they wish to transfer to the external drive, unplug it, replug it into the new computer, copy the stored files and paste it in the required location. However, users should keep a few things in mind while transferring. For starters, they should ensure that the external drive is clean and empty before they start the transfer process. Doing so will ensure that the external drive has no residual files. Moreover, it will also ensure efficient organization of files. One of the most effective ways to vacate an external drive is to format it.
If you are a macOS user and are wondering how to format USB drive on Mac, you can do it manually by plugging in the device to your computer and using the “Erase” option to reformat the device. Similarly, if you have a Windows PC, you can erase all of an external drive’s content using the native “Format” option.
Many people use an external drive, especially USB flash drives, to format their computer’s hard disk. Moreover, external drives are also used extensively for installing new operating systems on devices. However, users need to make the external drive bootable before they can use it for formatting a computer’s internal hard drive. All major operating systems offer numerous native features, following which users can make a USB drive bootable. For instance, macOS users can use the Terminal utility to create a bootable external drive. Similarly, Windows users can do so by using their OS’s native Command Prompt utility. However, manually creating a bootable USB drive can be quite a hassle. Hence, users should opt to use third-party tools using which they can quickly make a USB drive bootable. Rufus is a great tool that allows users to create a USB drive bootable in a few minutes. Once the user has downloaded the installer files and made the USB drive bootable, all they need to do is plug in the external drive, open their device’s boot menu, follow the steps to format the internal storage component, and install the new OS. Using an external drive for formatting a system and installing a new OS is an efficient way following which users can provide a fresh start to their PC to ensure better performance.
External drives are useful tools using which users can perform numerous activities such as backing up vital files, transferring files from one system to another, formatting a system, reinstalling an OS, etc. If you own an external drive and wish to use it efficiently, refer to the points mentioned above
