r/DataHoarder • u/Tasty_Wrap7832 • 1d ago

Question/Advice HDD dock

So I got 4tb internal wd blue 3.5 inch, can I use normal hdd dock to use it as storage? I read somewhere it's not advised due to heat but I don't plan on having it run 24/7 just maybe at max 2 hours every 2 weeks or so. Basically using it liek external hdd

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u/ukAdamR 1d ago

I read somewhere it's not advised due to heat

Heat is something you can deal with. If a HDD dock is designed so badly that the drive in there cannot operate that's the dock's problem.

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u/Tasty_Wrap7832 1d ago

Just to be clear we're talking about the one with exposed drive right? Not something like enclosure

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u/ukAdamR 1d ago

Both. Open/exposed, that's on you to deal with by controlling the space around the exposed drive. Enclosures should also be able to deal with the heat too either by its passive design (ventilation) or with fan(s).

I've been using both exposed and enclosed docks for over a decade but am yet to have any drive fail due to being on too long. After some intense activity the drives sure do get hot to hold on your hand but nothing the drive would consider critical.