Hard Drives & NAS

Choosing the right hard drive or NAS (Network Attached Storage) system is essential for anyone looking to store and secure their data. Whether you’re considering an external hard drive for personal use or a more complex NAS solution for a business, understanding the differences between various options is crucial. Our comprehensive guides and reviews cover everything from choosing the best external hard drives to learning about the latest NAS security protocols, ensuring that you make the most informed decisions for your data storage needs. We dive into the durability, performance, and capacity of these devices to help you select the right solution for your specific requirements.

In our Hard Drives & NAS section, we also explore important topics such as RAID configurations, how to wipe a hard drive, and the best practices for backing up your iPhone to an external hard drive. We also provide insights into the longevity of hard drives, how to troubleshoot common issues like external drives not showing up, and tips on using Synology CloudStation for seamless cloud storage integration. Whether you’re new to NAS systems or an experienced user, our in-depth resources offer valuable advice to enhance your data management experience.

How to Backup NAS Devices Using Online Backup Software in 2025: Data Storage Redundancy

It’s easy to think your NAS is safe and that simply having one is all you need. However, if you want to protect your data as much as possible, you should learn how to backup NAS devices to the cloud.

By Sapphire Fox — 07 Jul'24 Last Updated: 06 Apr'25

How to Encrypt an External Hard Drive Using Native or Third-Party Encryption Software in 2025

Encrypting an external drive ensures the highest level of data protection. There are several ways to encrypt an external hard drive, with built-in software or third-party apps being the most prominent. This guide will cover the most accessible ways and teach you how to encrypt external hard drives. Similar to hard drives, online backup or...

By Jason Stagnitto — 24 Apr'24 Last Updated: 08 Apr'25
Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska

Cloud Storage vs External Hard Drive: Which to Use in 2025?

Storing data off your device is a great way to save space, manage files or archive older items. You can achieve these results using cloud storage or an external hard drive. However, there are some significant differences between the two. Read on for our thoughts on cloud storage vs external hard drive. Choosing from one...

By Mauricio Preuss & Jason Stagnitto — 04 Mar'24 Last Updated: 06 Apr'25
Facts checked by Alison Spedale

how to backup iphone to external hard drive

How to Back up Your iPhone to an External Hard Drive: 2025 Guide

Performing a backup ensures that you don’t lose the important data on your iPhone. You have several options, including cloud backup or backing up your iPhone locally on a computer. External hard drives are not as popular as they once were, but they are still a reliable option. This guide will show you how to...

By Jason Stagnitto — 27 Feb'24 Last Updated: 01 Mar'25
Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska

How to Fix an External Hard Drive Not Showing Up

Fix External Hard Drive Not Showing Up or Recognized on Windows 10 & 11 in 2025

There's nothing more annoying than buying an external HD, plugging it in, and then getting no notification the device has been recognized. In this article, we'll show you how to solve an external hard drive not showing up.

By Titus Kamunya — 21 Feb'24 Last Updated: 01 Mar'25
Facts checked by Eugenie Tiu

How to Wipe a Hard Drive on Any Operating System in 2025: Garbage Disposal

These days, it’s hard not to think about your data’s safety. If you’ve ever disposed of or sold an old computer, you might already know the anxiety of putting something with your information on it into the hands of another person. To help you keep your data private, we’re looking at how to wipe a hard drive completely so it’s ready for disposal or sale.

By Brian Murray — 04 Sep'21 Last Updated: 01 Mar'25

Fastest External Hard Drive of 2025 for Transfer Speed Freaks

When you opt for using an external HD, you're likely doing so to get the best transfer speeds. To meet that demand, we've put together this list of the fastest external hard drive options to watch that progress bar just fly past.

By Jacob Roach — 28 Jun'21 Last Updated: 01 Mar'25

How Long Does a Hard Drive Last? Lifespan of an HDD vs SSD Explained in 2025

Anyone who owns a computer or stores data on an external hard drive has almost certainly experienced a failure. It provokes a terrible sinking feeling when you just want to get on with your day. This feeling is compounded if you haven’t backed up your data. If you’ve used a hard drive to store your...

By Jason Stagnitto — 31 Mar'18 Last Updated: 28 Jan'25

NAS Security Guide: 7 Basic Principles for Synology & Other Devices in 2025

Network-attached storage (NAS) is a way to store data locally on a device connected to your local network, which differs from using the best cloud storage. A NAS device has an operating system and can handle several hard drives, giving the owner plenty of space and scalability to transfer data. However, don’t overlook NAS security...

By Jason Stagnitto — 14 Jun'17 Last Updated: 07 Apr'25
Facts checked by Simona Ivanovski

What Is RAID? Explaining Redundant Array of Independent Disks: How It Works Types and Benefits Explained

Storage disks come with the risk of failure, which may result in lost data. However, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage systems reduce the chances of permanent data loss when disks fail. However, what is RAID? In this article, we discuss storage and explain how RAID works while covering its use cases, RAID levels,...

By Adeyomola Kazeem — 05 Jun'17 Last Updated: 07 Apr'25
Facts checked by Igor Kurtz