Most computer users are familiar with the term hard drive, or hard disk, which is the main storage location on your personal computer or laptop. Operating systems, software programs, games, documents, music, videos, and other files can all be stored on hard drives. Most come in the internal form, which stay inside your PC, however, there are also external hard drives which remain outside of the computer but can be plugged in, generally by USB port, eSATA, or FireWire.
This is where a
hard drive dock comes into play. While external drives don't need any additional assistance, the more common internal hard drives can't normally be attached to a new computer without shutting it down and opening it up to add the new drive. However, by using a hard drive dock, the drive can be quickly attached in an external manner.
How does it work? Hard drive docks are made which are compatible with both 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch SATA hard drives. The hard drive is simply plugged into the dock, which is then plugged into the computer, normally through the USB port. Depending upon the particular dock, it may be compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, and possibly other operating systems.
Hard drive docks can be particularly useful in different situations. It can be used for making a backup of a hard drive, when you don't want to open up the computer, or can't even fit another hard drive inside anyway. By using one, you can also quickly go through a collection of hard drives, perhaps old ones from storage, without needing to plug in each internally into a computer system. There are other useful opportunities for a
hard drive dock, as well. Many uses are related to convenience and saving time, but other possibilities also exist.
You can shop around for hard drive docks to find one that best fits your needs and price range. Review different brands such as Thermaltake (BlacX), Vantec (NexStar), Arkview, XION, StarTech, iStar, and others. Keep in mind that the product sometimes goes by other names, mainly hard drive docking station, and hard drive toaster (given due to its appearance). Generally, even the top-end ones can be had for under $100, while the cheaper models might be found in the $20 range at times.
