Unusual hardware failure...

[Walti]

I have an external HDD for my Apple Photos app and it started disconnecting and re-connecting to the computer at random, so I suspected the disk was faulty.

Tried to copy the disk to a spare (as it's easier than restoring from the iCloud back up), and it failed due to disconnecting, so removed the disk and dropped it into a clone caddy and it works fine (and cloned fine) so it appears the disk is fine but the enclosure failed!

I'll buy a nice enclosure and keep the disk in use.

[wornish]

Does the enclosure have its own USB cable attached? That's the most likely suspect.

[OM USer]

Yes, more likely to be the cable.

[Walti]

I'm using the old cable on the new enclosure...

SO I think it's definitely the enclosure, anyway I have several spare disks and have bought two new enclosures to put a couple in, so problem fixed!

[BDennis]

I get a bit paranoid about drive failures and keep 3 copies of all the photos I want to keep. It is good to be able to remove the drive and put it in something else in case I of these failures.

I have a USB docking station that takes 2 drives - this one:

“TECKNET USB 3.0 to SATA 2-Bay USB 3.0 Hard Drive Docking & Cloning Station with Offline Clone Function for 2.5 Inch & 3.5 Inch HDD SSD SATA (SATA I/II/III) Support 2 x 8TB & UASP, Tool-free” - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B018EOZG..._jSZzFb6V7V485

For long term and backup storage I backup to internal drives of 2Tb and 3Tb and store them in these boxes:

“Inateck 3.5 Inch Hard Drive Case HDD Protective Box with Shockproof Dustproof and Anti-static Function, Storage Case for 3.5 inch HDDs, 6 Pack, Orange/Blue/Gray (HPFx6)” - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07569XG..._6UZzFbYCMN1PT

I also I use 500Gb and 1Tb SSD drives in caddys or the docking station for things I am working on.

The only slight worry is if frequent removal of the bare drives from the docking station will mess up the drive connectors or wear them out so permanent caddys are good too.

To keep track of what is where I index the contents of the drives with this NeoFinder software for Mac which can also index into contents of Aperture and CaptureOne catalogues:

https://cdfinder.de/