How to Use an SSD as External Storage | Find the Answer Here!

External hard drives are convenient and portable, allowing us to copy all our files from one computer to another. But some might need to know how to use an SSD as an external storage device. This article will guide you through the process of using an SSD externally and introduce a better way to back up your computer. Keep reading to find your answers.

What can I do with an external hard drive?

After a while, our computers tend to get crowded with files. That's why most of us opt for an external hard drive to store programs or files such as videos, images, documents, and more, for there are many benefits to using one.

The upside is that

• It frees up space on your internal hard drive.
• It stores important data in a secure location.
• It makes it easy to carry essential data around.
• It allows you to easily migrate an operating system or programs to another PC.

For those who need more storage space and speed by upgrading their old internal SSD, another option is to repurpose the old SSD as an external storage device. After learning about the benefits and uses of an external SSD, we'll show you how to turn your SSD into an external drive in the following section.

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How to Use an External Hard Drive on Windows

Generally speaking, to use an internal SSD as external storage, you need to do three things:

1. Step 1: Transfer data from the old SSD to the new drive 2. Step 2: Prepare an external enclosure for the old SSD 3. Step 3: Reformat the old internal SSD

Here are the steps for each phase.

1. Transfer data from the old solid-state drive to the new one.

If you lose the original data, you need to transfer the data before using the internal SSD as external storage. You can accomplish data transfer with reliable Windows backup software like Todo Backup Home. It's a reliable and professional disk manager that can be used to migrate Windows 10 to SSD, including the operating system and files.

**Step 1.** Connect the old SSD and new hard drive to your computer properly. **Step 2.** Launch [Todo Backup Home](/backup-software/tb-home.html). **Step 3.** Follow the steps below to transfer data to an external hard drive.

Here are the steps to back up to an external hard drive automatically:

1. Start Easy Backup and choose what you want to back up.

Step 2: There are four types of data backup to choose from: files, hard drive, operating system, and email. Select what you want to back up.

Select Backup Source

Step 3: After selecting the source for backup, tap the “Options” button at the bottom of the screen.

Step 4: Click the Backup Schedule tab and then On Event Occurrence.

Step 5: Click on the dropdown menu next to “Run backup at the following time,” and select “On USB device insertion.” Click OK.

Step 6. Choose a location to save your backup, which can be another local drive, a network drive, or cloud storage.

Select the backup destination

Step 7. Your automated backups are now enabled.

Once the computer has finished the migration process, you can proceed with handling your old internal SSD with peace of mind. Besides data migration, Todo Backup Home also offers many other useful features.

Key Features:

• Various Backup Types: File Backup, System Backup, Disk Backup, Partition Backup, and External Hard Drive Backup.
• Different Backup Schemes: Full Backup, Incremental Backup and Differential Backup.
• Multiple Backup Storage Devices: SSD, HDD, FTP Server, USB Drive, RAID, NAS, DVD, etc.
• Other Essential Features: System Image, Cloning, and Recovery.

Advantages:

• Supports Windows 11/10/8/7
• 100% safe zone backup
• WinPE bootable disk
• Offsite replication
• Email notification

Step two: Get an external enclosure for your old SSD.

If you have an external hard drive enclosure or USB adapter, it will be easy to use your internal SSD as an external drive. Before purchasing such a device, check the size of your SSD (2.5 or 3.5 inches) and its interface to make sure the enclosure or adapter is compatible. Here are two quick ways to view your SSD's information.

**Method 1: Check Your Computer Information**

Step 1: Press the Windows + S keys on your keyboard, type System Information, and open it.

Step 2. Go to Apps > Storage > Disk to find your disk model. Search online for your disk model to get the information you need.

Method 2: Check the SSD for Details Outside of Your Computer

You can easily remove the SSD from your computer's case with a screwdriver and check the drive's specifications. Once you know what you're working with, you can buy an adapter or enclosure for your SSD.

Stage 3: Reformat the old built-in SSD.

If you want to repurpose your old SSD as an external solid-state drive, you'll need to reformat its partition. Reformatting the SSD will erase all original data, ensuring it's ready for new file storage. You may also repartition the SSD if you need to adapt to the previous partition layout on an external hard drive. The built-in disk formatting tool in Windows called "Disk Management" can help you format the SSD on a Windows 10 system. Here's a step-by-step guide: 1. Connect your SSD: First, connect your SSD to your computer and ensure it is recognized properly. 2. Open Disk Management: Press `Win + X` and select "Disk Management." Alternatively, right-click the "Start" button and choose "Disk Management." 3. Locate your SSD: In the Disk Management window, you'll see a list of all connected hard drives. Find your SSD, which might be labeled as "Unallocated" or show a previous partition. 4. Format the SSD: - Right-click the partition you want to format and select "Format." - In the pop-up window, verify that the selected drive is your SSD and choose an appropriate file system (e.g., NTFS). - Keep the allocation unit size at its default setting unless you have specific requirements. - Check the "Quick Format" box; this speeds up the process but only if the SSD has been formatted before. - Click "OK" to start the formatting process. 5. Delete and create a new partition (if needed for repartitioning): - If you want to change the partition layout, right-click the SSD and choose "Delete Volume" to remove the existing partition. - After deletion, right-click the unallocated space and select "New Simple Volume." Follow the wizard to create a new partition. 6. Complete the formatting: Wait for the formatting process to finish. Once done, your SSD is now ready to use as an external storage device. Please note that formatting will permanently delete all data on the SSD, so make sure to back up important files beforehand.

Step 1: Click the Start button in Windows, and then choose "Disk Management," or run "diskmgmt.msc" to open Disk Management.

**Step 2:** Click on the SSD partition that you wish to format, right-click on it, and select "Format."

Step 3: Type a label for the drive, select a file system, and then click OK to finish.

Abstract

Using an external hard drive to store essential data is perfectly reasonable. This page offers a detailed guide on how to use an SSD as an external storage device. The steps are straightforward, and you should give it a try! When transferring data from your computer or old SSD to a new external storage device, I highly recommend using Todo Backup Home. It's reliable and user-friendly. Additionally, for those on a budget, it offers affordable cloud backup options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Using an SSD as External Storage

1. Can I use a regular SSD as an external drive?

Yes, it can. A solid-state drive (SSD) can function as both an internal storage device for a laptop or desktop computer, as well as an external storage device. It's a convenient and portable way to store your files.

2. How to use a 2.5-inch SSD as an external storage?

To use your internal SSD as an external drive, you'll need an enclosure or a USB adapter. Before purchasing one of these devices, check its dimensions (2.5" or 3.5") and interface to make sure it's compatible with your SSD.

3. Are external SSDs better than external hard drives?

It depends on your specific needs, but generally, SSDs are more expensive than HDDs. However, SSDs offer several advantages: they're faster, more lightweight, more durable, and consume less power.

4. What should I store on my SSD?

You can keep your frequently used data on an SSD, which you carry with you. Operating-system files and applications are good candidates. Bigger stuff – video, music, photos, documents – should now live in streaming services like Netflix and Spotify.