I’m running a Ubuntu server on my old laptop with an external HDD connected to it. The external HDD is powered independently from the laptop, as it is plugged into the wall.
During a power outage, my laptop remains operational due to its battery, but the HDD shuts down. When power is restored, my laptop does not automatically remount the HDD, and I have to reboot the system manually to access it.
Does anyone know how I can resolve this issue?
Edit: Not sure if this added context changes anything, but this is the HDD I’m using. It’s a 3.5" HDD that gets its power directly from the wall.
Do you have a USB power bank you can recommend? My external HDD requires a wall plug and I’ve never seen a USB power bank where I could plug my HDD into it.
There are DC UPSes that can supply 12V and are typically used to keep wireless routers and security cameras running for a few hours during power failures. They plug into the mains and are about the size of a 3.5" HDD.
Most USB power banks power cycle when the switch between charging/supplying/pass through mode, so if you use them for computer equipment they will lose power for a few seconds when the mains comes on or off.
Edit: DC UPSes are also much cheaper than standard ones.
Would this be something you’re talking about? It’s the cheapest one I can see on Amazon here in Canada.
You have a 3.5" based HDD (aka desktop drive). many people use 2.5" drives (laptop drives) since they get power from the PC with just usb
So that means it’s not possible for me to power my 3.5" HDD with just USB, right?
100% correct. You need a wall adapter. As many have said we all recommend a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) or battery backup for your stack.
You can get the cheapest one if it’s just short term outage or brown outs (grid low volting).
Based on your wattage the capacity of the UPS will dictate how long it’ll last during an outage.
I was thinking of 2.5" inch USB drives powered by USB cables…
For 220v ones get a proper ups power strip. They are cheap about 50-60 bucks
@Shimitar I have used CyberPower UPS for my computer and other devices with HDD or SDD. They are not cheap, but they are cheaper than buying new disks if the filesystem is unrepairable (which happens).
May I add a couple important points?
— Speed: It matters how FAST your UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) can switch to battery power. If it is not fast enough, your disk might still get clobbered. I have had the CyberPower for years and it has saved me from voltage transients and power loss multiple times (but …read on).
— Battery: The battery power has to be able to keep your computer on until either you can shut it down safely or power returns. What you’re buying is time.
— Degradation: — I recently learned (the hard way) that electronics degrade after enough incidents that they no longer switch fast enough. Few people read the fine print to know the rating of their surge protectors. Ordinary power surge protectors are one time use only. They use a capacitor to absorb the voltage spike and that gets burned out. The strip will still provide power, but no more surge protection. It should be thrown out. That’s true of more hardened surge protectors and UPS like my CyberPower. They may protect you from multiple surges, but they wear out too. As I said, I learned the hard way in a recent lightning storm.
Good Luck!