Is it Possible to Turn Off Internal HD to Save Power?

[imdaman]

I've been googling if it is possible but people are saying you can't do in it XP but how about Windows 7? I know there is an option to disable the drive in the BIOS but I want to be able to do it without restarting the comp every time. Does disabling the drive in the drive property do the same thing? I have several external hard drives and not enough power plugs so I was wondering if I can save more power just keeping it in my comp and only turn it on when I use it (which is not a lot).

[DB83]

Surely, an external HDD is only ON your PC when it is connected to a power supply.

I have several external HDDs. None of them appear in my system unless there is some electricity feeding them.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Just buy a powerstrip with a on/off switch, XP supports hot-swappable drives so turning off the power makes them disappear to Windows.

[Noahtuck]

I don't think the replies so far address what the OP asked ?

Is it Possible to Turn Off Internal HD to Save Power?

I don't know for sure but when an external HDD is connected to the internal power supply, it is always on as when the PSU is on there is power being fed directly to all the power connectors.

Because even when the SATA or IDE cable is disconnected, the HDD still powers on and spins when the PSU is connected to it.

If you want to run wires out of your PC to power internal HDD's from an external power supply, i guess you could do it but i'm not sure how powering on and off HDD's connected internally to your mobo would work out, unless you were using all SATA drives, but personally i'm not sure how that would work out either.

[SingSing]

I installed my "internal" hard disk in hard disk drawer.
Each of these has a round on/off key switch.

I can switch them on/off as I wish.

[MOVIEGEEK]

I don't think the replies so far address what the OP asked ?

Is it Possible to Turn Off Internal HD to Save Power?

I didn't see that in the OP, I read "drive in the drive" and "external hard drives".
I think I need to take a "drive" to clear my head.

[Bjs]

Possible using power options > power scheme > turn of hard disks = time ?

As for "independent" configuration where multiple drives exist ... No.

[imdaman]

What do you mean by independent? like not in a raid?