How to Use an Iomega External Hard Drive

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Iomega external hard drives are a fantastic way of expanding your available space while retaining mobility. They're particularly useful when you need to back up data from various computers, or if you need to have a different operating system you want to use at any computer. They're also just good to have in general; you don't have to open your computer case to install the drive, nor do you have increased heat from inside the case. Iomega drives come for both PC and Mac computers, using Universal Serial Bus (USB) and FireWire connections, respectively.

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Step 1

Power on your computer.

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Step 2

Connect the AC adapter for the hard drive, if it has one. This is more common with older Iomega drives.

Step 3

Connect the hard drive to your computer using the FireWire or USB cable that came with it. The drive should be automatically detected by your operating system and opened in a window when it's ready to use.

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Step 4

Copy files onto the drive by dragging and dropping files into the window. If you want to delete files, drag them out of the window and onto the "Trash" or "Recycle Bin" icon. Or you can use the "Delete" key on your keyboard when you've selected the files to remove.

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Step 5

Disconnect the drive when you're finished using it. Be sure not to do this when it's still copying, or if it hasn't been disconnected from the operating system. To properly remove the drive, right-click on it and select "Unmount" or drag it onto the "Trash" icon. Windows users will have a "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the taskbar. Double-click it and select the drive you want removed. When the system informs you the drive has been disconnected, you can unplug it from your computer.

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