This can be dangerous for the drive if not done correctly. One doesn’t just pull a SATA or eSATA drive out of the hardware without predicting some problem. This is why we recommend using software called Hot Swap.
With Hot Swap, computer users can convert a standard SATA drive to a removable drive similar to a USB / IEEE1394 drive. Well, now that that’s on the way, let’s talk about how it works for the most part.
How to use Hot Swap to change Windows hard drive
The size of the Hot Swap is tiny so that the download will take a few seconds. It comes in a .zip file, which means the user has to unzip the files inside to make the actual transaction. There are two versions of Hot Swap when extracted; One for the x86 hardware and one for the x64.
It should be noted that there is nothing to install. Just locate the best version for your computer and launch it. Now, note that when the tool is launched, nothing will appear on the screen. That’s because it’s hidden, so enable the option “Show hidden icons” in the taskbar, and it’ll be there.
Interestingly, it looks like the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon, which is not a wrong move. Red is a big difference, so there’s no confusion between the two.
To remove a drive, left-click on the icon to see all swappable drives. To erase the drive, the user needs to select the drive from the pop-up menu. Keep an eye for a balloon saying the drive has been successfully hot-swapped. From here, the user can turn off the drive and safely remove it from the computer.
If a drive is in use by Windows or is greyed out, it cannot be removed.
Options Right-click
Right-clicking on the icon opens the possibility to scan for hardware changes. Furthermore, users can change device type, language, and even uninstall the Hot Swap tool if they feel the need.
If the user doesn’t automatically start the program, this can be changed by right-clicking on the icon. Hot-Swap has no windows or anything of this sort. It’s all about the hero and what can be done from it.
Overall, we like what Hot-Swap has to offer in terms of its overall features and capabilities. We recommend it to anyone interested in hot swapping their hard drives.
Download the Hot Swap tool now, free from the official website.