Question about a hard drive

[Jackmio]

I have a hard drive in my PC that I don’t want initializing when I turn my PC on, but I don’t want to remove it from my PC. My question is which one is safest.

1. unplugging the data cable only,
2. unplugging the power cable only,
3. or unplugging both

Edit: Also, what would be safest for an SSD?

(Side note: I think I put this under the wrong topic, but I don’t know if/how I could move it.)

Edit 2: my hard drive is a Western Digital WD2500AAKX 250GB

[Hari S]

I would recommend removing the data cable because if you remove both and forget to plug it in it might fail. But remember all of the options are risky especially with older hard drives and no matter what do it carefully.

[KonaKonaCube]

disregard this post im an idiot!

[IgorM]

Don't you want to boot from it or don't you want it to be spinning?

[Jackmio]

I just edited the post to put the hard drive info in btw. 

3 minutes ago, IgorM said:

Don't you want to boot from it or don't you want it to be spinning?

I don’t want it to be seen by the OS or BIOS

[Master Disaster]

1 minute ago, Jackmio said:

I just edited the post to put the hard drive info in btw. 

I don’t want it to be seen by the OS or BIOS

Then remove the power. That'll stop it spinning which will save on noise too.

[Jackmio]

1 minute ago, Master Disaster said:

Then remove the power. That'll stop it spinning which will save on noise too.

I can’t hear my hard drive bc of my case fans, but I have good HPs so I wouldn’t hear my case fans anyways.

[harryk]

I don't know how but you should be able to set Windows to not automatically mount the drive. The OS will still see the drive connected but but won't spin it up or allow access until it is mounted. Not sure what you're actually trying to accomplish here, but if you are going to unplug the drive, then you might as well unplug both power and data so it is electrically isolated in case of a power surge or short etc.

[IgorM]

2 hours ago, Jackmio said:

I just edited the post to put the hard drive info in btw. 

I don’t want it to be seen by the OS or BIOS

so you want to keep the drive inside your pc but don't want to remove it from the case? If so just unplug the sata and power cable