For a genealogy archive that usually stays beside a home workstation, choose a desktop hard disk drive (HDD) if growing capacity matters most; choose a portable HDD if the records travel, or a portable solid-state drive (SSD) if they are moved frequently and its handling features matter to you. None is a permanent archive on its own: the National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping a backup offline, while the Library of Congress recommends copies on different media in separate locations. Check file-system and connector compatibility before copying your records.
If you are digitising certificates, photographs, correspondence or recordings that would be difficult to replace, plan separate copies before choosing a drive. The Library of Congress recommends using different storage media and locations; the National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping at least one backup offline.
If most work happens at one desk and your collection of scans and photographs is growing, a desktop drive gives you a stationary storage route. Western Digital lists its Elements Desktop HDD range in capacities from 4TB to 26TB; check the capacity and mains-power arrangement of the particular model you choose.
If you carry scans between your workstation and other locations, consider a portable drive. Check the computers’ ports and operating systems as well as capacity: Seagate’s Expansion Portable documentation, for instance, calls for a suitable cable or adapter with USB-C-only computers.
Choose when: The archive normally stays at one workstation and you want room for a growing collection; Western Digital lists Elements Desktop HDD capacities from 4TB to 26TB.
Allow for: Mains power and a fixed place on the desk. A drive at the workstation still needs a separate backup.
Choose when: You need to carry a multi-terabyte collection; Seagate describes its 5TB Expansion Portable model as compact and USB-powered.
Allow for: A connector check. Seagate specifies a USB-A cable for the cited model, so a USB-C-only computer needs a suitable cable or adapter.
Choose when: The archive is carried frequently and you value protective design features. Samsung lists drop, water-and-dust resistance and password protection for its 4TB T7 Shield.
Allow for: The cited T7 Shield model has 4TB of capacity; its protective features cannot replace a separately stored copy.
| Concern | Buying check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Recoverable copies | Plan copies on different media and in separate locations; keep at least one backup disconnected between updates. | If I cannot replace family records, I need a copy that remains available if the workstation or its attached drive is affected. Roughly 36% of consumers put recoverable copies first. |
| Room to grow | Compare the archive’s current size with the selected drive’s capacity, leaving room for future scans and files. | A collection of scans, photographs and recordings may grow while I keep working at the same desk. For around 29% of consumers, capacity is the primary concern. |
| Portability | Decide how often the records need to travel and whether the chosen drive’s handling features matter for that use. | When I carry records away from the workstation, I need a drive I can take with me while retaining a separate archive copy. Portability comes first for roughly 21% of consumers. |
| Compatibility | Check the ports and file systems of every computer that must write to the drive before loading records. | If my household updates the archive on both Windows and Mac computers, I need to avoid a format or connector mismatch. Around 14% of consumers make compatibility their primary concern. |
A connected drive can be affected by the same incident as the workstation. The National Cyber Security Centre advises an offline backup, and the Library of Congress recommends copies on different media in separate physical locations.
Make the new drive one part of a multi-copy routine; disconnect a backup when you have finished updating it.
Changing the file system can erase the files already on a drive. Western Digital’s formatting guidance describes the operation as data-destructive.
Decide which computers need to write to the archive first. Before reformatting, copy the files elsewhere and check that the other copy opens.
Seagate specifies a USB-A cable for the cited Expansion Portable drive and says a USB-C-only computer needs a suitable cable or adapter. It also notes that a USB 2.0 connection can limit transfer performance.
Check the workstation’s ports against the supplied cable and choose an appropriate connection for large copies.
A compatible cable or adapter may be an additional item to arrange.
Seagate explains that an operating system may report less capacity than the label and that formatting uses some space.
Leave headroom for new records and backup versions rather than matching the drive’s labelled capacity exactly to today’s files.
Its Elements Desktop HDD line is a stationary storage option. Western Digital lists capacities from 4TB to 26TB and USB 3.2 Gen 1/USB 3.0 connectivity for the range.
Its cited 5TB Expansion Portable HDD is a compact, USB-powered option for carrying records between computers.
Its cited 4TB Portable SSD T7 Shield is a route to consider when records are moved frequently.
These desktop HDDs are choices for a genealogy archive that usually stays at a home workstation. Compare the listed capacities with your expected file growth, and plan separate copies rather than relying on any one drive.
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Consider this desktop HDD if a growing, desk-based genealogy archive calls for 16TB of listed capacity. If you will use a Mac, confirm the intended file system before copying records; keep another checked copy before reformatting.
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This 10TB desktop HDD is a stationary option when you expect the archive to grow. Check the file-system requirements of any Mac that will update it, and preserve another checked copy before changing its format.
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Consider this 24TB desktop HDD for a large archive kept at one workstation. Before choosing this variant, confirm its Windows and macOS read/write requirements and that the supplied power adapter suits your setup.
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This 8TB external hard drive is a choice for records kept mainly at home. Confirm the exact model and its compatibility with every computer that will update your archive before buying.
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This 6TB desktop HDD suits a workstation archive when that listed capacity leaves enough room for your records to grow. If a Mac needs to write to the drive, decide on its format before loading files and retain another checked copy.
No: treat the external drive as one copy, not the only home for irreplaceable records. The Library of Congress recommends copies on different storage media in separate locations, and the National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping at least one backup offline so an incident cannot affect every connected copy.
exFAT supports read/write access on both Windows and macOS, according to Western Digital’s compatibility guidance. Check the requirements of any backup software you also intend to use, and copy and check your files elsewhere before reformatting: formatting erases data on the drive.
Consider encryption when the records contain sensitive personal information or the drive could be lost or taken, while keeping a way to retain the password or recovery key. For organisational processing of personal data, the Information Commissioner’s Office identifies encryption as an example of a security measure whose suitability depends on the risks; it does not replace backups.
Choose an appropriate electrical-equipment recycling or take-back route and address the personal files on the drive before handing it over. GOV.UK describes the UK’s waste electrical and electronic equipment rules as supporting recovery, reuse and recycling; check the local route’s instructions and how to remove your archive data securely.