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In the context of adding additional hard disk storage to a notebook computer, USB is the most commonly used connection type due to its widespread compatibility and ease of use. USB ports are standard on nearly all modern computers, making it a convenient choice for external hard drives. They allow for plug-and-play functionality, meaning users can easily connect and disconnect drives without needing to reboot the system or change configurations.

While other options like eSATA and Thunderbolt can also be used for external storage, they are less common in many consumer notebook models. eSATA provides a higher speed connection specifically designed for external SATA drives, but it is not as ubiquitous as USB ports. Thunderbolt offers even higher speeds and additional capabilities, but it is typically found on more advanced or higher-end notebooks and is not as universally supported as USB. FireWire, which was once popular for high-speed external devices, has largely fallen out of favor and is less commonly found on newer systems.

Given these considerations, USB stands out as the preferred and most practical method for most users looking to expand their notebook's storage capacity.