External harddrive

[knight]

I am thinking of getting an external harddrive for my laptop, has anyone any suggestions as to what I should get, size, price, make?

[Munter]

The biggest size you can for the money you have got to spend.

I think Lacie are known as a good brand.

[andy_quantum]

Is the laptop the only computer you're using, or is there also a desktop as well? If you've got a small network, the network attached storage ones arent too bad.

I got a 250 gig from the hellhole that is PC World for about £100. Unknown to me at the time, you can only use it on the network (by it's IP address) in FAT32. I wish someone had said that before I NTFS'd it for video. If you're planning on putting files under 4 gig (?) on it, it'd be fine.

[Podie]

Munter said:

The biggest size you can for the money you have got to spend.

I think Lacie are known as a good brand.

In my experience, whatever you recommend someone else will come along and denounce it.

[alock]

Unless you need huge amounts of space, get one based on a 2.5" drive as it can be powered via USB. If you get a normal 3.5" it will have a power supply.

[JustinP1]

Podie said:

Munter said:

The biggest size you can for the money you have got to spend.

I think Lacie are known as a good brand.

In my experience, whatever you recommend someone else will come along and denounce it.

Nah, I reckon most of the time most posts are agreed with...!

[ginettag27]

We had a small (128 or 250 Gig) Buffalo Linkstation Live! it gave up after about 3-4 months.. took about 1-2 months to get them to agree to take it back, full refund.

I think the Terastation versions are a lot better.. I know someone who has had one on for about 12-18 months solid!!

Don't go for one of the smaller units if you do buy Buffalo.

Edited by ginettag27 on Monday 4th February 17:22

[NewNameNeeded]

for what it is worth I got this one recently: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=494552  and it seems to get good feedback. Can't recommend scan.co.uk enough. Always been very prompt with their deliveries and the prices seem good. Got an Icy Box enclosure to stick it in.

[Podie]

JustinP1 said:

Podie said:

Munter said:

The biggest size you can for the money you have got to spend.

I think Lacie are known as a good brand.

In my experience, whatever you recommend someone else will come along and denounce it.

Nah, I reckon most of the time most posts are agreed with...!

I disagree

[Golfman]

I just bought one of these:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/139234/show_product_...

250gb USB powered, does what it says on the tin!

[allnighter]

Apologies for not seeing this thread as I started another thread on the same subject.
Basically looking for a "reliable" 500-750GB external hard drive.

Any recommendations??.My seagate Barracuda 400GB E-Hard drive has just died on me.Any other makes which are more reliable?

I would contemplate buying E-SATA externals, but I guess USB 2.0 does the job with ease no probs.

The E-HD needs to be standing up and preferably in a light colour.

Been looking at Lacie, WD, and others...

Cheers

BTW my mobo is ABIT quad GT, 4GB Corsair memory,two WD raptors in raid0.

Cheers.

Edited by allnighter on Monday 4th February 18:56

[knight]

andy_quantum said:

Is the laptop the only computer you're using, or is there also a desktop as well? If you've got a small network, the network attached storage ones arent too bad.

I got a 250 gig from the hellhole that is PC World for about £100. Unknown to me at the time, you can only use it on the network (by it's IP address) in FAT32. I wish someone had said that before I NTFS'd it for video. If you're planning on putting files under 4 gig (?) on it, it'd be fine.

Yep, laptop is the only thing I'm using, will be using it to back up my laptop hard drive, store photos and music

[GregE240]

I've now had 2 Western Digital ext drives now - one a 250GB "Mybook", the new one a 500GB "Elements" drive.

Both mains powered, and simply do what they say on the tin. I've had the 250GB for about 3 years, and has been good as gold.

The smaller WD "Passport" drives also come recommended, a mate at work has had one about as long as my 250GB drive.

[Hooli]

i've got a Western Digital 500Gb My Book. only had it 6 weeks or so but been fine so far. was about £75 off amazon.

[allnighter]

Ordered this afternoon two Lacie 500GB E-sata externals from Scan computers.Cross everything.

[Famous Graham]

ginettag27 said:

I think the Terastation versions are a lot better.. I know someone who has had one on for about 12-18 months solid!!

One of mine has been on that long.

The other's been on for over 2 years.

(although there was a break of a couple of days when I moved house about a year ago, to be fair).

[DucatiGary]

western digital "mybook" range of network drives are good, mine never makes a sound unlike the Iomega one ive got running alongside it, the iomega whines all day but I guess on the good side its also a print server even though that is no use whatsoever as I have a networked printer running instead of that . . . . .