External hard drive
Discussion
Probably been asked before but does anyone have a recommendation for an external USB hard drive for use as a back up rather than storage?
Most of the user reviews I have read are littered with polar opposite comments, some saying that the machine is fantastic while others say that the same contraption died three days in.
Any suggestions?
Most of the user reviews I have read are littered with polar opposite comments, some saying that the machine is fantastic while others say that the same contraption died three days in.
Any suggestions?
I bought a 250GB Western Digital MyBook Pro for about 110quid from Dabs a couple of months ago and have been very happy with it. It runs quiet and cool and powers up and down with the computer. There are three versions:
Essential - USB2
Premium - USB2 & Firewire400 inc. Retrospect backup software
Pro - USB2, Firewire 400/800 inc Retrospect backup software
I got the Pro cos of the FW800.... and the silver finish matches my Powerbook
Essential - USB2
Premium - USB2 & Firewire400 inc. Retrospect backup software
Pro - USB2, Firewire 400/800 inc Retrospect backup software
I got the Pro cos of the FW800.... and the silver finish matches my Powerbook
Thanks for the replies.
It seems that LaCie are subject to the most polarised responses - andybuk99 says avoid and olf says they're fine.
The customer reviews on Dabs for the LaCie start fine and then about six months in go off the end of a cliff with units failing left right and centre. It seems that operationally they are good but with no longevity.
Is there any clear explanation for this? I came across a comment that the guts are just Maxtor and not their best ones at that. Are they just fancy packaging on a second rate drive?
What about Seagate?
It seems that LaCie are subject to the most polarised responses - andybuk99 says avoid and olf says they're fine.
The customer reviews on Dabs for the LaCie start fine and then about six months in go off the end of a cliff with units failing left right and centre. It seems that operationally they are good but with no longevity.
Is there any clear explanation for this? I came across a comment that the guts are just Maxtor and not their best ones at that. Are they just fancy packaging on a second rate drive?
What about Seagate?
Plotloss said:
Get a housing and a good quality disk.
Job done.
Yet again I have to agree with Plotloss. Job done.
I have 3 EHDDs here and the best was bought as separate case and HDD and fitted together in a couple of minutes. I bought an IcyBox case that takes both PATA and SATAI/II HDDs for maximum future-proofing whilst also allowing me to use cheap drives at the moment and then a Seagate 300GB HDD. The Seagate HDDs come with a 5yr warranty, which I don't think you'll match buying an EHHD as one unit, so I'm very comfortable with what I've chosen.
FYI: overclock.co.uk stock an excellent range of caddies. I went for this one. NB: It doesn't support SATAII speeds, only the 1.5GB/s standard, but SATAII HDDs are backwards compatible so they will work in the case, just not as quickly. I won't both supplying links for the HDD itself as there are lots of places that sell them.
OK - I'm at the outer limits of my technical skills here.
The attraction of the external drive was the concept of just sticking it on the USB hub and letting it run - easy for someone like me who knows enough to know how little I actually know.
If the best technical solution is getting a caddy and a hard drive it sounds like I might as well stick an internal in the last bay on the base unit. Is that any harder than, for example, putting a new sound card in? I've done that and after the usual large amounts of swearing it finally worked.
My father in law put me off the internal drive option a while ago by talking about partitioning disks and logical drives and God alone knows what else - but then he always does that. A simple question like "which external hard drive is best" gets him talking about SATA daisy chains and I just don't need that level of detail.
If it's no worse than adding a new sound card I would be prepared to give it a go.
Any views?
The attraction of the external drive was the concept of just sticking it on the USB hub and letting it run - easy for someone like me who knows enough to know how little I actually know.
If the best technical solution is getting a caddy and a hard drive it sounds like I might as well stick an internal in the last bay on the base unit. Is that any harder than, for example, putting a new sound card in? I've done that and after the usual large amounts of swearing it finally worked.
My father in law put me off the internal drive option a while ago by talking about partitioning disks and logical drives and God alone knows what else - but then he always does that. A simple question like "which external hard drive is best" gets him talking about SATA daisy chains and I just don't need that level of detail.
If it's no worse than adding a new sound card I would be prepared to give it a go.
Any views?
Its no harder, the only extra steps are plugging a connector into the drive AND the mobo and adding a spare power lead to the drive of which there will be at least one.
Turn it on, XP wont see the disk initially, go into disk manager, initialise and format it.
Job done.
You only have to worry about partioning if you want two drive letters on one disk. Thats simple as well though as it can be done by the lovely cuddly disk manager as well.
Turn it on, XP wont see the disk initially, go into disk manager, initialise and format it.
Job done.
You only have to worry about partioning if you want two drive letters on one disk. Thats simple as well though as it can be done by the lovely cuddly disk manager as well.
billsnemesis said:
Any views?
Sounds like your friend/relative went far to technical far to quickly.
Fitting a drive internally is very easy. I'm typing this out long hand so it looks worse than it is
Open the side panel of your computer and look at the hard drive(s)... you'll see two cables. One will go to the PSU the other will eventually connect to the motherboard (where you plugged your sound card in to).
Now this cable that goes HDD > Mobo, is it round/flat but with a fairly chunky connector OR is it really thin with a small connector? If it's the first one then you need a PATA drive, if it's the second it's SATA.
For the sake of argument and keeping it simple lets say that PATA can have two drives per cable and SATA can only have one. So if it's a PATA system do you have a spare mobo socket and/or connector on an existing cable? If it's SATA can you spot any spare connectors on the motherboard and do you have a spare cable? If it's SATA can you spot any spare power connectors? If yes bonus points... if no... you'll need to buy a convertor... not that hard to find and cheap.
If yes, go to shop, aquire the correct type of drive and/or cable / convertor if needed. Return home and secure the new drive, plug all the connectors in to the right holes (they will only go in one way).
Turn on computer. If it beeps and loads Windows bonus. If it beeps and drops you in this weird BIOS screen, just press the key that saves settings (look at the bottom of the screen for hints as to which key does what) and Windows will load. If the PC bursts in to flames, put it out and go find insurance documents whilst getting a beer (it won't burst in to flames... seriously... it won't).
Once your in Windows.
Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Storage > Disk Management.
You'll see a new disk that is marked as 'unknown'... right click select Format and Windows should hand hold you through paritioning and formatting (hint: One big huge parition is fine and dandy... so clicking 'Next' a lot will work A-Ok).
Disk will format and eventually once completed it will appear in Explorer like C:
That doesn't sound too scary.
What is wonderful is how everyone seems to assume I have an up to date machine - actually it is about five years old and runs on windows 2000. XP? Yes on the laptop. Not on the desk version.
From memory there were a lot of flat grey cables inside last time I opened it and from the age I would guess that would fit with the PATA description - unless there is something even older than that.
I have also been toying with the idea of putting a new CD burner in it. Mrs Bills has just got a digital camera and is starting to load some very big files (had to explain that a 6mpixel camera does not generate files of 5k each unless your data compression is more like a car crusher) so we are going to disk storage as well and need something that will burn quickly for the pics. For everything else another HD will be fine
If I am going to have to move the desk (risking hernia, slipped disc - mine not the PC's - ruptured tendons et al) disconnect two miles of spaghetti from the back, fiddle with the contents and put it all back it would be better to have to do it only the once.
Thanks for the advice
Now wait for the big bang and the arrival of the fire brigade
What is wonderful is how everyone seems to assume I have an up to date machine - actually it is about five years old and runs on windows 2000. XP? Yes on the laptop. Not on the desk version.
From memory there were a lot of flat grey cables inside last time I opened it and from the age I would guess that would fit with the PATA description - unless there is something even older than that.
I have also been toying with the idea of putting a new CD burner in it. Mrs Bills has just got a digital camera and is starting to load some very big files (had to explain that a 6mpixel camera does not generate files of 5k each unless your data compression is more like a car crusher) so we are going to disk storage as well and need something that will burn quickly for the pics. For everything else another HD will be fine
If I am going to have to move the desk (risking hernia, slipped disc - mine not the PC's - ruptured tendons et al) disconnect two miles of spaghetti from the back, fiddle with the contents and put it all back it would be better to have to do it only the once.
Thanks for the advice
Now wait for the big bang and the arrival of the fire brigade
billsnemesis said:
What is wonderful is how everyone seems to assume I have an up to date machine - actually it is about five years old and runs on windows 2000. XP? Yes on the laptop. Not on the desk version.
From memory there were a lot of flat grey cables inside last time I opened it and from the age I would guess that would fit with the PATA description - unless there is something even older than that.
As Plotloss said same instructions for Win2k. Win98/95 is slightly more convoluted but no more complex
The only step I missed and I do appologise... is the faffing around with Master/Slave jumpers. Basically if the drive is the only one on that cable it needs to be set to Master, if their is already a drive on the cable then you need to set the new one to Slave. Takes all of 30 seconds to do and the booklet that'll come with the HDD will show you jumper positions and location, it's also written on the drive itself.
Yep flat grey cables on a home computer... that'll be PATA.
Simplest way to do your backup device is.... remove the existing CD/DVD drive from the system and slap a new one in running on the exact same cables. A DVD Burner (will also burn CD's) costs about £30.
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