SOLVED Good External HD

[DallasDad]

What are a couple top brands for good reliable external hard drives? 120G, maybe more.
Suggestions?

 

[Nibiru2012]

If I were your DallasDad, I would buy the hard drive of your choice and then a 3rd party external drive case. Much simpler, no proprietary drivers involved and usually they're less expensive too.

Since you only want around 120 GB or so, maybe you might consider using a 2.5" laptop size hard drive. That way you'll have more portability too.

Here's a very good 250 GB Western Digital drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136279

Here's a nice external case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817388031

If you want a 3.5" drive, there are many good deals also at Fry's Electronics. Since you live in Dallas, there's a Fry's. The friday ad insert is always a good deal because most the prices listed are at or below cost. Fry's uses them as "loss leaders" to generate traffic in the store.

 

[Shintaro]

I would suggest a SSD. Because and external drive is likely to get bounced around a lot more. And spinning disks don't like to be bounced around.
Example SSD.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820239045

But you would still need to buy the enclosure.

Just remember with SSD's stick with major brands.

Hope this helps

 

[luke127]

Seagate is a good brand to go with. They can be pricey but their SSD's have served me for the last 5 years and haven't had an issue once. I think newegg has some lying around. I'll have a look later.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Seagate is a good brand to go with. They can be pricey but their SSD's have served me for the last 5 years and haven't had an issue once. I think newegg has some lying around. I'll have a look later.

Seagate doesn't have a full fledged SSD, they have what is known as a hybrid. Hybrids are a combination of SSD and mechanical platters within one drive. I've been waiting for Seagate to introduce a full fledged SSD but they haven't done it yet.

 

[Nibiru2012]

There is no reason to spend the extra money on an SSD.

What Shintaro seems to forget is that hard drives park their read/write heads when the power is removed. So even if the hard drive is dropped it won't hurt it. Just don't drop the HDD when it's powered up though.

 

[Digerati]

Seagate doesn't have a full fledged SSD, they have what is known as a hybrid. Hybrids are a combination of SSD and mechanical platters within one drive.

BTW, these hybrid drives are really nice, and fast. Instead of (or in addition to) a standard RAM buffer, typically of 32Mb or less (a few have 64Mb), these hybrid drives use a flash SSD of 8Gb. That's huge! And a good thing.

For the small bump in price, I think these hybrid drives are worth it - if full SSD is beyond the budget.

 

[Shintaro]

There is no reason to spend the extra money on an SSD.

What Shintaro seems to forget is that hard drives park their read/write heads when the power is removed. So even if the hard drive is dropped it won't hurt it. Just don't drop the HDD when it's powered up though.

No, I am perfectly aware of that. I even remember the old utility "Park".

But a external drive that never gets bounced around when it is on. Now, that would be a miracle. Well I suppose it is not impossible just unlikely.

 

[Digerati]

But a external drive that never gets bounced around when it is on. Now, that would be a miracle. Well I suppose it is not impossible just unlikely.

I think you are assuming these external drives are constantly on the move - like (or with) notebooks. That is not necessarily so at all. I know of many, many users who setup an external drive and rarely physically touch it after that. When used as a NAS - network storage device, it may sit still, its entire life - yet used every day, accessed by several computers on the network.

I personally like hard drive docking stations much better than enclosures. I can just pop a drive in and start using it. Wrong drive? No problem. Yank it out and pop a new one in. These are ideal if you do need to swap drives frequently. But for others, an enclosure does offer more protection from physical abuse/accident.

 

[Shintaro]

Mate,
I always err on the side of caution. While it is true that some people leave the drive in a safe and happy place, it can never be assumed for everyone.

I expect the worse, but hope for the best.

Yea, I have been looking at those for a while. I think that there are different version that allow for SATA and IDE to plugged in.
I still use a caddy draw for drives that I am working on for a while. But I have a IDE & SATA USB cable for quick change. But that device that you suggested is much nicer.

 

[Digerati]

I think that there are different version that allow for SATA and IDE to plugged in.

Yeah, there are docking stations for EIDE, SATA, or both. There are some that connect via USB, and some SATA only that connect via eSATA.

I do computer repair and I like the docking station better than keeping a bunch of data and power cables with vulnerable and exposed connectors on my bench.

If you swap drives often, get a docking station. If you need mobility for a single drive, an enclosure is the best bet.

 

[DallasDad]

.......
Here's a very good 250 GB Western Digital drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136279

Thanks for the tip Nibs.
I ended up getting a Western Digital "My Passport" 500GB USB 3.0 external HD.
I wasn't familiar with the brand names to consider, so your tip was very helpful.
http://www.microcenter.com/product/...ble_500GB_USB_30_Portable_External_Hard_Drive#

 

[yodap]

Good price on that drive DD. It would be nice to live near a Micro Center as they don't ship many of their products.
So you decided to go fully portable. (USB powered) . Good choice and I hope it serves you well.

 

[DallasDad]

Good price on that drive DD. It would be nice to live near a Micro Center as they don't ship many of their products.
So you decided to go fully portable. (USB powered) . Good choice and I hope it serves you well.

Me too, BUT I already ran into a problem.
I attempted to create a system image with W7 software and it failed. I don't know the reason and I didn't write down the error code.
I read one case where a guy discovered that according to Seagate support, his Seagate external HD could only back up Data, and not system files!
Does that sound right? Why would that be?
Is it possible my WD could be like that?

I've never heard that certain HDs can only back up data and NOT system files?

 

[yodap]

Can't say for sure but I would think the problem is with windows back-up. If you have time try a 3rd party backup program such as Easeus Todo or Macrium Reflect. I don't know anyone who likes W7 back-up.

http://http://download.cnet.com/Easeus-Todo-Backup-Free/3000-2242_4-10964460.html

http://download.cnet.com/Macrium-Re...part=dl-&spi=9fbc5d098ccac4c61173c51ac2927874

As always be careful what you click on at CNET.

 

[DallasDad]

I might have to. Thanks.

 

[luke127]

Seagate doesn't have a full fledged SSD, they have what is known as a hybrid. Hybrids are a combination of SSD and mechanical platters within one drive. I've been waiting for Seagate to introduce a full fledged SSD but they haven't done it yet.

Oh my bad. I mustn't have read that article right. Thanks for the correction