School Me On External Hard Drives

TnR6Rida · Posted: Sep 22, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject: School Me On External Hard Drives

Basically I know absolutly nothing about computers, so what are the advantages of an external hard drive?

Which ones are good that are in the $100-$120 range?

Jensen · Posted: Sep 22, 2008 8:46 pm Post subject:

external = portable. no increase in performance. I would only use one to store excess files, wouldn't run an OS on it.

they are pretty reasonable in price now. Staples had a 500gb maxtor for only 99$.

TnR6Rida · Posted: Sep 22, 2008 8:59 pm Post subject:

So it doesn't do anything for performance at all?

DJew Jake · Posted: Sep 22, 2008 9:02 pm Post subject:

No, it is just going to be a place to store files portably.

Big Al · Posted: Sep 22, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject:

You can put important stuff on it, that you really dont wanna loose. If your computer dies completely you will still have that important data.

An external hard drive is just...a hard drive. The bigger it is, the more stuff you can have, but it wont do anything else. It's empty space...

Jensen · Posted: Sep 22, 2008 11:51 pm Post subject:

big_steve, having your OS on a seperate partition then your other stuff is the only addition to performance you will get. plus its safer in case your external gets a virus and then your OS at least has a partition as a barrier to help keep the virus from spreading.

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

TigerDirect.com has decently priced ones. That's where I got mine.

TnR6Rida · Posted: Sep 23, 2008 4:29 am Post subject:

Alright, thanks everyone.

Oh and are there any brands that are better than the other, or does it not really matter?

8824 · Posted: Sep 23, 2008 5:07 am Post subject: Re: School Me On External Hard Drives

hco · Posted: Sep 23, 2008 5:43 am Post subject:

Buy two of the same kind as well, so then there aren't any issues transferring or anything like that. I don't reccomend cavalry, mine is making awful noises and its right as it ran out of warranty, I am pretty bummed about it. I might just open it up myself and see what I can do to fix it.

Rhawn · Posted: Sep 23, 2008 6:37 am Post subject:

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

I prefer the aluminum-cased Maxtor drives.

Have them all over. 5 here at the office, a couple at home.

Backup your backup is very, very good advice. If you can keep it in another location, even better.

Magic · Outlaw Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 240 City: Seattle

SeaGate are solid, we run some 24/7 for a long time, still going strong.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

Aren't external drives slower? I haven't looked into one for a while. I don't think they can compete with SATA 2.

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

Wakebrad, yes they are slower.

USB 2.0 max = 480mb/s
SATA2 max = 3gb/s

Actual transfer rates are likely well below those numbers, but the SATA2 interface is clearly the wiener.

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

Magic, Seagate owns Maxtor. You probably already knew that. Embarassed

Ejazzle · Soul Rider Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 345 City: Tequesta

i have a maxtor external and it just randomly took a sh*t. so i was fvcked. couldnt get anything off of it.

i have a 1tb western digital. and it is wayy better than my maxtor, I have only heard good things about WD. Everyone i know that has one loves it. They are a little more expensive, but definately worth it.

I bought mine off ebay, thats where i found them to be the cheapest. I'm gonna buy another one here pretty soon. My 500 internal and my 1tb are just about full.

so either newegg or ebay is where its at.

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

scott a, and your S-10 was a Isuzu! Razz

Anyhow, yeah, I probably would buy one of them if my choices were that limited!

TnR6Rida · Posted: Sep 23, 2008 9:28 am Post subject:

chavez, A stupid question I'm sure, but what is a SATA2?

jryoung · Ladies Man Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 7664 City: Man Jose

It is the interface in which the drive attaches to the computer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

Chad H · Posted: Sep 23, 2008 11:55 am Post subject:

I have a Seagate Free Agent 500GB here. Hook it up via USB and have all movies, music, and pictures on it. I like it a lot.

I have an IOMEGA that is used purely for my laptop. I haven't had any problems with it, but i don't use it all that much either.

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

rhawn - bought my laptop off newegg. they have some incredible deals

Brit Rider · Posted: Sep 28, 2008 10:58 am Post subject:

jumalian · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 7625 City: san diego

external drives = 2.5tb
internal drives = 1.5tb

and i STILL need new drives!!! nothing but seagate and/maxtor for me. well, that's not actually true. i have a wd drive, too.

TnR6Rida · Posted: Sep 29, 2008 6:56 pm Post subject:

How is this one? Anybody have it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/WD-Western-Digital-My-Book-500GB-External-USB-2-0-drive_W0QQitemZ300260992214QQihZ020QQcategoryZ158823QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Zach M · Posted: Sep 29, 2008 7:32 pm Post subject:

I just bought the 1TB MyBook Home Edition drive at Costco for $189. I haven't hooked it up yet. It got good reviews though.

Medina · Posted: Sep 29, 2008 11:46 pm Post subject:

Well, you can better have a USB stick since they are a lot cheaper, and not as sensetive as a HDD. On the other hand, when you want as much GB's as you like, a portable is better because the price per MB is cheaper Smile

nfn · Soul Rider Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 388 City: Sioux City

I posted a new topic in the Technology, Photography, and Media Forum so I wouldn't hijack this thread.

I would appreciate it if those of you with knowledge on this subject would take a look at it.

Thanks.
-KG-