External Hard Drives

lostkat · 04-01-2009, 23:48

Following the epic failure of my Seagate Barracuda last week, coupled with my sheer stupidy for not backing up my 10k of photographs on there, I'm now looking for an external ~500GB hard drive to back stuff up on. I don't need any fancy backing up software as I favour the copy/paste method and it's only photos and music I'll want to back up anyway.

What would people recommend? My budget isn't endless, so I'm looking for an economical solution.

I've found the following in the £60-£70 price bracket, but I've no idea what I'm looking for really. They all have good reviews from buyers:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149702
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149457
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149357

Any advice/suggestions?

leowyatt · 04-01-2009, 23:49

I bought an Iomega 500Gb drive for £49.99 early last year and it's been great.

Burble · 04-01-2009, 23:50

Since having loads of problems with them in the past I avoid Iomega stuff like the plague. I'm a big fan of Buffalo stuff so out of the three that's what I'd go for.

Mark · 04-01-2009, 23:56

Buffalo stuff seems a reasonable choice to me too. Not sure about Iomega as I've tended to steer away since the whole Zip/Jaz mess.

Personally, I'd also suggest the option of getting an enclosure and drive seperately. The cost is a little higher, but you get more flexibility, and the option to yank the drive out and plug it into a system directly if it all goes **** up (you can of course do this with many of the external drives, but you may have to be a little more destructive - which might risk damaging the drive).

Streeteh · 05-01-2009, 00:14

I too would recommend a 'build it yourself' external. Seagates have been failing a lot recently from what i've seen, i personally recommend Samsung, incredibly quiet, reasonably fast, cheap and i've not yet had one (out of two) fail on me *touch wood*

leowyatt · 05-01-2009, 00:23

Can't actually remember the make of drive in the enclosure I think it's samsung but could be wrong.

Mark · 05-01-2009, 00:34

I too would trust Samsungs in the past, but I've heard a few stories that their failure right might also be on the up.

Personally, for backup purposes I'd give the Western Digital Green Power drives serious consideration - not for the claimed Green credentials (which, to put things into perspective is 5-10W at most), but because the lower spindle speed might help with the lifespan of the drive.

A Place of Light · 05-01-2009, 00:52

I'd go with an internal drive and an enclosure, mainly because you tend to get longer warranties on internal drives (because the manufacturer expects them to be bolted into a case and left alone). External solutions are portable so the manufacturer expects them to be bumped around more, so they typically give shorter warranties with them.

There are exceptions however, just don't think it's anything resembling a difficult job to buy an enclosure and fit a drive. It's about one grade less complex than wiring a plug.

lostkat · 05-01-2009, 17:55

Thanks for the replies so far.

Confusion time. What's the difference between this enclosure thing and just buying another hard drive to shove into my case as a slave?

leowyatt · 05-01-2009, 17:59

you can take the HD with you in the enclosure

that is it.

04-01-2009, 23:48	#1
lostkat Good Cat Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,550	External Hard Drives Following the epic failure of my Seagate Barracuda last week, coupled with my sheer stupidy for not backing up my 10k of photographs on there, I'm now looking for an external ~500GB hard drive to back stuff up on. I don't need any fancy backing up software as I favour the copy/paste method and it's only photos and music I'll want to back up anyway. What would people recommend? My budget isn't endless, so I'm looking for an economical solution. I've found the following in the £60-£70 price bracket, but I've no idea what I'm looking for really. They all have good reviews from buyers: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149702 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149457 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149357 Any advice/suggestions? __________________ Oooooh Cecil, what have you done?

04-01-2009, 23:49	#2
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	I bought an Iomega 500Gb drive for £49.99 early last year and it's been great. __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!"

04-01-2009, 23:56	#4
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Buffalo stuff seems a reasonable choice to me too. Not sure about Iomega as I've tended to steer away since the whole Zip/Jaz mess. Personally, I'd also suggest the option of getting an enclosure and drive seperately. The cost is a little higher, but you get more flexibility, and the option to yank the drive out and plug it into a system directly if it all goes **** up (you can of course do this with many of the external drives, but you may have to be a little more destructive - which might risk damaging the drive). Last edited by Mark; 05-01-2009 at 00:30.

05-01-2009, 00:14	#5
Streeteh Vodka Martini Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Kingston Posts: 862	I too would recommend a 'build it yourself' external. Seagates have been failing a lot recently from what i've seen, i personally recommend Samsung, incredibly quiet, reasonably fast, cheap and i've not yet had one (out of two) fail on me touch wood __________________ PSN & Live! ID: Streeteh

05-01-2009, 00:23	#6
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	Can't actually remember the make of drive in the enclosure I think it's samsung but could be wrong. __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!"

04-01-2009, 23:50	#3
Burble Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,826	Since having loads of problems with them in the past I avoid Iomega stuff like the plague. I'm a big fan of Buffalo stuff so out of the three that's what I'd go for.

05-01-2009, 00:34	#7
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	I too would trust Samsungs in the past, but I've heard a few stories that their failure right might also be on the up. Personally, for backup purposes I'd give the Western Digital Green Power drives serious consideration - not for the claimed Green credentials (which, to put things into perspective is 5-10W at most), but because the lower spindle speed might help with the lifespan of the drive.

05-01-2009, 00:52	#8
A Place of Light Absinthe Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,247	I'd go with an internal drive and an enclosure, mainly because you tend to get longer warranties on internal drives (because the manufacturer expects them to be bolted into a case and left alone). External solutions are portable so the manufacturer expects them to be bumped around more, so they typically give shorter warranties with them. There are exceptions however, just don't think it's anything resembling a difficult job to buy an enclosure and fit a drive. It's about one grade less complex than wiring a plug.

05-01-2009, 17:55	#9
lostkat Good Cat Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,550	Thanks for the replies so far. Confusion time. What's the difference between this enclosure thing and just buying another hard drive to shove into my case as a slave? __________________ Oooooh Cecil, what have you done?

05-01-2009, 17:59	#10
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	you can take the HD with you in the enclosure that is it. __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!"

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