What's a good external HDD to buy these days?

"Ant" wrote in message
m...
| On 10/4/2009 7:19 PM PT, iws typed:
|
| | What's a good external HDD to get these days for Windows (2000 SP4 (9x
| | might be needed though) to the latest), Mac OS X (10.2+ to latest),
and
| | Linux? It will mainly be for storage/backups and carrying between
places
| | with multiple computers so I'd like it to be light and small. It
doesn't
| | need the bundled softwares and backup feature (will do it manually
with
| | Explorer, Finder, etc.). It would be nice to not to carry its annoying
| | power adapter (have seen a tiny one that doesn't use one and use power
| | from USB connections, but was told this is not good).
| |
| | Any good ones (on sales) from
| | http://www.salescircular.com/ca/computer/hdiskp.shtml (local retail
| stores)?
|
| I have an earlier version of this Buffalo Mini
| http://www.frys.com/product/5987934?...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
| and really like it. Not sure of its OS compatibility but certainly works
on
| XP/Vista and doesn't require an AC adapter.
|
| Wow, $59.99 sale vs. regular $104.99. Probably all gone by now though

That $59.95 price is suspect - here in Phoenix, the 500 GB version is on
sale for $89.95 and it was available in the Fry's store I was in on
Saturday.

| ("Cannot connect to the store." for store locations right now). OS
| support said "Windows Vista®, Windows®XP, Windows®2000, MacOS® X 10.4 or
| later".
|
| I am not sure if I want this one since USB power usage from what I read.

It has not been a problem for me and I've used it with various desktops of
various vintage, a laptop and a netbook.

| I will probably get one with AC adapter.

As you've found out, that's a real nuisance if you want real portability.

| --
| "The Hunam Tiger ant has been known to consume an entire meal before the
| picnic guest arrive." --12th century Tang Dynasty proverb.
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Ant wrote:
On 10/4/2009 8:25 PM PT, Arno typed:

Anyways, maybe your money would be better spend on a USB Flash
drive. They are typically in the 0.1A power class and whould work
on practically every USB port.

Thanks Arno. Aren't Flash drives really expensive and limited with disk
sizes (only have seen 64 GB and really expensive)?

Not that expensive anymore, but 64GB is about the largest at the
moment. How much data do you actually want to lug around?

Arno

Ant wrote
Rod Speed wrote

Got any examples online?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ion+hard+drive

Those arent a great idea with little kids and cats around tho or for technoklutzes.

None for me,

Arent you a cripple or something like that ?

Yep, a virgin and never had a date (even blind type) either and probably will never get one. Oh well.

So the docking station wouldnt be a problem ?

Probably not because you seem to be able to manage the drive bays fine.

Yeah, nothing like those 2.5" external drives portability wise.

Yeah, still need to think about the USB power issue that you and others mentioned.

It isnt a problem with those 2.5" external drives that have two USB cables.

The most you might need is a couple of short USB cables with thin plugs
when you have very close USB ports and thicker plugs on the cables that
come with the drive.

However, I have never ran into that issue before though even with five years old PCs.

Its mainly a problem with laptops, not desktops.

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage Arno wrote:
Ant wrote:
On 10/4/2009 8:25 PM PT, Arno typed:

Anyways, maybe your money would be better spend on a USB Flash
drive. They are typically in the 0.1A power class and whould work
on practically every USB port.

Thanks Arno. Aren't Flash drives really expensive and limited with disk
sizes (only have seen 64 GB and really expensive)?

Not that expensive anymore, but 64GB is about the largest at the
moment. How much data do you actually want to lug around?

A lot like 500 GB. 64 GB is small.
--
"Applied mathematics will always need pure mathematics, just as
anteaters will always need ants." --Paul Halmos
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So the docking station wouldnt be a problem ?

Probably not because you seem to be able to manage the drive bays fine.

Should be OK if it is like iPods, PDAs, etc. Do these docking stations
require drivers? I want to be compatible with many OS like Linux, Mac
OS X, Windows, etc.


Yeah, nothing like those 2.5" external drives portability wise.

Yeah, still need to think about the USB power issue that you and others mentioned.

It isnt a problem with those 2.5" external drives that have two USB cables.

The most you might need is a couple of short USB cables with thin plugs
when you have very close USB ports and thicker plugs on the cables that
come with the drive.

Ah two. I will keep that in mind. It will suck for netbooks that have
limited/low numbers of USB connections. Are hubs a no no for drives that
use two USB cables since hub coneects to the same port?



However, I have never ran into that issue before though even with five years old PCs.

Its mainly a problem with laptops, not desktops.

Ah, that's why. So this can even if laptops are plugged in too?
--
"Applied mathematics will always need pure mathematics, just as
anteaters will always need ants." --Paul Halmos
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Anyways, maybe your money would be better spend on a USB Flash
drive. They are typically in the 0.1A power class and whould work
on practically every USB port.

Arno

I think Flash drives go bad a little easier.

--
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Ant wrote

Do these docking stations require drivers?

Nope.

I want to be compatible with many OS like Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, etc.

Anything that can handle USB drives can handle them fine, they just appear
to be a USB drive where you can change the physical drive effortlessly.

Yeah, nothing like those 2.5" external drives portability wise.

Yeah, still need to think about the USB power issue that you and others mentioned.

It isnt a problem with those 2.5" external drives that have two USB cables.

The most you might need is a couple of short USB cables with thin
plugs when you have very close USB ports and thicker plugs on the
cables that come with the drive.

Ah two. I will keep that in mind. It will suck for netbooks
that have limited/low numbers of USB connections.

Yeah, but I cant think of any with just one.

Are hubs a no no for drives that use two USB cables since hub coneects to the same port?

Nope, its fine, the second one only uses the power pins, not the data pins.

Corse the hub is just about as big as the external power wart.

However, I have never ran into that issue before though even with five years old PCs.

Its mainly a problem with laptops, not desktops.

Ah, that's why. So this can even if laptops are plugged in too?

Yes, works fine.

On 10/5/2009 5:19 PM PT, Ed Light typed:

Anyways, maybe your money would be better spend on a USB Flash
drive. They are typically in the 0.1A power class and whould work
on practically every USB port.
Arno

I think Flash drives go bad a little easier.

Because of the number of writes?
--
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On 10/5/2009 7:59 PM PT, Rod Speed typed:

Yeah, nothing like those 2.5" external drives portability wise.

Yeah, still need to think about the USB power issue that you and others mentioned.

It isnt a problem with those 2.5" external drives that have two USB cables.

The most you might need is a couple of short USB cables with thin
plugs when you have very close USB ports and thicker plugs on the
cables that come with the drive.

Ah two. I will keep that in mind. It will suck for netbooks
that have limited/low numbers of USB connections.

Yeah, but I cant think of any with just one.

Are hubs a no no for drives that use two USB cables since hub coneects to the same port?

Nope, its fine, the second one only uses the power pins, not the data pins.

Corse the hub is just about as big as the external power wart.

Do these external 2.5" HDDs also have ESATA support and dual USB too, or
are those only found in those big enclosures and docking stations? I am
trying to which one is better.
--
"Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw
from us. We need hours of aimless wandering or spates of time sitting on
park benches, observing the mysterious world of ants and the canopy of
treetops." --Maya Angelou (b. 1928) American writer and entertainer
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In article ,
Ant wrote:
: Do these docking stations
:require drivers? I want to be compatible with many OS like Linux, Mac
:OS X, Windows, etc.

No problem there. They use the same USB mass storage driver that USB
flash memory devices use. You do lose the ability to perform SMART
queries on the drive, because there is no established method to pass
those commands through the USB interface. For that to work, you would
need a docking station with an eSATA interface and use that to connect
to your PC.

--
Bob Nichols AT comcast.net I am "RNichols42"