A computer components & hardware forum. HardwareBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » HardwareBanter forum » General Hardware & Peripherals » Homebuilt PC's
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Looking for External HDD



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old February 20th 06, 06:46 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

Hi, I'm looking for an external HDD that's quiet, ,fast & dependable.
I just ordered a combo usb2 & firewire card, now I 'm looking for an
external hdd.
Previously I had read FireWire is marginally superior to USB2.

Any recommendations for an appx 160g (or greater) external HDD that meets
the described critera?

PC Mag reviews like the Maxtor OneTouch II External USB Drive, but several
users
report problems with this drive. otoh, maybe it's just a few of thousands
rep[orting problems
as I'm sure most happily using the drive won't report this.

Mike



  #2  
Old February 20th 06, 07:03 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

I've been using one of those Maxtor One Touch 160 gb drives for almost two
years now on a firewire connection and have had no trouble. We got my father
in law a WD external USB 120 gb drive a couple of years ago and that's also
going strong. I do recommend the usb.fw combination. One other thing you
could consider is simply buying your own enclosure and adding a hdd. It'll
be cheaper in the long run and you can choose the kind of back up software
to use rather than have it packaged for you with something like Retrospect,
which is not the most user friendly in comparison to some other programs
from what I've read in Magazines such as Smart Computing.

--
Jan Alter

or

"Mike" wrote in message
news:3gnKf.2538$0z.1024@trnddc01...
Hi, I'm looking for an external HDD that's quiet, ,fast & dependable.
I just ordered a combo usb2 & firewire card, now I 'm looking for an
external hdd.
Previously I had read FireWire is marginally superior to USB2.

Any recommendations for an appx 160g (or greater) external HDD that meets
the described critera?

PC Mag reviews like the Maxtor OneTouch II External USB Drive, but several
users
report problems with this drive. otoh, maybe it's just a few of thousands
rep[orting problems
as I'm sure most happily using the drive won't report this.

Mike





  #3  
Old February 21st 06, 03:38 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

Building one seems to be the prevailing idea.
I'm going to look into it.

Mike

"Jan Alter" wrote in message
news:7wnKf.9019$qa2.6359@trndny07...
I've been using one of those Maxtor One Touch 160 gb drives for almost two
years now on a firewire connection and have had no trouble. We got my
father in law a WD external USB 120 gb drive a couple of years ago and
that's also going strong. I do recommend the usb.fw combination. One other
thing you could consider is simply buying your own enclosure and adding a
hdd. It'll be cheaper in the long run and you can choose the kind of back
up software to use rather than have it packaged for you with something
like Retrospect, which is not the most user friendly in comparison to some
other programs from what I've read in Magazines such as Smart Computing.

--
Jan Alter

or

"Mike" wrote in message
news:3gnKf.2538$0z.1024@trnddc01...
Hi, I'm looking for an external HDD that's quiet, ,fast & dependable.
I just ordered a combo usb2 & firewire card, now I 'm looking for an
external hdd.
Previously I had read FireWire is marginally superior to USB2.

Any recommendations for an appx 160g (or greater) external HDD that
meets
the described critera?

PC Mag reviews like the Maxtor OneTouch II External USB Drive, but
several users
report problems with this drive. otoh, maybe it's just a few of thousands
rep[orting problems
as I'm sure most happily using the drive won't report this.

Mike







  #4  
Old February 21st 06, 04:51 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

"Mike" wrote...
Hi, I'm looking for an external HDD that's quiet, ,fast & dependable.
I just ordered a combo usb2 & firewire card, now I 'm looking for an
external hdd.
Previously I had read FireWire is marginally superior to USB2.


True. In practice it is a bit faster.


Any recommendations for an appx 160g (or greater) external HDD that meets
the described critera?


Buy a Firewire/USB2 enclosure and put in your choice of HD. SATA enclosures
are available, so you could even get a WD Raptor 150. With IDE, your choice
of HDs per your favorite reviews. I just got a Seagate 300 7200.9 for mine.


PC Mag reviews like the Maxtor OneTouch II External USB Drive, but several
users
report problems with this drive. otoh, maybe it's just a few of thousands
rep[orting problems
as I'm sure most happily using the drive won't report this.


Bundled drives may not be the best performers, though they may have useful
backup software if that is your intent.


  #5  
Old February 21st 06, 05:33 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

SATA w/ FireWire how close is SATA speed to FireWire speed?

Mike

"John Weiss" wrote in message
news:43fa8fd3@kcnews03...
"Mike" wrote...
Hi, I'm looking for an external HDD that's quiet, ,fast & dependable.
I just ordered a combo usb2 & firewire card, now I 'm looking for an
external hdd.
Previously I had read FireWire is marginally superior to USB2.


True. In practice it is a bit faster.


Any recommendations for an appx 160g (or greater) external HDD that
meets
the described critera?


Buy a Firewire/USB2 enclosure and put in your choice of HD. SATA
enclosures are available, so you could even get a WD Raptor 150. With
IDE, your choice of HDs per your favorite reviews. I just got a Seagate
300 7200.9 for mine.


PC Mag reviews like the Maxtor OneTouch II External USB Drive, but
several users
report problems with this drive. otoh, maybe it's just a few of thousands
rep[orting problems
as I'm sure most happily using the drive won't report this.


Bundled drives may not be the best performers, though they may have useful
backup software if that is your intent.




  #6  
Old February 21st 06, 01:18 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

Firewire 400 Mbps. SATA 150 MBps; EIDE 100-133 MBps.

Firewire just about accommodates the burst speed of a single fast SATA or
EIDE HD (35-50 MBps).

"Mike" wrote...
SATA w/ FireWire how close is SATA speed to FireWire speed?


Buy a Firewire/USB2 enclosure and put in your choice of HD. SATA
enclosures are available, so you could even get a WD Raptor 150. With
IDE, your choice of HDs per your favorite reviews. I just got a Seagate
300 7200.9 for mine.



  #7  
Old February 21st 06, 01:53 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

I have yet to see a drive that can deliver even half of 400mbs so i doubt
that either usb2 or firewire will make a difference apart from personal
preference.

"Mike" wrote in message
news:AKwKf.34539$6f2.11184@trnddc02...
SATA w/ FireWire how close is SATA speed to FireWire speed?

Mike

"John Weiss" wrote in message
news:43fa8fd3@kcnews03...
"Mike" wrote...
Hi, I'm looking for an external HDD that's quiet, ,fast & dependable.
I just ordered a combo usb2 & firewire card, now I 'm looking for an
external hdd.
Previously I had read FireWire is marginally superior to USB2.


True. In practice it is a bit faster.


Any recommendations for an appx 160g (or greater) external HDD that
meets
the described critera?


Buy a Firewire/USB2 enclosure and put in your choice of HD. SATA
enclosures are available, so you could even get a WD Raptor 150. With
IDE, your choice of HDs per your favorite reviews. I just got a Seagate
300 7200.9 for mine.


PC Mag reviews like the Maxtor OneTouch II External USB Drive, but
several users
report problems with this drive. otoh, maybe it's just a few of
thousands rep[orting problems
as I'm sure most happily using the drive won't report this.


Bundled drives may not be the best performers, though they may have
useful backup software if that is your intent.






  #8  
Old February 21st 06, 03:38 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

"Mike" wrote in message
news:3gnKf.2538$0z.1024@trnddc01...
Hi, I'm looking for an external HDD that's quiet, ,fast & dependable.
I just ordered a combo usb2 & firewire card, now I 'm looking for an
external hdd.
Previously I had read FireWire is marginally superior to USB2.

Any recommendations for an appx 160g (or greater) external HDD that meets
the described critera?

PC Mag reviews like the Maxtor OneTouch II External USB Drive, but several
users
report problems with this drive. otoh, maybe it's just a few of thousands
rep[orting problems
as I'm sure most happily using the drive won't report this.

Mike




Get a dedicated enclosure and the HDD separately. At least you'll know you
have a good HDD inside.
Enclosure example:
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec....iteria=AA35430

http://www.coolmaxusa.com/productDet...category=3. 5


Get tech details here, but shop elsewhere, its cheaper that way.
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Produ...17&Language=en
--
Jonny


  #9  
Old February 22nd 06, 12:06 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

Since I'm starting fresh with this do you think it's worthwhile to seek
out a case that'll take
SATA drives? How much faster is SATA interface than the current flavor of
ATA interface?
I spent a good bit of time on the ADS technologies website browsing their
products.
Their Dual Link case w/ fan appears to be excelllent except they take use
SATA drives.

Mike


"ian lincoln" wrote in message
. uk...
I have yet to see a drive that can deliver even half of 400mbs so i doubt
that either usb2 or firewire will make a difference apart from personal
preference.

"Mike" wrote in message
news:AKwKf.34539$6f2.11184@trnddc02...
SATA w/ FireWire how close is SATA speed to FireWire speed?




  #10  
Old February 22nd 06, 12:30 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for External HDD

Thanks for the links. The drive enclosures seem to be similar the ADS
enclosure. How would you rate the noise level caused by the fan?

Mike

"Jonny" wrote in message
ink.net...
"Mike" wrote in message
news:3gnKf.2538$0z.1024@trnddc01...
Hi, I'm looking for an external HDD that's quiet, ,fast & dependable.
I just ordered a combo usb2 & firewire card, now I 'm looking for an
external hdd.
Previously I had read FireWire is marginally superior to USB2.

Any recommendations for an appx 160g (or greater) external HDD that
meets
the described critera?

PC Mag reviews like the Maxtor OneTouch II External USB Drive, but
several users
report problems with this drive. otoh, maybe it's just a few of thousands
rep[orting problems
as I'm sure most happily using the drive won't report this.

Mike




Get a dedicated enclosure and the HDD separately. At least you'll know
you have a good HDD inside.
Enclosure example:
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec....iteria=AA35430

http://www.coolmaxusa.com/productDet...category=3. 5


Get tech details here, but shop elsewhere, its cheaper that way.
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Produ...17&Language=en
--
Jonny



 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:09 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 HardwareBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.