Re: USB External Hard Drive

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

I'm looking at about 100 GB of information between the kids stuff, our
stuff and work stuff.

Yes, I don't want to backup my programs. Someone in the house decided
to download a program and now it's taken over the computer, even when I
removed the offensive program so I'm just going to backup everything
and then wipe out the whole thing and reinstall all the programs I
originally had started with.

Yvonne

Anna wrote:
On 16 Jun 2006 17:38:57 -0700, "Yvonne" <khari_072@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Just wondering if someone could give me an idea of what kind of USB
external hard drive is the best to buy.

I'm hoping to get a light-weight, portable, very reliable USB hard
drive.

So far, I've found these brands - do any of these fit what I'm looking
for?

* LaCie Porsche (or just LaCie)
* Western Digital Dual Option (automatic / on-demand backup)
* Comstar
* ADS Tech
* Acomdata Photon
* T-One
* Iomega

Are there any others?


"Yvonne" <khari_072@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1150545642.265546.265290@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi,

What is an enclosure? Is that where you take out your hard drive and
put it in a case and take it with you? I've looked at the TigerDirect
website and it seems that's what it is but I'd like to clarify. That
sounds like a lot of work to me to have to take out a hard drive from
your unit.

I think the first thing I need the portable hard drive for is for
backup of my hard drive before I reformat it.

I'm was hoping there was something really good similar to the USB flash
drive - like the Kingston KataTraveler; however, I can only find a 2 GB
one and I need more than that to backup my hard drive.

I would also like it to be plug and play. After I reformat my hard
drive, I was thinking of using the drive as the backup for my data and
travelling with it should I need it so it needs to be lightweight. I
would like to be able to read and write to it like a floppy disk
without any programs or other installations.

Yvonne


"Andy" <1@xxx> wrote in message
news:p8l792tv5tfha1guu4sqb049j7h1u6ln73@xxxxxxxxxx
In general terms, what I would look for are:
1. Good cooling in the enclosure, meaning that it uses a fan(s), and
2. Good quality power for the hard drive, meaning power supply in the
enclosure, as opposed to a wall wart.


Yvonne:
In addition to the recommendations you've already received re a USB external
HD, allow me to offer this for your consideration...

I'm assuming that when you state your requirements are "using the drive as
the backup for my data and travelling with it should I need it so it needs
to be lightweight" you're exclusively interested in backing up your created
data, i.e., documents that you have created. And that you're not interested
(in this instance) in backing up your programs/applications. So that I'm
assuming we're not talking about backing up 10s of gigabytes worth of data.

If this is so...

Consider using one of the USB mini-drives that are now on the market. These
devices are quite small - no more in most cases than 2" square and very
thin - so that they easily fit into one's purse or shirt pocket. And of
course they're quite lightweight - no more than a couple of ounces. They
need no auxiliary power other than that provided by your computer. They come
in various multi-gigabyte capacities. For example, there's one on sale this
week (today, Saturday is the last day of the sale) at Office Depot. It's a
Memorex 8 GB TravelDrive and it's on sale for $99.99 (after two darn
rebates). Most of these mini-drives I've come across come in capacities
ranging from 2 GB to 8 GB. So if these capacities meet your needs, do
consider one of these mini-drives. They're simple to use - basically plug &
play in an XP environment. No special drivers are needed and no awkward
installation is required.
Anna

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: USB External Hard Drive
    ... Western Digital Dual Option (automatic / on-demand backup) ... I'm was hoping there was something really good similar to the USB flash ... Consider using one of the USB mini-drives that are now on the market. ... Most of these mini-drives I've come across come in capacities ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: Server semi-shutdown
    ... I'm also using a USB 2.x PCI card. ... But backup seems to complete in a reasonable time, ... > also to keep the USB drive permanently connected to the server. ... >> to look at the server's event logs. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: Low end desktop for EE tasks?
    ... backup doesn't have to backup 4GBytes of junkware every time. ... no way I can bill a customer for all that on a new "pre-installed" ... How reliable are those USB sticks? ... I buy the hard disk drives and USB adapter boxes ...
    (sci.electronics.design)
  • Re: USB External Hard Drive
    ... Maybe you could consider an external HD enclosure that already has the drive installed. ... As far a portability, I don't think you'll want to put this in your purse on the way to ... in to their computer like any other USB device. ... I don't want to backup my programs. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: Low end desktop for EE tasks?
    ... backup doesn't have to backup 4GBytes of junkware every time. ... no way I can bill a customer for all that on a new "pre-installed" ... How reliable are those USB sticks? ... I buy the hard disk drives and USB adapter boxes ...
    (sci.electronics.design)