External Hard Drive Suggestions

[RBennett]

Ok, so here's the problem. Now that I have started taking more and more photos, (ESPECIALLY since my trip with DCL/WDW in December) my computer is about to crash

because I have NO free space left and I don't want to start deleting pictures. Also, my computer is a few years old so I don't have a DVD drive to burn everything onto, so that leaves me with needing an external hard drive. Does anyone have any recommendations on good/bad external hard drives??? I've looked on google to try and see what all is out there, but I have no idea what's what. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!

 

[michellem1118]

We just bought a Seagate "FreeGo" drive - its ultra-portable - for my laptop. I believe we went with the 160GB one, it was $120 at Staples. DFi also has an external hard drive hooked up to the desktop, not sure what the brand is. I'm really happy with the FreeGo so far, and I love that its small size makes it travel-friendly, so I can store photos on it immediately.

 

[My2Girls66]

I had the same problem- no disc space left on my laptop. I bought a non portable Seagate(160gb)- very easy-plug in and drag and drop. I can use it on both my Dell and Macbook without doing anything. I had to return a Seagate portable(Free Go) because it wasn't compatible with the Mac. I recently got a portable Western Digital(120gb)- I've only put a few things on it so far but it seems easy. Very small- easy to transport. I haven't tried it on the Mac yet tho. I'm hoping I can just plug it in and and use it like the Seagate I have.

 

[Groucho]

I would lean towards the Seagate if for no other reason than it has a 5-year warranty, vs the 1-year of pretty much everyone else's external drives.

That being said, I've generally had fairly good luck with Seagate. Then again, they bought Maxtor a few years ago and I've always had horrendous luck with Maxtor products (I'll never buy another.)

 

[DueyDooDah]

Assuming you have a laptop computer, you have another choice. You can get an external DVD recorder. If you have a desktop, you can add an internal DVD recorder. Otherwise, pretty much any external HD will work as long as you have at least USB 2.0 ports. You won't want any of these solutions if you are using USB 1.1 (it is too slow for that amount of data you will be moving.)

 

[boBQuincy]

From a recent report written by Google on their experience with their server farms, all affordable hard drives are junk. Brand doesn't matter, if they live through the first month they are all prone to failure after two years.

I have had good and bad luck with WD, Seagate, and Maxtor.

A high end custom PC supplier (Puget Systems) considers most RAIDs to be a waste of time. It seems complete multiple redundancy is the best answer, copying *all* photo files to at least three places on optical and magnetic media.

 

[Anewman]

Just buy two of the cheapest ones you can find, keep one plugged in and then use the other one for periodic(weekly/monthly) back ups in the closet(safe).

All Hard Drives will eventually fail, could be 2 months or it could be 7 years.

 

[MOmousefan]

Check out the Staples special on a 500G Western Digital external.

http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/products/080217/merch018815/index.html

 

[handicap18]

I have 3 external HD's. 1 200GB seagate. 1 500GB SimpleTec, and 1 160GB Toshiba portable.

The most I paid was for the 200GB, only because I bought the external case and the HD seperate. The case for that HD also has a 12 in 1 card reader. Which at the time I bought it was a great thing for me to have.

You should be able to find 500GB External HD's for around $120-150. The prices on 1TB's are coming down too.

 

[MICKEY88]

buy.com has this on sale..


Cavalry 750GB Dual Interface USB 2.0 & eSATA External Hard Drive - CAXM37750 - Includes SATA to eSATA Adapter Cable
for 149

 

[Groucho]

Just buy two of the cheapest ones you can find, keep one plugged in and then use the other one for periodic(weekly/monthly) back ups in the closet(safe).

All Hard Drives will eventually fail, could be 2 months or it could be 7 years.

I agree with the second sentence, but I don't agree that keeping the HD in a closet will necessarily keep it safe... it can certain die just sitting there.

In fact, I'd wonder about lubrication, etc - some mechanical things (like cars) age worse when you never use them than when they get regular use.

 

[LMarge]

Has anyone ever gotten this error message in thier backup log? When I go into the external hd and open up the files, all the info is there - my "guess" is that these are system files that windows uses and my hd doesn't back those up? To say that I know nothing about computers is an understatement, so any info on this would be greatly appreciated. -I did check the seagate tech support site and they list this as an error message, but there is no "solution" to it.


C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Pictures\whatever the file name was\Thumbs.db ----or \zbThumbnail.info Not Supported/File skipped (backup of hidden files and folders is not supported)

 

[caniswolfie]

The message about thumbs.db is that the backup software will not copy hidden or system files. The thumbs.db file is a file where windows has saved the thumbnail images that windows uses when you look at the icons that are a small version of the picture when you are browsing your files. If thumbs.db is deleted, windows will just recreate it when you next browse through the folder that has those files. It's mostly a way for windows to save "it's work" so that it doesn't need to read every image file to display a small picture icon every time you go to that folder.

 

[LMarge]

Caniswolfie,
so I don't need to worry about this - it's basically a shortcut tool by windows and doesn't affect my saved images at all? Also, I guess I should expect this everytime I backup?
Marge

 

[Groucho]

You definitely don't need to worry about thumbs.db. I personally find them annoying and have Windows set to never create the files!

I am kind of surprised that the backup software (I'm guessing that it was something bundled with the drive) won't do hidden files - that must be a limitation put in to encourage you to buy the full version. It won't affect your photo backups, but it does limit the amount of profile information that is backed up.

 

[LMarge]

You definitely don't need to worry about thumbs.db. I personally find them annoying and have Windows set to never create the files!

Groucho,
How do you do this? (set windows to never create the thums files? is it the "do not cache thumbs" toggle?)

And as to why it doesn't back up the hidden files - It's a Maxtor One Touch 4 plus - and I read earlier that you dislike Maxtor!! Wish I had read that before I purchased and installed the external hd!!! No where in the paper work does it say anything about purchasing another model, extra software, etc to back those up. If I don't need them, however, that's fine with me!
Thanks again for your help! The wheels of advancing technology turn very slowly in my brain!!!

 

[rtphokie]

the rules for buying disks are different than those for buying anything else: buy a name you know and buy it on sale. I spend several hundred thousand dollars on storage each year at work and those super expensive drives are no more or less reliable than the 100mb, 250mb, or 500mb drives I've got in my pc at home that range on age from a few months old to 9 years old.

Drives fail occasionally, far less often than CF cards

Before you fall in love with the largest size drive figure out the $/gig. You may find it cheaper to buy a pair of 250gig drives than a single 500gig drive. It all depends on the sales at the time.