Which External Hard Drive?

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

I need to buy an external Hard Drive for the home computer. Problem is, there are so many out there that I don't know which one to get :confused:

I want one that plugs in via USB
I dont need more than 320GB (although looking on amazon you can get 500GB ones which are cheaper)
I dont mind if it looks ugly, aslong as it does the job (storing music and photos only)
I also have a budget of £70 max

Any adivce would be really helpful :D

Maria

[timwilky]

Personally I would get an esata card, case and sata drive.

I have an Integral sata/USB case with a 1.5TB sata drive. nice and fast and quick to move between systems. although my laptop only has a sata 1 card

[at-sv]

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136212/ (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136212/show_product_overview)

or http://www.ebuyer.com/product/128603

I use ebuyer a lot for PC kit and i've always got top customer service with them, seems a lot of good reviews about the ones above but if you want to see all of them that they offer then try this link below

http://www.ebuyer.com/search?store=2&cat=4&subcat=128

[Seggons]

Take ya pick:

http://www.ebuyer.com/search?page=1&store=2&cat=4&subcat=128

There's really not that much to buying a external hard drive, the price depends on how fancy it looks. The only thing to watch out for is make sure the external hard drive supports USB 2.0 which most do now a-days. :D

[missyburd]

I needs to get one of these too Maria, for the same reason too. Have to wait for moneys to come through first though :(

[tigersaw]

I have two of these
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0126270368.122502966 9@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdgadefhiihhfgcflgceggdhhmdgmi.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=770069&category_oid=-32891
and they are brillaint

[ThEGr33k]

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136212/ (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136212/show_product_overview)

or http://www.ebuyer.com/product/128603

I use ebuyer a lot for PC kit and i've always got top customer service with them, seems a lot of good reviews about the ones above but if you want to see all of them that they offer then try this link below

http://www.ebuyer.com/search?store=2&cat=4&subcat=128


Well my fellow geek (I guess you are :p) id have said the same thing. Ebuyer are V good in my experence and I have used them a lot :D

[Dangerous Dave]

Them Western Digital things are good.

[at-sv]

Well my fellow geek (I guess you are :p) id have said the same thing. Ebuyer are V good in my experence and I have used them a lot :D

You guessed correctly then fellow geek :D

Will use Ebuyer sometimes when they are a bit more expensive just because of the service. You can specify date and time of delivery and city link are mainly good at keeping that delivery.

One thing I have noticed is you can never get through to them via the phone but they do answer email quick enough.

[ThEGr33k]

One thing I have noticed is you can never get through to them via the phone but they do answer email quick enough.


I have heard this :( As long as the E-mail thing works though I cant see a big issue. :)

[yorkie_chris]

I watch this thread with interest...

[Seggons]

For anyone that is going to be dealing with large files (bigger then 1 GB) then I would not advise a USB 2.0 external hard drive. USB2 is far to slow, instead do what Timwilky suggested or buy a internal hard drive and just whack it in the inside of the computer. For a internal hard drive I would suggest sata type of drive but check to make sure your motherboard has the correct connections for it first.

[tigersaw]

For anyone that is going to be dealing with large files (bigger then 1 GB) then I would not advise a USB 2.0 external hard drive. USB2 is far to slow,

In the interest of science I just transferred a 1.1 GB file from my pc to my WD passport USB2 drive. 43 seconds. Swift enough for me.

[ThEGr33k]

For anyone that is going to be dealing with large files (bigger then 1 GB) then I would not advise a USB 2.0 external hard drive. USB2 is far to slow, instead do what Timwilky suggested or buy a internal hard drive and just whack it in the inside of the computer. For a internal hard drive I would suggest sata type of drive but check to make sure your motherboard has the correct connections for it first.

In the interest of science I just transferred a 1.1 GB file from my pc to my WD passport USB2 drive. 43 seconds. Swift enough for me.


Indeed. TBH USB 2 is more than fast enough for anything less than 10GB at a time.

Best would be to go for eSATA (external SATA is as fast as an internal SATA drive) if your mobo supports it (unlikely as its new and normally on a higher end Motherboards :() or Fire wire which is faster than USB.

eSATA looks like this (http://www.abit.com.tw/images/hightlights/esata_x2.jpg).

BUT USB will be fine for 99% of things and people tbh.

[Seggons]

In the interest of science I just transferred a 1.1 GB file from my pc to my WD passport USB2 drive. 43 seconds. Swift enough for me.

I probably made it sound worse then it really is, but if there is anyone like me who chucks around 10, 20 or more GB at a time then USB starts feeling slow compared to SATA. :D

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

Thanks for your replies everyone :D

I'll stick with the USB doodah because I can't be bothered to faff around with getting it into the computer. 43 secs or 2 mins is quick enough for me..! aslong as it transfers over safely and stays there im not fussed because I dont plan to repeatedly move stuff back and forth :)

DD: I heard that western digital were poor quality, unreliable and didnt last long? I like the sound of seagate (250gb). has anyone got / used / had experience of them?

Miss YC: Yup they are pricey but cheaper than a new pc :D

Maria

[ThEGr33k]

DD: I heard that western digital were poor quality, unreliable and didnt last long? I like the sound of seagate (250gb). has anyone got / used / had experience of them?



They arnt expensive! :confused:

Both are fine, I have a few of both. :)

I have a pair of 80GB western digital HDD's and they have both been going for 3+ years... cant remember when I got them actually :rolleyes:

[at-sv]

They arnt expensive! :confused:

Both are fine, I have a few of both. :)

I have a pair of 80GB western digital HDD's and they have both been going for 3+ years... cant remember when I got them actually :rolleyes:

Got to agree, Western Digital and Seagate are both good makes and I have had a good experience from both.

The seagate below has got a 5 year warranty for peace of mind :)

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/128603/

Greek where did you see expensive ?? - Oh Wait I see now, yeah not expensive :p

[missyburd]

They arnt expensive! :confused:





Greek where did you see expensive ?? - Oh Wait I see now, yeah not expensive

£50+ is expensive to me :oops:

[at-sv]

£50+ is expensive to me :oops:

Keep an eye out for the christmas sales you might be able to get a cheap one :)

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

They arnt expensive! :confused:

Both are fine, I have a few of both. :)

I have a pair of 80GB western digital HDD's and they have both been going for 3+ years... cant remember when I got them actually :rolleyes:

Hmm interesting. I think I'll pop up to PC world later and have a closer look at them cos this computer has gone ultra slow :thumbdown: hehe :lol:

Maria

[squirrel_hunter]

What is the performance like via a USB 2.0 external drive when accessing the files direct from the device, ie if you’re using it as another hard drive as you can’t be bothered to rebuild an entire machine? Will it seamlessly pay music and video back and would it be possible to use it to install programs to it, again from a performance perspective?

[AndyL]

Firstly:

PC World = real world price x 1.5

Secondly, I would try to get a Maxtor or Segate hardrive as these are the best quality. The case its self does not need to be anything fancy.

[AndyL]

What is the performance like via a USB 2.0 external drive when accessing the files direct from the device, ie if you’re using it as another hard drive as you can’t be bothered to rebuild an entire machine? Will it seamlessly pay music and video back and would it be possible to use it to install programs to it, again from a performance perspective?

You are unlikely to notice much difference when just trying to open small documents or play music from it, but it would certainly slow down if you try to play games from it or run intensive programs from it. This is due to the bottleneck caused by the USB2 connection.

[Spiderman]

Maria I'm in the smae situation as you in that i need one but dont know what to get :(

BUT i also need it to be powered ONLY from the USB connection as i dont have enough power points for all the junk in my room.

So all you lovely geeky type peeps.....reccomend away on that criteria too please :D
TIA

[wyrdness]

Maria I'm in the smae situation as you in that i need one but dont know what to get :(

BUT i also need it to be powered ONLY from the USB connection as i dont have enough power points for all the junk in my room.

So all you lovely geeky type peeps.....reccomend away on that criteria too please :D
TIA

The ones that are powered by USB are slower. I'd recommend Freecom (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freecom-Mobile-160GB-Drive-silver/dp/B000J0K9JI/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1225123103&sr=8-9) for the small USB powered drives. Amazon have them in different capacities up to 500Gb (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freecom-Mobile-DriveClassic-500GB-USB2/dp/B001C9VCWS/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1225123103&sr=8-16). I saw a smaller capacity (40Gb iirc) in Morgan on New Oxford Street on Saturday for a very reasonable price, but it depends on how much storage you need.

[tigersaw]

Maria I'm in the smae situation as you in that i need one but dont know what to get :(

BUT i also need it to be powered ONLY from the USB connection as i dont have enough power points for all the junk in my room.

So all you lovely geeky type peeps.....reccomend away on that criteria too please :D
TIA

As I stated before in the thread, Western Digital passport, about £60 for 320gb pc world

[etuna]

As I stated before in the thread, Western Digital passport, about £60 for 320gb pc world

Mine arrived today.... will feedback in a bit

[etuna]

Hmm - so 5 mins in I find that "Western Digital doesnt provide or recommend any password protection or protection software"

so if I lose it anyone can access the info??

[tigersaw]

Hmm - so 5 mins in I find that "Western Digital doesnt provide or recommend any password protection or protection software"

so if I lose it anyone can access the info??

Of course. There is plenty of high security data encryption software out there (Truecrypt) for free, but use it with caution, getting a data error when using encryption can cause greater problems than normal.
If you have files that are really personal then better to keep them on a memory stick?

[etuna]

Of course. There is plenty of high security data encryption software out there (Truecrypt) for free, but use it with caution, getting a data error when using encryption can cause greater problems than normal.
If you have files that are really personal then better to keep them on a memory stick?


damn and blast. Use a VPN at work and RSA etc - it is basically a back up of my work laptop so has to be very secure. Presumed it would encryption software on it. I am 100% IT inept.

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

Maria I'm in the smae situation as you in that i need one but dont know what to get :(

BUT i also need it to be powered ONLY from the USB connection as i dont have enough power points for all the junk in my room.

So all you lovely geeky type peeps.....reccomend away on that criteria too please :D
TIA

I decided on a seagate 500GB one. I bought it from Ebuyer and it was £60 including delivery which I was mighty impressed with :D The thing that sold it for me was the 5 year warranty and really positive reviews.

Firstly:

PC World = real world price x 1.5

I agree with you on that point. PC world wanted £60 (incl 5 quid delivery) for a 250GB seagate hard drive. So I got double the capacity for the same price. Result..! :D

[Viney]

I have a Lacie 500gb that i got from Ebuyer for nothing (long story) Would recommend them.

[wyntrblue]

damn and blast. Use a VPN at work and RSA etc - it is basically a back up of my work laptop so has to be very secure. Presumed it would encryption software on it. I am 100% IT inept.


take a look at truecrypt

[Dangerous Dave]

DD: I heard that western digital were poor quality, unreliable and didnt last long?
I have three at home for personal use, never had any issues with them to date.

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

Update:

I got my seagate 500GB HDD today....its blooming brilliant! alot smaller than I expected (it came in a HUGE box) and really simple to set up. Literally plug it in, install it and away you go..!

Also transferred all the music/word documents/pictures over (totalling over 10GB) which took 5minutes. My home PC now has an extra 14.7GB of space to do its processing stuff as opossed to 2GB..!

Yipee :smt040

Maria

[at-sv]

Update:

I got my seagate 500GB HDD today

This one? http://www.ebuyer.com/product/128603

:thumright:

[rictus01]

well a bit late now I know, but I have a 500gb Maxtor "one touch", bit outside the stated budget, as said just one button to press to backup the pc, very quiet to, you really can't hear it in operation, it has both USB 2.0 and a couple of firewire ports as well, it'll run in both non-powered/ powered mode (the front light turns off and the data transfer is slower in non-powered USB mode).

It's also configurable to backup several PC's over a network by either the single button or with it's own software on a schedule, can be accessed as a local drive even when backing up data, just about does it all.

Got a couple of USB 2.0 housings which take Laptop drives as well, nice and cheap those, but none of the features of the Maxtor.

Cheers Mark.

[keithd]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0174916041.123418997 2@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdgadeghehlhedcflgceggdhhmdgmi.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=451900&category_oid=-32889

are these any good? i basically want to transfer data (music files, pictures) from my hard drive to free up resources. am i doing the right thing?

ps i know its PC world, but im no techno greek.

[slloyd]

I need to buy an external Hard Drive for the home computer. Problem is, there are so many out there that I don't know which one to get :confused:

I want one that plugs in via USB
I dont need more than 320GB (although looking on amazon you can get 500GB ones which are cheaper)
I dont mind if it looks ugly, aslong as it does the job (storing music and photos only)
I also have a budget of £70 max

Any adivce would be really helpful :D

Maria

Hi Maria,

I would recommend either of these 2;

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/831901/art/lacie/mobile-disk-320-gb-usb-2.html

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/1777604/art/lacie/little-disk-design-by-sam.html

They are within your budget and are easily portable - also as an added bonus it has the one-touch back-up software included.

[falc]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0174916041.123418997 2@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdgadeghehlhedcflgceggdhhmdgmi.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=451900&category_oid=-32889

are these any good? i basically want to transfer data (music files, pictures) from my hard drive to free up resources. am i doing the right thing?

ps i know its PC world, but im no techno greek.

Thats what you want, take a quick look around as mentioned previously on ebuyer.com and see what price they have it for.

I have a 750GB Western Digital MyBook USB2.0 and does the job well.

[keithd]

Thats what you want, take a quick look around as mentioned previously on ebuyer.com and see what price they have it for.

I have a 750GB Western Digital MyBook USB2.0 and does the job well.

cheers big F

[fizzwheel]

I never liked the Maxtor disks, they used to have a terrible failure rate when I worked for my last company, they were so bad I made the guy that did the buying not buy anymore. I dont know what they are like now though.

Saying that keith, that is alot of storage for not much money. I've got a Western Digital Passport external drive, same sort of thing and I use it for storing my music and photos on. Just the job.

[keithd]

maybe its too much storage for the money. if that makes sense. i was working on the thought process i'm only ever going to add to it therefore take up more memory...

that said if i get a better quality but less storage for same money, i'll prolly not need to get another for donkeys....

im not good at making decisions!!

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

Hi Maria,

I would recommend either of these 2;

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/831901/art/lacie/mobile-disk-320-gb-usb-2.html

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/1777604/art/lacie/little-disk-design-by-sam.html

They are within your budget and are easily portable - also as an added bonus it has the one-touch back-up software included.

Thanks slloyd but um...Ive already bought one :D I got my seagate 500GB HDD quite a while ago now (look up to my last post on this thread for an update).

Its really good and still going strong!

Maria

[slloyd]

Oops...schoolboy error :)

cool, glad all is well.

[gettin2dizzy]

I wouldn't bother with an external. Just bodge an internal one in.

Just ordered a 320Gb for my macbook :thumbsup:

[Baph]

I wouldn't bother with an external. Just bodge an internal one in.

Just ordered a 320Gb for my macbook :thumbsup:

Similar to what I do. I have an IDE-USB convertor. Any IDE drive I like can be an external. :D

[squirrel_hunter]

I wouldn't bother with an external. Just bodge an internal one in.


Trouble is you may not have enough slots on your motherboard.

Incidentally I recently bought a 1TB Western Digital External USB drive its fine so far (but the bloatware on it did annoy me somewhat). Not a bad price on it either I feel, £85 + vat.