Good External Hard Drives?

jimmycakes · 03-21-2007, 04:31 PM

I want something for my studio and to take on the road. Any suggestions for an external firewire hard drive?

**Val** · 03-21-2007, 04:41 PM

I just picked up a couple Western Digital drives that work great.

The backup end, though, depends more on the software.

With the Retrospect software that comes with the WD drives, it only works on a local machine.
So if you wanted one drive for an entire network, you'd have to buy the full blown version of the software.

May be different for other backup drives, though.

I'm sure others here have a lot more (and probably better) advice.

Mojo · 03-21-2007, 04:42 PM

This one is nice
http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10326

Deadfish07 · 03-21-2007, 04:51 PM

I can't recommend the MyBook from Western Digital. I had one for less than a year and out of nowhere it begins clicking and my computer stopped reading info from it. What sucked was that I had an issue and a half worth of lettering files of my comic, that I didn't have backed up on my main computer hard drive (I'm at the point where my computer is beginning to run out of memory), on it.

To retrieve the files, I would have to pay between $400 to $2500, so I just relettered the pages. I could send the MyBook back and get a new one, but I don't want to risk anything else on some ticking timebomb. Now I'm nervous about buying a new external hard drive. I would need one that offers free data retrieval.

So now I just back-up my files on USB drives and CDs.

theflash · 03-21-2007, 05:28 PM

i have this one:

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=262

and i love it. it doesn't need software, you plug it in and just go to work. easy peasy.

MrGranger · 03-21-2007, 05:44 PM

I recommend getting a HD enclosure. When I fill up a drive I tend to keep them for backup. With the enclosures I can just buy a new drive when I need to.

JAQ · 03-21-2007, 06:02 PM

I use my iPod, because A) it's small, B) it has a built-in music player, and C) I do not rely on it as any kind of permanent or backup storage. That is, I copy files to it from my home machine, I go to the office, and I copy the files to the office machine to work on. When I go home, I repeat the procedure in reverse. It's a taxi for my files, not a second home for them.

I use a completely different solution for backups, which is to have a second hard drive in my computer, which my "Documents" and "Pictures" folders get copied to once a week (using a free OS X applet called PSyncX). Full-size, fixed hard drives will always be more reliable for backups than any portable that gets bounced around in someone's backpack. Plus the fact that it's always attached means my backups actually happen, which is more than most people can honestly claim.

jimmycakes · 03-21-2007, 06:09 PM

That WD passport seems sweet. I am in fact looking for a taxi. Good comparison! I have a 300GB internal for my backing up. Sweet! Thanks for the advice. Seeing as I won't be getting it this week, people can still recommend!

**Ron Phillips** · 03-21-2007, 09:52 PM

I don't know what kind of system/network you run at home. But if you work from multiple machines in multiple locations in your home office, I recommend looking at a Network Attached Storage, which is essentially a network drive that you can have open for all the computers on your network. It can be single or multiple drive storage system, and the price ranges accordingly.

at TigerDirect

03-21-2007, 04:31 PM	#1
jimmycakes Jason May: Robot Man Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: is building a CNC router machine right now. Posts: 1,650	Good External Hard Drives? I want something for my studio and to take on the road. Any suggestions for an external firewire hard drive?

03-21-2007, 04:41 PM	#2
Val Doctor Hue Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Backwoods, KY Posts: 313	I just picked up a couple Western Digital drives that work great. The backup end, though, depends more on the software. With the Retrospect software that comes with the WD drives, it only works on a local machine. So if you wanted one drive for an entire network, you'd have to buy the full blown version of the software. May be different for other backup drives, though. I'm sure others here have a lot more (and probably better) advice. __________________ My Deviant Art Gallery MVCreations He-Man.org The Poor Man's Guide to Self Publishing

03-21-2007, 05:44 PM	#6
MrGranger I'm really Richard Corben Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hollywood Posts: 2,015	I recommend getting a HD enclosure. When I fill up a drive I tend to keep them for backup. With the enclosures I can just buy a new drive when I need to. __________________ King Tractor Press where much of my work is found. Daddy's Girls Gene Gardens Blog Twitter

03-21-2007, 09:52 PM	#9
Ron Phillips Are you terminal? Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Some where under a deep blue sky. Posts: 4,105	I don't know what kind of system/network you run at home. But if you work from multiple machines in multiple locations in your home office, I recommend looking at a Network Attached Storage, which is essentially a network drive that you can have open for all the computers on your network. It can be single or multiple drive storage system, and the price ranges accordingly. at TigerDirect __________________ Ron Earl Phillips Buy Ron's Books - on Amazon Kindle Flash Fiction Friday - A community writing project Shotgun Honey - a blast of fiction to blow your mind Home \| Twitter \| Facebook \|MySpace

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03-21-2007, 04:42 PM	#3
Mojo specialized in inking. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 32	This one is nice http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10326

03-21-2007, 04:51 PM	#4
Deadfish07 Mall Security Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hicksville, NY Posts: 1,763	I can't recommend the MyBook from Western Digital. I had one for less than a year and out of nowhere it begins clicking and my computer stopped reading info from it. What sucked was that I had an issue and a half worth of lettering files of my comic, that I didn't have backed up on my main computer hard drive (I'm at the point where my computer is beginning to run out of memory), on it. To retrieve the files, I would have to pay between $400 to $2500, so I just relettered the pages. I could send the MyBook back and get a new one, but I don't want to risk anything else on some ticking timebomb. Now I'm nervous about buying a new external hard drive. I would need one that offers free data retrieval. So now I just back-up my files on USB drives and CDs.

03-21-2007, 05:28 PM	#5
theflash Cary Kelley Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: in the darkness where it's nice and cool Posts: 1,679	i have this one: http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=262 and i love it. it doesn't need software, you plug it in and just go to work. easy peasy.

03-21-2007, 06:02 PM	#7
JAQ Jason A. Quest Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Purgatory, Michigan Posts: 1,785	I use my iPod, because A) it's small, B) it has a built-in music player, and C) I do not rely on it as any kind of permanent or backup storage. That is, I copy files to it from my home machine, I go to the office, and I copy the files to the office machine to work on. When I go home, I repeat the procedure in reverse. It's a taxi for my files, not a second home for them. I use a completely different solution for backups, which is to have a second hard drive in my computer, which my "Documents" and "Pictures" folders get copied to once a week (using a free OS X applet called PSyncX). Full-size, fixed hard drives will always be more reliable for backups than any portable that gets bounced around in someone's backpack. Plus the fact that it's always attached means my backups actually happen, which is more than most people can honestly claim.

03-21-2007, 06:09 PM	#8
jimmycakes Jason May: Robot Man Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: is building a CNC router machine right now. Posts: 1,650	That WD passport seems sweet. I am in fact looking for a taxi. Good comparison! I have a 300GB internal for my backing up. Sweet! Thanks for the advice. Seeing as I won't be getting it this week, people can still recommend!