External HDD Recommendation

[Harvey Gratt]

I am looking to get a large(around 160GB) USB 2.0, 7200rpm external HDD
so I can store drive images for several computers. I'm currently looking
at offerings from Maxtor, Western Digital and Seagate.

I would appreciate any information regarding these products with respect
to reliabilty and vendor support. I noticed that they all offer only a 1
year warranty - not a good sign in my opinion. Any help in making a
decision would be appreciated.

Also, are there any heat related issues with 7200rpm drives? Do they
typically come with fans for cooling? Is a 5400rpm drive more reliable?

Thanks,
Harvey

 

[Tom]

I am looking to get a large(around 160GB) USB 2.0, 7200rpm external HDD
so I can store drive images for several computers. I'm currently looking
at offerings from Maxtor, Western Digital and Seagate.

I just bought a new WD and put my old WD in a UBS2 case that has no fan.
It's not going to hurt it unless you plug it in and leave it on indefinately
and even then, it would probably be OK.
A Seagate gets very hot, so I wouldn't do that.
I would never buy a 5400 rpm dirive, either.

My WD offered a 3 year warranty for $15 and I might do it, not sure.
I've had problems with other drives, but never WD.

 

[Rod Speed]

I am looking to get a large(around 160GB) USB 2.0, 7200rpm
external HDD so I can store drive images for several computers. I'm
currently looking at offerings from Maxtor, Western Digital and Seagate.

I would appreciate any information regarding these products
with respect to reliabilty and vendor support. I noticed that they
all offer only a 1 year warranty - not a good sign in my opinion.
Any help in making a decision would be appreciated.

Also, are there any heat related issues with 7200rpm drives?

Yep, they all get pretty hot if something isnt
done to get the heat away from the drive.

Some get stinking hot very quickly if just sitting loose
on the desktop spinning, let alone encased in some
crummy little plastic box that makes things even worse.

Do they typically come with fans for cooling?

Quite a few dont.

Is a 5400rpm drive more reliable?

Usually they do produce rather less heat. Most
get barely warm when run loose on the desktop.

 

[Eric Gisin]

There is little point to 7k2 with USB2, since you are limited to its 30MB/s.

 

[Dave Hau]

There is little point to 7k2 with USB2, since you are limited to its

30MB/s.

Also a slightly lower rotational latency => faster access time.

 

[Tom]

30MB/s.

30? Check again.

Also a slightly lower rotational latency => faster access time.

Also? You mean otoh, no?

 

[Wayne Youngman]

I am looking to get a large(around 160GB) USB 2.0, 7200rpm external HDD
so I can store drive images for several computers. I'm currently looking
at offerings from Maxtor, Western Digital and Seagate.

I would appreciate any information regarding these products with respect
to reliabilty and vendor support. I noticed that they all offer only a 1
year warranty - not a good sign in my opinion. Any help in making a
decision would be appreciated.

Also, are there any heat related issues with 7200rpm drives? Do they
typically come with fans for cooling? Is a 5400rpm drive more reliable?

Hi,
I made a post with similar question!

*External USB Hard-Drive - USB v1.0 or v2.0? - 5,400rpm or 7,200rpm? - 2MB
cache or 8MB cache?*

 

[Eric Gisin]

in message news:[email protected]...

30? Check again.

Clueless Tommy. Yes, that is the best any USB2 review has reported.

 

[Tom]

Clueless Tommy. Yes, that is the best any USB2 review has reported.

That's not the spec, nor what I have seen.

 

[J. Clarke]

That's not the spec, nor what I have seen.

What the spec says and what the hardware you can buy in the real world can
deliver are not always the same.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

What the spec says and what the hardware you can buy in the real world can
deliver are not always the same.

Usually specs don't tell what the user'available'data rate will be.