[gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Willie Wong]

Hi all, 

  I am looking to purchase an external hard-drive for backing up data.
  I am looking for something that has >250G capacity (preferably
  around 300G so I have room to grow). My desktop does not have a
  firewire port, so it is essential that I can use a USB2 connection. 
  (Of course, it is also essential that it works with Gentoo!)
  
  What do people recommend? 

  My big question is whether all those fancy "OneTouch" "OneButton"
  things offered by Maxtor/Seagate/etc. would impede the harddrive's
  function on linux. I mean, I don't think whatever software they
  bundled that allowed them to do "One Touch Backups" would work in
  linux, but I would hope those disks can still be mounted as an usb
  storage device. Can someone tell me whether that is the case? 

  Also, since I won't be using all those fancy automatic backup
  features, I am hoping to just get a bare-boned external harddrive.
  Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any offered by brands that I
  know (like I mentioend above, Maxtor/Seagate/Buffalo/etc. all have
  fancy features and cost quite a bit more), do people have
  recommendations with that in mind?

Thanks in advance

Willie
-- 
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    existence.
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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Ian Kabeary]

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I like my Vantec Nexstar 3 enclosure. Try for one of them, they are cheap,
flexible in capacity and nice to look at.
Works in Gentoo just as easily as a Jumpdrive.
~Ian


On 8/15/06, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I am looking to purchase an external hard-drive for backing up data.
> I am looking for something that has >250G capacity (preferably
> around 300G so I have room to grow). My desktop does not have a
> firewire port, so it is essential that I can use a USB2 connection.
> (Of course, it is also essential that it works with Gentoo!)
>
> What do people recommend?
>
> My big question is whether all those fancy "OneTouch" "OneButton"
> things offered by Maxtor/Seagate/etc. would impede the harddrive's
> function on linux. I mean, I don't think whatever software they
> bundled that allowed them to do "One Touch Backups" would work in
> linux, but I would hope those disks can still be mounted as an usb
> storage device. Can someone tell me whether that is the case?
>
> Also, since I won't be using all those fancy automatic backup
> features, I am hoping to just get a bare-boned external harddrive.
> Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any offered by brands that I
> know (like I mentioend above, Maxtor/Seagate/Buffalo/etc. all have
> fancy features and cost quite a bit more), do people have
> recommendations with that in mind?
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Willie
> --
> Pintsize: Hehe, yeah, that does sound like a pretty empty, pointless
>    existence.
> Marten:   You are not helping, you know.
> Pintsize: Wait, I'm supposed to be HELPING?
> Sortir en Pantoufles: up 19 days, 19:51
> --
> gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
>
>


-- 
~Ian

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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Richard Fish]

On 8/15/06, Ian Kabeary <omega21@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I like my Vantec Nexstar 3 enclosure. Try for one of them, they are cheap,
> flexible in capacity and nice to look at.
> Works in Gentoo just as easily as a Jumpdrive.
> ~Ian

If you are looking to buy the drive and enclosure separately, I too
can recommend these, but only in the 3.5" size.  The 2.5" one I had
corrupted every large file I wrote to it.  Of course since you are
looking for >250G, you are not looking at 2.5", but whatever you get,
I recommend testing thoroughly with some md5sum verifications.

You can find this same enclosure under several different brands.  The
most important thing IMO is to make sure that the DC power input has
separate 12V and 5V pins.  The enclosures with a simple round 12V DC
power input do not provide enough power for large drives.

Of course if you buy the Seagate/WD/Buffalo with the drive
pre-installed, you don't really have to worry about the power.  You
can safely ignore the button, it won't impact the drive's
functionality in any way.

-Richard
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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Ow Mun Heng]

On Tue, 2006-08-15 at 12:53 -0400, Willie Wong wrote:
> Hi all, 
> 
>   I am looking to purchase an external hard-drive for backing up data.
>   I am looking for something that has >250G capacity (preferably
>   around 300G so I have room to grow).

If you're in US, and there's a Fry's store nearby, here's a Maxtor 500Gb
for USD179
http://newspaperads.mercurynews.com/ROP/ads.aspx?advid=32664&adid=3359416&subid=12793331&type=


>   My big question is whether all those fancy "OneTouch" "OneButton"
>   things offered by Maxtor/Seagate/etc. would impede the harddrive's
>   function on linux. I mean, I don't think whatever software they
>   bundled that allowed them to do "One Touch Backups" would work in
>   linux, but I would hope those disks can still be mounted as an usb
>   storage device. Can someone tell me whether that is the case? 

Yep. i have a sarotech enclosure (www.sarotech.com) for a 2.5in and it
has backup software but I don't use it at all.
It does not impede upon the functionality of the drive/casing.
The button is just a harware button asking the casing to perhaps
"initiate" backup with the host/contact the host for backup software
etc.

The case just functions as a USB external Drive. You're just paying
extra for the "button" :-)


>   Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any offered by brands that I
>   know (like I mentioend above, Maxtor/Seagate/Buffalo/etc. all have

Why not? If you want a cheap one, a 2.5in one selling in
Surpluscomputers costs ~USD7-15 and a 3.5in costs between USD20-50
Plug in a Drive and you're good to go.

PS : I bought mine 2 years ago (max limit of 300GB due to PCBA in the
casing) for USD25

-- 
Ow Mun Heng <Ow.Mun.Heng@wdc.com>

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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Willie Wong]

On Tue, Aug 15, 2006 at 10:08:29AM -0700, Penguin Lover Ow Mun Heng squawked:
> >   Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any offered by brands that I
> >   know (like I mentioend above, Maxtor/Seagate/Buffalo/etc. all have
> 
> Why not? If you want a cheap one, a 2.5in one selling in
> Surpluscomputers costs ~USD7-15 and a 3.5in costs between USD20-50
> Plug in a Drive and you're good to go.
> 
> PS : I bought mine 2 years ago (max limit of 300GB due to PCBA in the
> casing) for USD25

Thanks Ow and Ian, I hadn't thought of the possibility of just buying
an external enclosure. That looks like a good way to go. 

W
-- 
"I take this as a sign of terrible boredom or one of the fact that you haven't 
come to terms with the fact that your vacation is over."
~DeathMech, S. Sondhi. P-town PHY 205
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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Ian Kabeary]

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On 8/15/06, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
>
> On Tue, Aug 15, 2006 at 10:08:29AM -0700, Penguin Lover Ow Mun Heng
> squawked:
> > >   Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any offered by brands that I
> > >   know (like I mentioend above, Maxtor/Seagate/Buffalo/etc. all have
> >
> > Why not? If you want a cheap one, a 2.5in one selling in
> > Surpluscomputers costs ~USD7-15 and a 3.5in costs between USD20-50
> > Plug in a Drive and you're good to go.
> >
> > PS : I bought mine 2 years ago (max limit of 300GB due to PCBA in the
> > casing) for USD25
>
> Thanks Ow and Ian, I hadn't thought of the possibility of just buying
> an external enclosure. That looks like a good way to go.


I like it because In a year I can get an even bigger hard drive and it wont
cost as much.
Glad to be of help.
~Ian

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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Thomas Harold]

Willie Wong wrote:
> Hi all, 
> 
>   I am looking to purchase an external hard-drive for backing up data.
>   I am looking for something that has >250G capacity (preferably
>   around 300G so I have room to grow). My desktop does not have a
>   firewire port, so it is essential that I can use a USB2 connection. 
>   (Of course, it is also essential that it works with Gentoo!)
>   
>   What do people recommend? 

BYTECC ME-835U2F

Takes any size 3.5" drive that you want to install (the 400GB IDEs are a 
good price/GB right now).  All metal construction.  Includes it's own 
PSU inside and takes a standard PC cord.  So you don't have to keep 
track of an external AC/DC converter.  Has both Firewire and USB 2 
connectors on the back.  Has a power switch.

Best of all, it has an internal fan to keep the hard drive cool.

Takes about 10 minutes to assemble, just be careful not to pinch the 4 
HD power wires as you slide the unit back inside the case.  The screw 
mount inside the case passes within a few mm of where the HD power wires 
tend to bend to.

(I've found it very difficult to find units with built-in PSUs and 
adequate hard drive cooling combined with dual-interface designs.)
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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Collins Richey]

On 8/15/06, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
>   I am looking to purchase an external hard-drive for backing up data.
>   I am looking for something that has >250G capacity (preferably
>   around 300G so I have room to grow). My desktop does not have a
>   firewire port, so it is essential that I can use a USB2 connection.
>   (Of course, it is also essential that it works with Gentoo!)
>

Others have responded with specifics. All I can add is that I have a
couple of el-cheapo (< $40) ADS units from Micro Center that work just
fine. You can put in any G-capacity IDE drive you want. If your Gentoo
system handles USB storage devices properly (why wouldn't it), you'll
have no problems.  According to the drive enclosure advertisements,
metal case is better for heat dissipation, but I have no hard
evidence. These units have the "standard" external AC->DC chunky
blocks.

-- 
Collins Richey
     If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries
     of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.
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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Collins Richey]

On 8/16/06, Ian Kabeary <omega21@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 8/15/06, Collins Richey <crichey@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>
>
> > According to the drive enclosure advertisements,
> > metal case is better for heat dissipation, but I have no hard
> > evidence. These units have the "standard" external AC->DC chunky
> > blocks.
>
>
>
> My enclosure is made of aluminum. Supposedly, you dont need a fan with an
> aluminum case. I was quite skeptical as I have seen a lot of other
> enclosures use fans, but while it does get rather warm, like the underside
> of a modern notebook, I have not had any issues with hard drives failing /
> being damaged / etc. Its a Vantec Nexstar 3.
> ~Ian

Ditto for mine - aluminum and not uncomforatablly warm. Since I only
need it for backups, I'm sure everything will be OK.

-- 
Collins Richey
     If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries
     of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.
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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} External hard-drive choice

[Willie Wong]

On Wed, Aug 16, 2006 at 08:49:43PM -0600, Penguin Lover Collins Richey squawked:
> >> According to the drive enclosure advertisements,
> >> metal case is better for heat dissipation, but I have no hard
> >> evidence. These units have the "standard" external AC->DC chunky
> >> blocks.
> >
> >My enclosure is made of aluminum. Supposedly, you dont need a fan with an
> >aluminum case. I was quite skeptical as I have seen a lot of other
> >enclosures use fans, but while it does get rather warm, like the underside
> >of a modern notebook, I have not had any issues with hard drives failing /
> >being damaged / etc. Its a Vantec Nexstar 3.
> 
> Ditto for mine - aluminum and not uncomforatablly warm. Since I only
> need it for backups, I'm sure everything will be OK.

Again, thanks for all the feed back. I received my Nexstar 3 today
with a Seagate Barrucuda 320G harddrive. So far it works like a charm:
after backing up my entire system, a process that took roughly 6
hours, the drive was barely lukewarm, so I trust that it will have no
issues in the future with heat dissipation. 

W
-- 
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merged. Their new logo reads: "I'll Be Bach, Will 
You Be Haydn?".
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