Which would you get? New HD for storage only

[Rabbitrunner51]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148261

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148170R


I had my sights on the first one,which is internal, but found this just now ( 2nd link )

Really like that external. Looks good to me. Its purpose is going to be for system backup and saved programs, and or game loaders :confused: ;)

[Sterling_Aug]

Any external USB storage drive is better and more flexible than an internal drive.

I keep one laptop and one full size hard drive enclosure for use on all my systems.

[Midknyte]

I always build my own externals with separate enclosures and drives. The prebuilt OEM drives are difficult to open, and you void your warranty if you do. the usb controller or the usb port can break, leaving the data stuck in the enclosure.

[Rabbitrunner51]

I was reading the OEM details , and from my vantage point, there might be a problem in me getting that external HD. From waht they described, no cables or anything other then the HD itself is included. I guess that means i would have to go out and buy seperate cables like power, USB or other? Thats odd. Where exactly is one supposed to find what goes with this unit? Probably why its cheaper then i would have thought otherwise. :confused: :eek:

[Train]

Without looking at what you linked in, I can tell you some enclosures get all there power through the USB connection. That way, all that is needed is the USB cable.

[Midknyte]

I had to wait until I got home to check the links.

you have one open box external, aka customer return. the other is an OEM internal drive, not external. which one are you talking about?

i still stick to my original comment. buy a usb enclosure and a hard drive. I'd go for a SATA enclosure and drive. You don't need a laptop drive type unless you need the portability.

[Rabbitrunner51]

The second link ..external.. hello! I already have a OEM reg. Sata HD installed. I know i don't need anything for that one. I have like ten sata cables laying around. ( Pardon the sarcasm MK. )

I remember your other post indeed MK. I'm trying to just save a bit of moola thats all. By the time i order three seperate things, and postage and all, well? I get your point, well taken.

One thing that i wanted this post to clarify and you all did somewhat is.. i don't normally unplug and go anywhere for that purpose. The internal HD i have now is plug and play, meaning i can unplug it after going through the routine steps, an do that anyways.
I was thinking that it would be neat to not have to use any juice from my system PSU, which is a plus, and also the USB thing alllows one to turn it off and on at a moments notice. or am i wrong there?

Sorry to make such a big deal of this, but its just the money thing. I have to pay my younger sis some money this month, and with a new HD, that costs no more then these ( around $60.00 or so ), I still am going to cut it close.

I'll look up the costs of an enclosure, plus HD and all and see what i come up to.

I also have this ad 'ZipZoomFly sent me and they have a 'Seagate' Notebook Pro' 120GB on sale for $54.00. It is only 5400RPM though. I guess that wouldn't be a big deal,considering it is a third HD, and used for my purposes or backup and storage. I wouldn't have to get into it much of often.

[Midknyte]

please be less verbose. it makes it difficult for us to discern what you really want.

notebook drives are slower than desktop drives, but you stated this was for backup. If 120G is big enough, then you could go for that option. Your original post had 250G drives.

you would have to unmount the drive just like a flash drive. after that you can just unplug it.

[Rabbitrunner51]

verbose? yas shouldn't use such smart words there MK. Whoever is reading this post may get the wrong idea, like your SMART or something. lol

I re-read what ya wrote and i didn't realize the exteranl link i gave was a return. I thought it or both were open box items. I've never been that clear on these things, because i just order new mostly. Of course i believe, both my INTERNAL H.D.'s are OEM. I've always had tons of extra cables laying around for those.

I wouldn't be going through this much hassle for myself, if i could afford like a 500GB drive or some such. The smallest drive with enough space for the money is a 250GB drive IMO. I just wanted something as big as i could afford. lol

One question I have asked before, but want to be specific here is; If my main OS drive has like 110 GB used out of 120GB, then just how much room do i need for a backup copy of windows? In truth, its the only real reason for getting this at this time. Both my current drives are running flawless, but like you MK have advised, i felt i needed something soon before my luck runs out.

One other if ya please. I suppose if i got the internal as orignally planned, then down the road i could just buy a external drive enclosure and uise it that way? Am i on the right track here. I'm learning about this stuff...

[Sterling_Aug]

If my main OS drive has like 110 GB used out of 120GB, then just how much room do i need for a backup copy of windows?

One other if ya please. I suppose if i got the internal as orignally planned, then down the road i could just buy a external drive enclosure and uise it that way? Am i on the right track here. I'm learning about this stuff...

1.) It depends on which program you use to make the backup copy. I use Ghost 8 and my images (compressed backups) are approx. 50% the size of the original.

2.) Most external enclosures can be used with any internal hard drive, since that is what they contain anyway! They are easily upgraded to new drives again and again.

[Train]

Icy dock 2.5"
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817198016

and the 3.5 versions.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000090092+50008336+1053807123&name=ICY+DOCK

Please note some enclosure use Sata and others use PATA [ATA] hdds. and how they connect to your computer as a couple of them might require you to get and install a pci card.

Watch the hdd's rpm too. It varies.

[Rabbitrunner51]

Sure can tell its a Friday. Just wrote a reply and the link post froze. As a matter of fact, every time i open the net up, it lags and won't refresh. Oh me!

Perfect! great answers guys. I can use all of that. So if i copy or ghost an image, it would take up about 50% or so? Like 50GB or so huh? thks!

The whole external HD thing has been quite some good info and learning here. i get it now. Thks bunches 'Train' for those links. I looked them up ,along with some others, and that is the solution alright.
Also, awhile back, when i upgraded my rig, i had bought a IDE/Sata PCI card and never used it yet. Now, with these solutions, i have more options and that is sweet.
Depends upon ones needs i suppose. I just have so many Sata connectors on this board, i would hate to waste them. ( have 5 more )

Yeah,after looking up and learning about this all, the external enclosure method seems the best overall. I guess, will just order a reg. 3.0 Sata drive as planned, and then down the road soon thereafter, get a nice enclosure.

[BipolarBill]

If you are only going to back up one PC, the internal is dandy. You can always move it to a SATA/USB enclosure when you have the means.

You really shouldn't sass MK. He's right. You go on and on and on and on. I've told you this before. You take it personally - as if we are calling you defective. We are not. We are trying to get you to be more considerate and efficient in your posts. You are essentially obfuscating your own questions by throwing in the kitchen sink when a sentence or two would do.

If you are going to insult someone, have the cojones to stick to it. Saying "Hello!" and then offering a backhanded compliment is just weak. He's trying to help and you're just being a horses @ss.

[Rabbitrunner51]

I hear what you saying just fine.. but.. Why is it tht moderators can get away with this and i keep getting called on the very same things.. WHEN THEY INSULT ME.?? Answer me that one. He was the one who first implied something by using an overt word.. I'll try and keep my posts short and sweet if possible.. I get that. I'm not ignorant.

Also, it seems the only people who this bothers are the same moderators.. Sterling and Train always respond to me with some respect,given me precise answers and never have they called me out... if MK is the lead mod. and i do respect his advice and listen to what he says.. Why can't ya all just ignor and let it be?? I get over it.

[Midknyte]

Can't we all just get along? I wasn't going to comment about your reply, but I want to prevent things from escalating.

I was asking you to be less wordy because I had a hard time following along. If I was having difficulty, then I'm sure other sysopters were too. It was not meant as a personal attack. I wasn't being insulting or domineering; I even said "please".

If you keep your questions concise, I'm sure you'll get more precise answers.

[Train]

The longer this window is open the better chance of it jambing up and we lose what we are trying to post. Yes, I have run into that problem off and on.

Compose in notepad then copy and paste when get it ready and do not open the reply/post before it is needed.

Be sure to research SATA and eSATA pci cards. You may run into a ambush you may not like.

Also, is your onboard strickly for Raid? Mine is and that makes them worthless for me to use. and you may think a 250 GB is to large now, but give yourself a bit of time and you will probably find 4 of those 1 TBs to be what you should have gotted. Just because we are doing one thing today does not mean we will be doing the same thing 2 weeks from now!

So relax, slow down a tad, and find out just which way you want to back things up. Believe me, each of us will have different ideas and they are all good ones.