# Recommend an external hard drive (or other solution) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 12, 2006, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151 "2006-10-12T03:35:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/1 "2006-10-12T03:35:20Z")
I know there have been “recommend an external hard drive” threads before (at least one in the last six months), but I’ve got kind of a different situation, plus with the speed of advances I figured the answer is probably changing pretty fast. Here’s my situation: I have a one-year-old iMac (bought right before the switch to Intel, dammit), 160 GB hard drive. I’ve got large files I’m going to need to back up and store somewhere, but I won’t need regular access to them or anything; a hard drive I can copy them to and then stick in the closet will be fine. I’m thinking I need at least 200 GB; when I say I have “large files,” I’m talking at least 4 GB, and in the next year I’ll be creating one probably around 80-100 GB. The drive will need firewire, because I’m not a particularly patient person. What do you folks suggest? Links and brand-names would be appreciated; I’ve never bought one of these before, and I’m just realizing that my 160 GB internal drive, which seemed infinite when I got it, is going to fill up in a few months. (My last computer’s hard drive was 6 GB.) Also, if there’s some solution other than an external drive that I’ve never heard of, feel free to throw that out there; I just need to be able to save really huge files where I can retrieve them. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/2 "2006-10-12T03:50:18Z")
FWIW I just bought a Western Digital 250GB premium My book for $149.95 from [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) It ships from Tiger Direct with about $9 shipping. Amazon was cheaper than all the other sites I checked for this unit. The premium line is both USB 2.0 and Firewire. the essential line is USB only. Or you could just say [screw it](http://www.pcsuperstore.com/products/J54536-Western_Digital-WDG1C2500N.html) and get yourself a terrabyte of back up. ---
**Author:** ![dbuzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@dbuzman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbuzman)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/3 "2006-10-12T04:36:02Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] -snip- Or you could just say [screw it](http://www.pcsuperstore.com/products/J54536-Western_Digital-WDG1C2500N.html) and get yourself a terrabyte of back up. [/QUOTE] You link goes to the 250gb mybook. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/4 "2006-10-12T04:50:18Z")
External hard drives are commodities, meaning there’s very difference among them. However, what I purchased is an Adaptec external drive enclosure (about $30 for the USB version and a little more for the USB/Firewire one) and put a spare drive in it. The advantage of this approach is that I can upgrade it with a larger hard drive as needed. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/5 "2006-10-12T05:11:16Z")
[QUOTE=dbuzman] You link goes to the 250gb mybook. [/QUOTE] :smack: That is the model I bought [1Terrabyte coming up!](http://www.pcsuperstore.com/products/J80026-Western_Digital-WDG2TP10000N.html) ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/6 "2006-10-12T05:20:52Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] External hard drives are commodities, meaning there’s very difference among them. However, what I purchased is an Adaptec external drive enclosure (about $30 for the USB version and a little more for the USB/Firewire one) and put a spare drive in it. The advantage of this approach is that I can upgrade it with a larger hard drive as needed. [/QUOTE] I thought about that Let’s see, $85 bucks for a 250GB Western Digital drive that has the same specs as the external drive I bought Call it $40 for a USB/Firewire enclosure Add say $10 retail for each of the firewire, and USB cables that come with the external. we are now up to $145 and the external comes with back up software. Pretty much of a push from where I am looking at it. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/7 "2006-10-12T05:26:08Z")
I don’t know Mac’s. But can’t you just add another hard drive in the machine? Dual hard drives is so easy and gives the fastest data transfer… right? ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/8 "2006-10-12T05:42:10Z")
**GusNSpot** , the iMac (the whole thing) looks like [this](http://information-bureau.com/daily/061011/imac.jpg); you can’t really add anything to the inside of it. Thanks for the input, everyone; I’ll probably just drag the **jillelope** over to Best Buy some weekend and get something that way. I was hoping someone would have a super-cheap Web site for such things or some such, but it looks like, if I’m going to get something new (I don’t want used or refurbished for important file backups), I’m not going to beat Best Buy’s prices by more than a few bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Whifton\_Polekitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/97f17d/32.png) [@Whifton\_Polekitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whifton_Polekitty)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/9 "2006-10-12T05:59:23Z")
Does your iFruit have USB2? ISTR the last IBM models did; Check out LaCie… I just picked up a USB2 250gigger for about $130. No FireWire, but comparing USB2 to FireWire(400, specifically), it’s a negligible speed difference. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/10 "2006-10-12T12:27:15Z")
[QUOTE=jackelope] **GusNSpot** , the iMac (the whole thing) looks like [this](http://information-bureau.com/daily/061011/imac.jpg); you can’t really add anything to the inside of it. Thanks for the input, everyone; I’ll probably just drag the **jillelope** over to Best Buy some weekend and get something that way. I was hoping someone would have a super-cheap Web site for such things or some such, but it looks like, if I’m going to get something new (I don’t want used or refurbished for important file backups), I’m not going to beat Best Buy’s prices by more than a few bucks. [/QUOTE] Amazon beat Adequate Purchase’s price on the My Book by $40. So if you don’ need it today… ---
**Author:** ![JackaRoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@JackaRoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackaRoe)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/11 "2006-10-12T12:39:17Z")
I bought one of these a while backand have had no problems. Cavalry 300GB Pre-Formatted USB 2.0 External Hard Drive FREE BUDGET SHIPPING [Buy.com](http://Buy.com) price: $99.99 [http://enews.buy.com/cgi-bin5/DM/y/ehO80G5ywZ0JE60B1OI0Go](http://enews.buy.com/cgi-bin5/DM/y/ehO80G5ywZ0JE60B1OI0Go) Also try [http://www.newegg.com](http://www.newegg.com) and search for external drives, plenty of choices. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/12 "2006-10-12T14:31:59Z")
[QUOTE=JackaRoe] I bought one of these a while backand have had no problems. Cavalry 300GB Pre-Formatted USB 2.0 External Hard Drive FREE BUDGET SHIPPING [Buy.com](http://Buy.com) price: $99.99 [http://enews.buy.com/cgi-bin5/DM/y/ehO80G5ywZ0JE60B1OI0Go](http://enews.buy.com/cgi-bin5/DM/y/ehO80G5ywZ0JE60B1OI0Go) [/quote] This is for a USB only drive. Does the OP’s iFruit have USB? I don’t know, as I don’t do Mac. > [@](#): > > Also try [http://www.newegg.com](http://www.newegg.com) and search for external drives, plenty of choices. For the same my book drive as I listed above they are $159. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/13 "2006-10-12T16:13:40Z")
Current Macs have USB2 and FireWire connections. Unless you’ve got the Mac Pro tower, there’s no getting inside the case, and no empty spaces to put an internal drive. Let me throw something else into the mix - Leopard (arriving in Spring, 2007) will have something called Time Machine for automating backups. From what I’ve seen, it will require its own volume, as opposed to a folder on a volume. This means if you buy (say) a 200 GB external drive, you’ll need to devote the whole thing to Time Machine. If you buy one of the terabyte-in-a-box drives, those are usually configurable to be either a 1TB drive split across the four internal drives, a 500GB drive with internal mirroring, or 4 250GB drives. So, by planning ahead, you may be able to use a terabyte-in-a-box drive for storage and Time Machine, but if you use individual drives in individual enclosures, you’ll need one for data and another for Time Machine. ---
**Author:** ![JackaRoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@JackaRoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackaRoe)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/14 "2006-10-12T17:00:04Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] This is for a USB only drive. Does the OP’s iFruit have USB? I don’t know, as I don’t do Mac. [/QUOTE] Rick, The specs indicate that it works with iMac. Also if you look in detail specs you will notice it supports firewire too. I listed newegg link because he asked for links and it is a place I use, but always check prices, shipping and handling can make a differnece too. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/15 "2006-10-12T18:23:18Z")
The iMac does indeed have USB. Not sure about USB2, but the machine’s only a year old, so maybe. Regardless, even if I’m transferring a 20 GB file and it takes a few hours, I can let it go overnight or something. (I’m chucking the “not particularly patient”/firewire requirement for price considerations.) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/16 "2006-10-12T18:35:33Z")
Make sure your solution has some sort of redundancy. It would really suck if the drive were to go pop. So either get a unit with mirrorred disks or get two units. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-external-hard-drive-or-other-solution/376151/17 "2006-10-12T18:45:02Z")
[QUOTE=JackaRoe] Rick, The specs indicate that it works with iMac. Also if you look in detail specs you will notice it supports firewire too. I listed newegg link because he asked for links and it is a place I use, but always check prices, shipping and handling can make a differnece too. [/QUOTE] I stopped reading when I got to **Interfaces/Ports: 1 x USB 2.0** 😃 Funny if it has a firewire port, you would think it would be listed. ::: shrug:::