please recommend an external hard drive

**scudbutt** · 11-01-10, 20:49

either 1tb or 500g

will need to partition for laptop & desktop

am liking either seagate or buffalo but am open to suggestions...ooeer

tia

**TrickyDicky** · 11-01-10, 21:10

I bought one of these Seagate Expansions 1TB External Desktop USB 2.0 Hard: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo
about 6 months ago, swap it between 3 PCs, (XP and W7) apparantley not the fastest out there but good value, has done everything I've wanted and so far no problems

**rossm** · 11-01-10, 21:27

Cheaper at Tescos, don't need one, but at that price may as well get myself one

Seagate 1TB Expansion Desktop Hard Drive with CA Internet Security - Tesco.Direct

**Adam** · 11-01-10, 21:51

Originally Posted by rossm

Cheaper at Tescos, don't need one, but at that price may as well get myself one

Seagate 1TB Expansion Desktop Hard Drive with CA Internet Security - Tesco.Direct

Cheers m'dear.

**scudbutt** · 11-01-10, 21:59

thanks guys the Tesco's one is favourite

**fulltilt** · 12-01-10, 01:55

Originally Posted by scudbutt

thanks guys the Tesco's one is favourite

That looks like it's preformatted using NTFS, so be aware it may not be usable by non Windows computers unless you reformat your partion(s) as FAT or HFS+. It may also not have a power button, so unless it auto spins down it could waste energy making a lot of heat and noise, especially if it's fan-cooled.

I have an external 500GB Western Digital Elements drive, the 1TB version is in the same price range as the Seagate one, though I couldn't say which is 'better'. It doesn't have a fan so gets pretty hot, though that does mean it's quiet and fortunately, since it doesn't have a power button, it auto spins down when not in use.

No backup software on it, which may or may not matter to you (does the Seagate backup software handle multiple partitions?). Mine came formatted as FAT, I shrank the primary partition down to 10GB for plugging directly into things like my xbox and reformatted the rest as NTFS.

**scudbutt** · 12-01-10, 08:48

Originally Posted by fulltilt

That looks like it's preformatted using NTFS, so be aware it may not be usable by non Windows computers unless you reformat your partion(s) as FAT or HFS+. It may also not have a power button, so unless it auto spins down it could waste energy making a lot of heat and noise, especially if it's fan-cooled.

I have an external 500GB Western Digital Elements drive, the 1TB version is in the same price range as the Seagate one, though I couldn't say which is 'better'. It doesn't have a fan so gets pretty hot, though that does mean it's quiet and fortunately, since it doesn't have a power button, it auto spins down when not in use.

No backup software on it, which may or may not matter to you (does the Seagate backup software handle multiple partitions?). Mine came formatted as FAT, I shrank the primary partition down to 10GB for plugging directly into things like my xbox and reformatted the rest as NTFS.

thanks fulltilt very useful..may have to adjust my opinion.

**Discharge** · 12-01-10, 08:56

If you're gonna use it with multiple clients, you might want to consider one with an ethernet port that you can plug into your wireless router. I've just bought a 1TB Iomega network drive from PC World for just over £100 ish.

**Splat** · 12-01-10, 09:09

Originally Posted by fulltilt

That looks like it's preformatted using NTFS, so be aware it may not be usable by non Windows computers unless you reformat your partion(s) as FAT or HFS+. It may also not have a power button, so unless it auto spins down it could waste energy making a lot of heat and noise, especially if it's fan-cooled.

Good points about NTFS and FAT/HFS+. One point to consider as well is that NTFS is better than FAT as resisting disconnections.

Another thing to consider is that you don't need a super-fast disk: the USB bandwidth is narrower than the disk throughput. So you might as well get a 5,400 rpm disk which will be quiter, cheaper and cooler. Unless of course you go for a FW800 or eSata interface. But even then, how much speed do you need for backup?

**scudbutt** · 12-01-10, 09:40

Originally Posted by Discharge

If you're gonna use it with multiple clients, you might want to consider one with an ethernet port that you can plug into your wireless router. I've just bought a 1TB Iomega network drive from PC World for just over £100 ish.

Originally Posted by Splat

Good points about NTFS and FAT/HFS+. One point to consider as well is that NTFS is better than FAT as resisting disconnections.

Another thing to consider is that you don't need a super-fast disk: the USB bandwidth is narrower than the disk throughput. So you might as well get a 5,400 rpm disk which will be quiter, cheaper and cooler. Unless of course you go for a FW800 or eSata interface. But even then, how much speed do you need for backup?

Thanks guys all helpful stuff to research as I'm a bit of a numpty for 'puter stuff....could end up with brain overload due to techno talk...

**scudbutt** · 12-01-10, 11:07

am now lusting after this one any thoughts?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-Free...pr_product_top

**rossm** · 12-01-10, 11:55

Originally Posted by scudbutt

am now lusting after this one any thoughts?

Seagate 1TB FreeAgent Desk USB 2.0 External Hard Drive: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

This one will need to be plugged into the wall (mains power supply), which may or may not be a problem depending on where you want to use it

**Splat** · 12-01-10, 12:04

Yes, that's what I have (in 1.5 TB). They are fast, quiet (on eSata), and work as it says on the tin. Their power supply comes with foreign adaptors as well, which suits my jet setting lifestyle very well

They also have a Kensington lock, so one of them (I have two) is a spare backup I keep at the office.