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General Category => General Prepress => Topic started by: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 09:08:30 AM

Title: New external drive
Post by: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 09:08:30 AM
https://www.bestbuy.ca/Catalog/UsCustomerReviews.aspx?Sku=10453008

I am wondering if this will replace my 2TB Lacie drive, 12 years old and failing.

If not then does anyone have a better idea? Remember, everyone wants CHEAP and this one certainly fits the bill.

Some people in the reviews seemed to think it was not great with Macs.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Joe on February 28, 2018, 09:48:57 AM
That isn't cheap and Best Buy sucks. Look on newegg.com.

https://www.newegg.com/Desktop-External-Hard-Drives/SubCategory/ID-414?Tid=167525

[attachimg=1 width=400]

$40.00 cheaper than the one you linked.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822178741
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 09:57:08 AM
But is it Mac friendly?

Well we have to add the exchange rate up here, which is substantial.

Not too worried about the price, I thought they'd be around 500 dollars or more. (thinking in the past when they were very expensive)
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Farabomb on February 28, 2018, 10:00:50 AM
Watch out, we bought a Toshiba for the car shop and it doesn't wake on a mac making it highly annoying with the time machine backup warning all the fecking time. Make sure it plays well with mac.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 10:06:33 AM
Yes, we need that time machine backup to run smoothly for sure.

Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Joe on February 28, 2018, 10:08:08 AM
We have 3 of them and don't have any problem on our Macs. Read the reviews and Q&A on any site though.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Joe on February 28, 2018, 10:09:10 AM
If you are concerned about it working on Macs go to macsales.com. If you have any problems on a Mac they will make it right. Guaranteed!
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: andyfest on February 28, 2018, 10:22:16 AM
I usually deal with the local Staples and get Seagate externals for my TM b-ups. They are usually around $100 CAD, although you may hit a sale once in a while for the 2 tB drives.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 10:29:22 AM
Quote from: andyfest on February 28, 2018, 10:22:16 AMI usually deal with the local Staples and get Seagate externals for my TM b-ups. They are usually around $100 CAD, although you may hit a sale once in a while for the 2 tB drives.

Was thinking about 4TB plus. We use it to backup jobs that have been DVD'd. Never did fill that 2TB lacie up but it went about 3/4 full.

I know the Apple store would get us the right drive. But I doubt that's necessary and the cost might go 3X up.



Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Farabomb on February 28, 2018, 10:36:48 AM
You bet there will be a cost associated with it.

I actually just use a old drive slotted into one of the open slots in the mac pro for TM backup. Probably should find another one seeing as it's probably 8 years old now.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Joe on February 28, 2018, 11:24:42 AM
Quote from: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 10:29:22 AM
Quote from: andyfest on February 28, 2018, 10:22:16 AMI usually deal with the local Staples and get Seagate externals for my TM b-ups. They are usually around $100 CAD, although you may hit a sale once in a while for the 2 tB drives.

Was thinking about 4TB plus. We use it to backup jobs that have been DVD'd. Never did fill that 2TB lacie up but it went about 3/4 full.

I know the Apple store would get us the right drive. But I doubt that's necessary and the cost might go 3X up.

That is why you go to macssales.com instead of apple.com. :tongue:
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Just_A_Mac_Guy on February 28, 2018, 11:26:00 AM
4T WD MyBooks at Costco in Canada are areound $100-125 CND. Usually less in November to January. I have only had one ever fail at 2yrs old. Used as a media server for 2 tvs and 3 computers. I have  2 that are years older and 2 that are newer. No complaints.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 12:12:58 PM
that sounds good "I do costco" and in Canada to boot.

But I gotta be careful if it plays well with macs.


Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 12:22:10 PM
Don't know why you couldn't just reformat the damned thing.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Farabomb on February 28, 2018, 12:56:45 PM
It's not a formatting issue, it's if the drive will wake up after it goes to sleep. Some drives won't wake when attached to a mac.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Joe on February 28, 2018, 12:58:44 PM
Quote from: Farabomb on February 28, 2018, 12:56:45 PMIt's not a formatting issue, it's if the drive will wake up after it goes to sleep. Some drives won't wake when attached to a mac.

That is why I always change my energy settings to never let the HD sleep. Not sure if that includes external USB drives though. That may be controlled by the USD drive firmware I suppose.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 01:11:07 PM
Quote from: Farabomb on February 28, 2018, 12:56:45 PMIt's not a formatting issue, it's if the drive will wake up after it goes to sleep. Some drives won't wake when attached to a mac.


Okay, something to watch out for.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: pspdfppdfxhd on February 28, 2018, 04:14:59 PM
Picked up the 4TB WD drive at costco. Wow, its not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes!  The old Lacie is the size of a small toaster and weighs about 7lbs.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Farabomb on March 01, 2018, 07:16:18 AM
Big size difference between the 2.5 and 3.5 drives. Probably runs off USB power as well.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: wonderings on March 01, 2018, 07:51:08 AM
I prefer external hard drive enclosures that let me swap out hard drives easily. Have a toaster style one on one iMac and my personal one has 4 bays for easy swap hard drives. Hard drives can be cheap if you are not always paying for the enclosure. Hard drive goes, just replace the drive itself and not the whole unit.

Mine has a fan that runs which I can adjust. Silent and has never let me down. I would be looking at something like this if I was shopping right now (mine is no longer for sale)
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=14_203&item_id=032450

Or something like that for real ease of use swapping or adding multiple drives.
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=14_679&item_id=045343
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Joe on March 01, 2018, 08:44:30 AM
Quote from: Farabomb on March 01, 2018, 07:16:18 AMBig size difference between the 2.5 and 3.5 drives. Probably runs off USB power as well.

And usually 2.5" drives are slower (unless of course you are talking SSD but that is whole other story)

Speaking of SSD's...newegg.com has a special on a 480 GB SSD right now for $99.99 with a promo code. Heck of a deal. I just bought 2 a few weeks ago and thought I got a good deal on a 500 GB SSD for $134.00.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: StudioMonkey on March 05, 2018, 07:21:08 AM
That sounds a bit pricey - I got a Western Digital 1Tb SSD external for £45 - they are now selling at £37

https://www.wdc.com/en-gb/products/wd-recertified/my-passport-ultra.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_ovquaLV2QIVaL7tCh3ErgK9EAQYAyABEgIDIvD_BwE#RWDBZFP0010BRD-EESN

Obviously these are UK prices but Western Digital are an American company. 
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Farabomb on March 05, 2018, 08:43:47 AM
Well, that's a reman drive and I'm not sure it's a SSD. Pretty sure that's a laptop HDD in an enclosure. That's why it's so cheap.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Joe on March 05, 2018, 09:47:00 AM
Quote from: Farabomb on March 05, 2018, 08:43:47 AMWell, that's a reman drive and I'm not sure it's a SSD. Pretty sure that's a laptop HDD in an enclosure. That's why it's so cheap.

Even if that is an SSD, which I don't think it is, using an SSD as an external is not ideal as it will only be as fast as its slowest component which in this case is USB so you lose the actual speed advantage an SSD has over a traditional hard drive. Plus one thing I won't buy used, recertified, or refurbished is a hard drive.

That same drive here in the USA at Amazon is $53.86. And it is NOT an SSD.

https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Backup-Portable-External-STDR2000100/dp/B00H4XH5FY/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1520264682&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=my%2Bpassport%2Bultra&th=1
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Farabomb on March 05, 2018, 12:34:50 PM
Yeah, drives are cheap enough. Buying refurbished is just asking for trouble.

I remember when IBM had their issue with the deskstar deathstar drives that EVERYONE used because they were the fastest out there. Then they started dying on everyone. It was so bad IBM sold off their HDD division. 
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: Joe on March 05, 2018, 12:46:37 PM
Quote from: Farabomb on March 05, 2018, 12:34:50 PMYeah, drives are cheap enough. Buying refurbished is just asking for trouble.

Yeah and it is hard enough to get a new one that lasts these days.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: pspdfppdfxhd on March 12, 2018, 09:29:40 AM
Quote from: Joe on March 05, 2018, 09:47:00 AM
Quote from: Farabomb on March 05, 2018, 08:43:47 AMWell, that's a reman drive and I'm not sure it's a SSD. Pretty sure that's a laptop HDD in an enclosure. That's why it's so cheap.

Even if that is an SSD, which I don't think it is, using an SSD as an external is not ideal as it will only be as fast as its slowest component which in this case is USB so you lose the actual speed advantage an SSD has over a traditional hard drive. Plus one thing I won't buy used, recertified, or refurbished is a hard drive.

That same drive here in the USA at Amazon is $53.86. And it is NOT an SSD.

https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Backup-Portable-External-STDR2000100/dp/B00H4XH5FY/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1520264682&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=my%2Bpassport%2Bultra&th=1

Wouldn't buy one used either, or underwear for that matter.
Title: Re: New external drive
Post by: DigiCorn on March 12, 2018, 11:01:38 AM
Personally, I think most name brand drives are fairly similar in life expectancy, but it can also depend on usage. I've had two DVR HDDs go bad (one Dish, one Directv) and both were Western Digital. I've also had several Seagate HDDs go belly up, including a 1TB external that was only a few years old. On the other hand, I currently have several Hitachis that are approaching 10 years without issue, so I may be biased. I have one 8TB NAS that's Western Digital (slow as shit) and one 8TB NAS that's Seagate. I used to say WD and Seagate were crap, based on experience, but I may amend that.