External HDD

[Shiny]

After a bit of help chaps.

My home pc is getting on a bit now but it still has it use. I've at least two (it may even be 3, can't remember and it has been a while since i have opened it up) HDDs, but they are all getting full.

All my photos are on one HDD which is now almost full and i backed them up on another. I will probably clear some old games off another drive (i dont really have time to play them these days) so i have room for some more, but ideally i'd like to get rid of the backup and make space that way.

My main concern though is that if the HDD fails, i will have lost years and years of photos, so i'm thinking about an external HDD drive which i can use to back up all my photos, should the worse happen.

I have no experience of what is good, what type i will need and what is reliable. I will probably be using it once a month or so to back up new photos.

I've probably got around 50GB of photos as it stands, but this has been increasing quickly as i've finally got round to taking in RAW for the last year or so.

Wouldn't mind some pointers as something reliable and affordable. Not sure on budget as i don't really know what they cost, but somewhere between £50 and £100 at a guess?

If you need any specs of the pc, I will find them out and put them up, but it is a few years old now. Would like a portable external drive as i can then use back up stuff i've put on my laptop (which is also old, probably about 5 years).

[Gayno]

TBH they're all much of a muchness these days.

I'd just go on here and pick whichever took your fancy at whatever size you think you need.

http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Storage/cat ... ---USB-2.0

[Shiny]

Someone has recommended this http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/seagate-f ... 7-pdt.html

Thoughts?

[Gayno]

The only downside to "desktop" drive is that they require an external power source.

"Portable" drives as I linked to are powered solely from the USB so are just "plug and go", not having to carry an additional mains adapter around and having to find a spare socket when you want to use it.

Also, the portable units use laptop hard drives, which are more resiliant to shocks/drops.

[Shiny]

Ah, Portable will probably be of more use, maybe. Although it is not the end of the world to find a power supply.

Which is the most reliable?

[Gayno]

Again, they're all much the same these days, if anything, find the one that has the longest warranty!

I have a portable drive that I've had for 5 years now and is still going strong, case is battered to hell! Comes back to my point about laptop drives being used and are more resiliant.

Personally, I would go for a portable if you're constantly powering up and down. If it was just for extra storage and would be always powered up and connected, I'd perhaps say the desktop as the spin speeds are faster, but as you're only really using it as a backup device, the portable type will be fine.

[Pushki]

I have a Seagate 250Gb portable that I use for backing up my important stuff.
It does the job just fine.

One thing to watch if you have a limited number of USB ports. Some drives use two.

[toadster]

LO

I have had a Freecom 80gb External HDD for ages know and it's been great , i use it to back up my PCB designs for my work.
I would go down the USB powered route , so many to choose from now and much cheaper then when i bought mine too

Most should do the job for you fine

Cheers

Toadster

[mart609]

I picked up one of those Seagate external drives from maplins for 2tb £70 on sale. they're awesome

[toadster]

LO

I picked up one of those Seagate external drives from maplins for 2tb £70 on sale. they're awesome

I paid that for my 80GB was a while ago mind

2TB thats a lot of PORN mart

Only kidding

Cheers

Toadster