External HD
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- DogsBreath
I currently have 2 Lacie external HD's. A 160GB Firewire and a 250GB USB drive. My 250GB has just died and I am looking at options.
Should I get another dedicated external drive such as the Lacie, or is a HDD Enclosure with a HD drive in it a better option?
Looking at one of these - www.pccasegear.com.au/prod4097.h…... and some type of HD drive - maybe 300GB plus.
Any other ideas appreciated.
- DogsBreath0
bump...
- OeufOeuf0
Get the enclosure, then you can select from a wide range of drives.
- elms0
mhm, you never know what HD you get with the Lacie (some Lacies have IBM HDs inside - they supposed to be the worst)
- DogsBreath0
The 160GB Lacie has been going for twice as long as the one that died...just luck of the draw I guess.
- quamb0
make sure its the actual disk that died - could just be the enclosure? happened once, simply bought a new case and all was good. made my friggen day.
\\
- ghandolf0
I really like the Network Shared Drives. You can hit them from different points, different computers simultaneously. They connect to your router, or a port switch, and sit available on your network, not connected to your computer. Can also hit it wirelessly for tunes anywhere within range.
- OeufOeuf0
That network shared drive sounds interesting. Can you recommend one? Link?
- acescence0
network-attached storage
- ghandolf0
Certainly..
I bought the 500gb, Shared...
I Love it so far...
- horton0
hmm interesting...
so do you just leave that thing spinning 24-7 to serve your files, and it doesn't require a powered-up workstation to be recognized on the local network?
- k0na_an0k0
threads like this make me want to burn a dvd of all my shit and backup my backup external drives.
but i won't.
i'm a dumbass like that.
- ldww0
i heard bad things about lacie...
i was thinking about getting a maxtor. not sure if i want network or not.can you tell me about security on them, if i have a wireless network, think it is dangerous?
- ghandolf0
24/7?.. Well, sometimes...
I don't like to just let it run all the time. But it sits silently on my Network, and sometimes I turn it on to save files to it, or pull files from it, or to back up other drives, listen to tunes, etc.I have two actually, a 300gb, and a 500gb. The 300 holds all my music files, and project files, and the 500, I only turn on now and then to back up the 300, and my desktop/laptop.
It's completely independant, and doesn't need a workstation, and can go on and off your network as needed.
I don't like to let drives spinning all the time. And now, if one of the two should fail, the other one covers it with backed up data.
And Kona... for the first time in my life, I've actually backed up everything... this drive is what helped me to that.
Besides... how long do DVD's last? Anyone, .. Bueller?
- OeufOeuf0
"Besides... how long do DVD's last?"
ghandolf
(Sep 5 06, 12:49)
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They actually go bad? Even if properly stored? i.e. away from moisture, sunlight, etc.
- ribit0
I use a Lacie Ethernet Disk, on all the time, so I access over the internet using AFP or SMB file sharing (or FTP, http) and grab files off it on the road... reliable so far.
- ghandolf0
"Besides... how long do DVD's last?"
ghandolf
(Sep 5 06, 12:49)
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They actually go bad? Even if properly stored? i.e. away from moisture, sunlight, etc.Well, in reality, no one knows yet. They've only been on the market for about 8-10 years now. Supposedly, the laser etch process into aluminum, can corrode over time, but no one really knows yet... which is one of the reasons I decided to go with digital storage - it's only going to get worse, demanding more and more digital "space".
I can also access it over the internet and pull files off of it. It's really pretty cool and handy.
Reliability.. is a crap shoot. I've heard good and bad things about all external drives, Maxtor, Lacie, Western Digital...etc.
You pays yer money, and takes yer chances....
Just have more than one copy of your files.One of the other reasons I didn't use DVD's, is the time involved to back up on them.
I have over 300 gigs of files I need to store,... that's about 65 DVD's per backup session, AND the time to sit here and feed the burner loading the next disc...
I can do backups overnight to the drives with no discs, while I sleep.
- ldww0
if i have a network drive. and i configure it to allot me to connect to it from my laptop on my wireless network. can someone who gets onto my network also connect to it?
this paranys me, cause i have seen how easy it is to hack a wireless network.
- acescence0
Well, in reality, no one knows yet.
ghandolf
(Sep 5 06, 13:48)um, i know! CDs and DVDs do indeed go bad!!! i have many many many with the coating completely flaked off and useless. and yes, they were stored properly.
friendly tip from a fire victim: your backups are not safe if they are in the same building as the originals!
- ghandolf0
I'm sure that a wireless network can be hacked... which is another reason I don't leave my drive spinning all the time. However, I also use encryption keys, to access my network, (digital keys that must be entereded into the laptop wanting access to my network) AND a firewall, AND software sniffing for incoming connections.
Never had a problem so far, but would I really know if someone connected?
I also don't 'broadcast' my SSID either... so -
1. Firewalled
2. Digital Key Encryption
3. Software dogs sniffing ports
4. Intermittent AvailabilityI think I'm fairly safe where I live with that set up.
Sometimes I can't even connect to it myself after a re-boot, unless I turn Norton off, lower my firewall, and try again. So I imagine that it's fairly safe and invisible enough to keep others out.
So far... there's been no issues.
- acescence0
MAC address filtering is a good security measure on wireless networks. not so great if you have frequent guests though. also, use manual IPs instead of DHCP, and make the address pool the same number as # of clients you're connecting