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    External HDDs and failure

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by ricksaint, Dec 9, 2009.

  1. ricksaint

    ricksaint Notebook Consultant

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    It looks like no matter how careful you are, your external HDD is more prone to failure than internal ones. Anyone knows why that is?

    Is it better to buy the enclosure and the HDD (internal) separately? Does that give better reliability?
     
    ricksaint, Dec 9, 2009
    #1
  2. ricksaint

    ricksaint Notebook Consultant

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    My question is: Am I better off buying the enclosure and the HDD separately?

    Anyone?!
     
    ricksaint, Dec 9, 2009
    #2
  3. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    Definitely buy them separately.

    Too many things that can and will go wrong (if/when you need to recover your data if/when the external goes down).

    What can go wrong? How about the HD soldered to the external enclosure's circuit board so you can't even connect it to another enclosure or simply a SATA cable to get your data off?

    How about getting the cheapest HD in the 'pre-built' enclosures because that's about all the manufacturer cares about your data?

    You may find a deal that is better with a 'pre-built' HD/enclosure combo, but I have never seen such an external that hasn't failed, eventually. Right at the time when you'll depend on it the most (when its filled with all your data).

    I would recommend a Scorpio Blue 500GB HD and a Vantec eSata/USB2.0 enclosure.

    Good luck!
     
    tilleroftheearth, Dec 9, 2009
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  4. Opteron

    Opteron Notebook Evangelist

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    if you really care for your info check out:

    Patriot Convoy XL enclosure you can Raid 1, so if one drives fail you still have your info.
    patriot xl at newegg

    Then you have the on-line storage solution you just have to make sure they would be around when you need them-

    Carbonite

    they have heavy advertisment on the radio on the weekends on the Tech radio- with Leo Laport ( or something like that) I think you can type in leo for a discount.
     
    Opteron, Dec 10, 2009
    #4
  5. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Well.... I had 2 HDD failures in my old laptop... and still have had no problems with my externals except a broken power supply on one...

    So I wouldn't say external HDDs are more prone to failure.

    Although my 2 external HDDs have a metal case :) (good cooling) - and one I recently removed form the external case because cooling was too bad in it - so its sitting just in its caddy.
     
    DetlevCM, Dec 10, 2009
    #5
  6. NiteWalker

    NiteWalker Notebook Evangelist

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    QFT. I haven't tried them yet but the OWC Express enclosures look real nice.
     
    NiteWalker, Dec 10, 2009
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