External Hard Drive

[MikeW]

I just got a Maxtor 250 gb external USB/firewire... but now im reading some stuff online about them shutting down after like 6 months to a year

does anyone know anything about this? Should i not be dealing with Maxtor externals? What brand should I get in an external?

thanks a lot for the help... its much appreciated

[GX1_Man]

Heck, you can get a case/enclosure and put any kind of drive you want in there!

No I have no news of Maxtors going belly up quickly, but any hard drive can fail, and usually right after the warranty is up! Redundant backups, anyone?

[MikeW]

Heck, you can get a case/enclosure and put any kind of drive you want in there!

No I have no news of Maxtors going belly up quickly, but any hard drive can fail, and usually right after the warranty is up! Redundant backups, anyone?

so do you think goin with an internal/case is a better option? If so, which brand you think is best?

i really apprecaite the help man

[GX1_Man]

The advantage of an external is that is portable, potentially storable off site, and can be used on various machines. Several makers have those enclosures and they are relatively cheap ($20-30) You can put any maker's compatible hard drive in there and get the same thing. It runs off USB 2 or Firewire usually.

I prefer internal because there is one less thing to fall off my desk, but that's my personal issue. Also why I don't use external CDRW, and external modems (when I used a modem).

I use my internal secondary drive to:

1) hold the image of my pristine system load AFTER all updates, service packs, etc and main programs that I will always use. Other programs can be installed again later.

2) Data

This is on my (uggh!) Windows system. On Linux I just backup my data to a CDRW, because I can install the whole operating system from scratch, if needed, in under 10 minutes!!!!!!!
2) Data

[MikeW]

The advantage of an external is that is portable, potentially storable off site, and can be used on various machines. Several makers have those enclosures and they are relatively cheap ($20-30) You can put any maker's compatible hard drive in there and get the same thing. It runs off USB 2 or Firewire usually.

I prefer internal because there is one less thing to fall off my desk, but that's my personal issue. Also why I don't use external CDRW, and external modems (when I used a modem).

I use my internal secondary drive to:

1) hold the image of my pristine system load AFTER all updates, service packs, etc and main programs that I will always use. Other programs can be installed again later.

2) Data

This is on my (uggh!) Windows system. On Linux I just backup my data to a CDRW, because I can install the whole operating system from scratch, if needed, in under 10 minutes!!!!!!!
2) Data

but i mean do you think an internal drive with an enclosure is a better option than the Maxtor external I bought?

i need somethin external... thats a fact (unfortunatly)

thanks a lot

[GX1_Man]

If you already bought it I wouldn't worry. Google around and see what you can learn. They really don't intentionally sell bad stuff. I've used Maxtor drives for years!

[MikeW]

If you already bought it I wouldn't worry. Google around and see what you can learn. They really don't intentionally sell bad stuff. I've used Maxtor drives for years!

yeah... i searched around there isnt much on the 250 gb model, but there are a decent amount of people talking about the same hard drive in the 80 gb model... and a lot of them are saying the drive just stopped working after like 6 months to a year... which is why im considering returning the one i bought

what im tryin to figure out though is if thats just like a small percentage of people having this problem of ir thats sort of a standard known issue with Maxtor or with external hard drives in general



i hate to keep buggin you about the same issue but i really appreciate the help man... thanks

[GX1_Man]

yeah... i searched around there isnt much on the 250 gb model, but there are a decent amount of people talking about the same hard drive in the 80 gb model... and a lot of them are saying the drive just stopped working after like 6 months to a year... which is why im considering returning the one i bought

what im tryin to figure out though is if thats just like a small percentage of people having this problem of ir thats sort of a standard known issue with Maxtor or with external hard drives in general



i hate to keep buggin you about the same issue but i really appreciate the help man... thanks

A few unhappy people obscure the many satisfied customers, I'm sure. I don't envision it's a crowd threatening to storm the Bastille in MaxtorLand.

[patio]

You will never hear about the satisfied customers as they have no reason to complain.
Just keep your backup routine going and you have nothing to worry about.

I have a 528 MEG Seagate i still beat the snot out of with old DOS games...runs like a champ!

patio.  

[MikeW]

I appreciate the help guys... I guess ill keep it afterall

thanks a million

[GX1_Man]

Don't forget that backup advice! That's why it's there.