Portable backup drives....

[NikNak]

Anyone got any views or experiences of a portable backup drive please..?

Looking to save gazzillions of photos / vids / doc.s / xls / pdf's / etc etc....

A quick look on Currys website and there's loads that aren't toooo expensive, thinking 1TB...

Are they pretty much foolproof.? as in do 'they' search and find all savable doc's.? or do you need to trawl through your waste-bin of a computer filing system you set up ages ago and find that last little file you forgot about..?

Ones you'd buy v's ones you's avoid....


Cheers in advance...


Nick

 

[Woodchips2]

I've got an Iomega Prestige 1TB drive that has worked well and is easy to use http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/external ... op-usb-3-0

Regards Keith

 

[CHJ]

Some come with backup software, but If you use a Microsoft operating system I find SyncToy from Microsoft does all I need.

Just select Folder (documents for instance) and set up a destination pair with a folder on your backup drive and each time you run it, it automatically adds new files etc, (dependant on options set)

You can try it to write to a different Back Up folder on your hard drive if you like before you purchase new drives..
I backup to independent drives and other computers over a network using it.

 

[Benchwayze]

Seagate Expansion Drive 1TB.

Physically, the case is much smaller than most other external drives. It works well, is fast, and it tucks away nicely under the monitor shelf.

HTH

John

 

[Harbo]

I think most of the big names are ok - I use a couple of 1TB Iomega's.

One for my Mac and the other for my PC

Rod

 

[CHJ]

I keep a couple of smaller capacity ones with USB only power source for moving stuff around when mobile.

Larger capacity mains powered for home/office use.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Be careful of external disks They're built down to a price.

I bought an Iomega one. First one that arrived was dead out of the packaging (clicks of death). Replaced under guarantee.

Second one: SATA-to-USB protocol converter failed suddenly. Took disk out of box (at which point realised how poor the cooling arrangements were). It worked for another few months then the disk itself died (just as the first one did).

I now have a NAS box with mirrored disks (mirrored in case of failure - does nothing for performance!), and a Linux server as a Time Machine vault for the Macs in the house.

If you want reasonably safe storage for images, consider a disk array like mine for safety's sake (use a RAID level that allows for rebuild in case of disk failure). If you want actual backup (sensible!), consider something like:

http://www.backblaze.com/

(disclaimer: we've just become partners/affiliates, but I haven't tried it yet myself - comes recommended though).

I have thirteen-year old hard disks that are still happy (although truthfully they need to be replaced now). It all depends on how you look after them. These external drives are disasters waiting to happen mostly. They're fine for easy extra storage, as long as you have real backup arrangements too.

Regarding my Iomega debacle, I should know better. They have form, going back 20 years or so.

Zip drive, anyone?
Perhaps a Jaz then...?

E.

 

[KevM]

Regarding my Iomega debacle, I should know better. They have form, going back 20 years or so.

Zip drive, anyone?
Perhaps a Jaz then...?

E.

Eh, you were lucky to have a Zip drive! We used to have a 20MB Iomega Bernoulli box!
...
......
And you try and tell the young people of today that ..... they won't believe you

 

[Eric The Viking]

We used to have a 20MB Iomega Bernoulli box

Um OK. You win. But I bet you only used it for a doorstop...