External hard drive reliability

jonnyg · 19 Feb 2006 at 18:58

Hi,

Recently bought a WD 320Gb External Hard Drive, to store lots of files that are hogging up space on my PC on, with the option of removing it and taking it with me.

A thought struck me however; if i copy all my music/photos/files onto this, and create space on the main drive by deleting the source files, then how secure and safe are my files on the drive. I dont mean from hackers, i mean from a problem with USB. I have lost a couple of flash drives in my time from plugging them into broken USB ports, so how do i know if it will be ok!?

Are flash drives a different story to what is basically a ATA hard drive, in a box with a USB plug up its rear? Or will i need to contact OcUK and perhaps arrange a return for a internal drive? I wouldn't mind that, but i do already have 2 drives in there!

vapor matt · 19 Feb 2006 at 19:32

Hi, well i have just put a 250g H/D in a ICY BOX external on USB2. i think its as safe as any other HD, but dont drop it, bang it or lose it!

Portable external drives are more likely to get damaged unless you are very carefull. but they do have good use's in you can plug them into any PC and use your data.

I like the icy box, seems fast and it looks dam cool!

jonnyg · 19 Feb 2006 at 19:39

I suppose that if i leave it alone and plugged in to my PC, then nothing can happen... But my problem still is that if something DOES happen, then i am well and truly proverbial-ed...

ultim · 19 Feb 2006 at 19:39

i had bad experiences with external hd. ive bought two in the last 2 years and both have failed me. But i do move it around a lot and put it in my bag.

jonnyg · 19 Feb 2006 at 19:54

This drive is stationary, and i dont plan to take it about a lot, if at all. Plus, its a WD drive inside, so its a well known and trusted brand (my internal 160Gb has lasted since Aug '04)

vapor matt · 19 Feb 2006 at 20:44

I think as with any hardware its luck of the draw as to how long it will last. staying in one place and not being moved about will help it, as H/drives do not like even the smallest of bumps.

as for being totaly stuffed if it fails well it makes no odds inside or outside! if it fails it fails, ive had drives not a year old fail before but ive always backed up to DVD,s so i never lost any important data.

like anything that has moveing parts it will fail sooner or later, thats a fact!

1 year, 2 years, or even 5 years who knows! i still know of 4g drives that work, be it noisy but still work. mind you i wouldnt trust 1 that old.