Patient Guy wrote:
> I would like the names of makes and models of external hard drives that
> meet the following criteria:
>
> * power source
>
> I prefer the drive powering itself off the notebook (I have an
> HP Pavilion dv9500t), but am not sure
>
> * quality
>
> Some of these drives I am told are made just well enough to get past
> the 1- or 2-year warranty, and the very cheap price reflects that.
> In other words you get what you pay for (or didn't pay for). I prefer
> a drive that I can rely on for at least 3 or more years. It's unlikely
> to see heavy duty.
>
> * application
>
> --- backup: I intend to use the freeware SyncBack (because it lets me
> include/exclude directories/files as Windows XP used to do and Vista
> doesn't) to back up personal documents/data
>
> --- DVD-to-drive: I use DVD FAB Platinum to copy films I subscribe to
> from Netflix to a drive which I can view later then delete, which the DVD
> is back in the return mail to Netflix
>
> --- partition for other OS: It would be nice to put Linux (like Ubuntu)
> also on the drive, but I don't believe my laptop will boot off a USB
> connection, probably something that Microsoft insisted that HP and other
> OEMs do to stop the interest in playing with alternative OSes.
>
>
> Based on this, I estimate a drive with at least > 200 GB. A half-dozen
> DVD films at highest quality would be about 50 GB. Data
> (document/photos/music) would probably be triple that.
>
>
> * size and weight
>
> in a form factor that is truly portable, and maybe even fits into a
> large shirt pocket...this is not a critical requirement however
>
> * other considerations
>
> I understand there are debates about enclosures (metal vs. plastic)
> and whether they are good for cooling high-rpm (>7200) spinning
> drives. Don't know much about that other than that I hope the maker
> has tested his models for at least the warranted period (!).
>
> I have read the PCWorld and PCMag reviews and seen the "editor's
> choices." I can see they don't often agree, which may mean they are
> beholden to advertising revenue in their selections.
>
> That's why I seek you out: you are the independent reviewer, I trust.
Your first requirement pretty well tells you that you will have an
external which has either a 2.5" or 1.8" hard drive in it. 3.5" drives
require a 12V line and their total power consumption is more than a USB
port (or 2) can provide. Of course having a tiny hard drive means that
the material/cooling problem and the "fit in a shirt pocket" questions
are already taken care of since the enclosure won't really get warm no
matter what the material and will invariably be small. I have not seen
any 2.5" externals that meet your 200gB requirement (160gB is the
largest I've seen) although they probably are out there given that the
bare drives are increasing in capacity rapidly.
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com 
What To Buy In An External Hard Drive? Suggestions Requested 
Linear Mode
