External Hard Drives, Online Backup Solutions & The Cloud

samifan24 · 06-25-2008, 06:49 AM

Lately I've been thinking that I should purchase either an external hard drive or a "subscription" to an online backup service (Amazon S3 or Mozy, for example) because I currently only have my photos backed up on Flickr, that's it. I have a newer Macbook but have not tried Time Machine yet. I like the idea of Apple's Time Capsule but I don't feel like paying $300 for it since I don't need the router capabilities right now.

Can anyone provide suggestions or feedback on different hard drives (Seagate, Western Digital) or online backup services? I know the local Best Buy has Seagate and Western Digital drives in stock but while both get good editor reviews from Cnet, they also both get a terribly mixed bag of user reviews. Help!

flere-imsaho · 06-25-2008, 08:41 AM

I've just been doing the same research myself, at least into just external hard drives. The bottom line is that both the Seagate and Western Digital external drives are at the top of the heap in their category. I'll probably go with the Seagate as they have a 5-year warranty, but apparently you can't go wrong with either.

Rich1033 · 06-25-2008, 08:57 AM

I have two WD externals that have worked great and have not had any problems(an older 250gig thats full and a newer 500gig). Just dont be lazy like me and not move everything over from you internals. My internal died and I lost all my photos. Also, an additional backup to DVD isnt a bad idea.

Daimyo · 06-25-2008, 09:11 AM

I went through using external drives for backup, then flickr for photos, and finally broke down and subscribed to Mozy. So far so good although I haven't had to do a restore yet.

Cringer · 06-25-2008, 09:28 AM

I think externals are great. We have one that I have rarely used, but when I was being asked for the TCY Exporter a couple weeks ago I went and checked it as a last resort and found a bunch of crap from 3 years ago my wife had put on there, including the TCY Exporter......

Phototropic · 06-25-2008, 03:26 PM

I started doing some research last night, so I'm interested to hear opinions as well.

M GO BLUE!!! · 06-25-2008, 03:36 PM

The Seagate external drives are great.

I have two internal drives that I back up to external drives. When my C-drive crashed a couple weeks ago I had a backup that I was able to go to and be back up to speed within an hour.

gstelmack · 06-25-2008, 08:13 PM

Well, after my wife upgraded her box, her old box remains connected to the network with a nice big drive in it, and Cobian backup backs up all our data every night to it...

samifan24 · 06-26-2008, 06:07 PM

I picked up a Western Digital Mybook 500 GB external from Best Buy today. Time Machine will do the rest.

JediKooter · 06-26-2008, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samifan24

I picked up a Western Digital Mybook 500 GB external from Best Buy today. Time Machine will do the rest.

Excellent choice!

mrsimperless · 06-26-2008, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Well, after my wife upgraded her box, her old box remains connected to the network with a nice big drive in it

I just want to say...

Never mind, too easy.

JonInMiddleGA · 06-26-2008, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsimperless

Never mind, too easy.

Same thought I had.

06-25-2008, 09:28 AM	#5
Cringer Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Edinburg,TX	I think externals are great. We have one that I have rarely used, but when I was being asked for the TCY Exporter a couple weeks ago I went and checked it as a last resort and found a bunch of crap from 3 years ago my wife had put on there, including the TCY Exporter...... __________________ You Stole Fizzy Lifting drinks! You bumped into the ceiling which now has to be washed and steralized, so you get NOTHING! You lose!

06-25-2008, 08:13 PM	#8
gstelmack Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cary, NC	Well, after my wife upgraded her box, her old box remains connected to the network with a nice big drive in it, and Cobian backup backs up all our data every night to it... __________________ -- Greg -- Author of various FOF utilities

06-26-2008, 06:07 PM	#9
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	I picked up a Western Digital Mybook 500 GB external from Best Buy today. Time Machine will do the rest. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

06-25-2008, 08:41 AM	#2
flere-imsaho Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chicagoland	I've just been doing the same research myself, at least into just external hard drives. The bottom line is that both the Seagate and Western Digital external drives are at the top of the heap in their category. I'll probably go with the Seagate as they have a 5-year warranty, but apparently you can't go wrong with either.

06-25-2008, 08:57 AM	#3
Rich1033 High School Varsity Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sylvania, Ohio	I have two WD externals that have worked great and have not had any problems(an older 250gig thats full and a newer 500gig). Just dont be lazy like me and not move everything over from you internals. My internal died and I lost all my photos. Also, an additional backup to DVD isnt a bad idea.

06-25-2008, 09:11 AM	#4
Daimyo College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Berkeley	I went through using external drives for backup, then flickr for photos, and finally broke down and subscribed to Mozy. So far so good although I haven't had to do a restore yet.

06-25-2008, 03:26 PM	#6
Phototropic Mascot Join Date: Nov 2006	I started doing some research last night, so I'm interested to hear opinions as well.

06-25-2008, 03:36 PM	#7
M GO BLUE!!! Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2005	The Seagate external drives are great. I have two internal drives that I back up to external drives. When my C-drive crashed a couple weeks ago I had a backup that I was able to go to and be back up to speed within an hour.

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