[Question] Western Digital 2.5'' 1TB USB2 External Drive

[AmithS]

Hi Everyone,

Was wondering if anyone has any experiences to share on the Western Digital 2.5'' 1TB USB2 External Drive in terms of reliability?


Thanks,

[irneb]

Not that one, though I've got some other experiences with other brands (both good & bad):

• Iomega 120GB 3.5in. Got this one in 2005. Works quite well, still. I generally have some portable programs running from it. Throughput I find to average around 10-20MBi/s, not awesome but good for that time.
• Iomega eGo 250B. This just "looks" nice (or rather it looks like a hip-flask). And if you've got a Windows based PC you're going to pull your hair: If you plug it in after WinSnooze has booted you get a UBS1 connection only (i.e. best performance of 2MBi/s), but if you plug it in before Win has started then it runs at 15-20MBi/s. With my Linux I've never had such issue with this drive: performs perfectly no matter when I stick the connector in - so it must be something to do with the Windoze driver.
• Seagate 500GB Expansion Drive. This one's simply AWESOME. IMO the rest of the HDD manufacturers need to copy what Seagate does - the Added Software works well, and doesn't nag you every time you plug it in (so this is the 1st external I didn't need to reformat as the 1st thing I do). It runs at USB 2 speeds in every single case I've ever used it - usually around 25-32MBi/s (depending on PC's CPU load). Quick to start up as well, it's near immediate (even on "Win").

I'm not sure about WD's portables. I know they're a "reasonable" HDD manufacturer - as compared to most of the "others". Yet from past experience (since the 80's) the only manu which has NEVER had a HDD crash or corrupt or get bad spots was Seagate. WD, Toshiba, and especially the others have extremely bad track records with me. I "liked" the Iomega since I used their Zip & Bernoulli drives in the past, but their HDDs aren't too great - about average at best.

I can sum-up my HDD experiences (both internal & portable) by tossing them into 3 bags: I throw WD & Tosh in the same bag as Iomega - the 2nd best bag. Seagate's the only one in the "best of all" bag. While everything else goes to the dump!

I haven't tried stuff like Lacie or so, so I can't say much about them though. I'm in the process of getting a new PC, so when that's complete I'll look at getting one of these 2 or 3TB drives. But I'll probably look for a USB3 interface this time round.

[AmithS]

I bought a 1TB WD 2.5 usb powered - price was good in comparison to other drives. It is also nice and small. The samsung was cheaper and came with a case etc... However i went with the WD as i think they good drives (in my mind ive always taught WD and SG to be the best) It is going well so far touch wood

I opened up my Toshiba 3.5 external 500GB HDD this morning as i want to use the HDD for another purpose and discovered it is also a WD. Got it for 3 years used mostly for weekly backups and had no problems.

In some reviews i have read alot of people seem to prefer Samsung drives over others like WD saying they are very strong drives ? I dont know. go with what you know i guess!!!

[irneb]

Well I see that the prices are a lot lower than when I last bought one (understandably). As example: http://www.ikonicit.co.za/drives-and...-1/2.5-drives/

WD Passport Esential 1TB @ R1015
Samsung S2 portable 1TB @ R991
Seagate Freeagent GoFlex 1TB @ R944
WD MyBook Element 1TB @ R973

Of course if you're willing to go with the slightly larger 3.5" discs the prices are even better: http://www.ikonicit.co.za/drives-and...-1/3.5-drives/
Samsung G3 Station 1TB @ R740
Seagate Expansion 1TB @ R614
WD MyBook Element 1TB @ R616

Of course, not counting those "specialized" things like the SSD's and the near-NAS drives like the Freeagent Desktop dock.

As for other brands, oh well you might just find that Samsung has yet something else under the hood like those HiT's has - don't know myself, haven't even seen one up-close. Though I'd think they do have some hardware capabilities, seeing as they manufacture most of the internals of the iPhones. But one name I would warn everyone against: Maxtor: If you want to loose your data, place it on a Maxtor! I think that should be their ad-line. It's the "best" encryption I've ever seen, there's absolutely no way you'd ever be able to read the data again!

[AmithS]

Geez these guys are very well priced. Im not sure what there delivery prices are and how their service is?

Have you used them before?

You should of told me about them before ill definitely keep them for future

[irneb]

No, I've never used them before. I got hold of their page through http://www.pricecheck.co.za/

That's usually how I get hold of the best prices. Then I print out to show this to one of my regular shops / suppliers and they usually then try to match (if they can).

[Dave A]

Then I print out to show this to one of my regular shops / suppliers and they usually then try to match (if they can).

Pretty smooth way to get good prices without too much runaround.

[irneb]

Yeah well! I figure why should I spend RRRR on fuel when I can quickly get hold of most of the prices beforehand? That's what that site's there for isn't it? I have bought some stuff directly from the companies they list (e.g. my Moto Milestone was through ExpanSys, which I got hold of through PriceCheck).

But generally I'd prefer to first know of someone's experience with a company before I send them money - same reason I don't quite like the 2nd hand markets on the internet (or even stuff like Amazon). Unfortunately sometimes that's your only option!

[tec0]

I have been using NexStar HDD enclosures along with both Samsung and Seagate HDD and never had a problem with any of them. That said I don’t run them permanently mostly just to store stuff. It is pointless for me to have them on all the time. But that said my friend had one for 3 years now and it is still running everyday! Yes you need to do a bit of DIY to get them running but I cannot complain.

That said the Transcend StoreJet 2000GB 3.5" Aluminum Turbo External SATA is not bad for R1313

Just test the hell out of it for the first 5 days...

[irneb]

That said the Transcend StoreJet 2000GB 3.5" Aluminum Turbo External SATA is not bad for R1313

In that case why not the Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk STAC2000200 2000GB for R981? It can be connected through USB 2, USB 3, Firewire and eSATA. And you can have it work as a NAS on a 1GB/s LAN if you get this: http://www.comx.co.za/STAM2000200-Se...ap-p-38848.php

[tec0]

In that case why not the Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk STAC2000200 2000GB for R981? It can be connected through USB 2, USB 3, Firewire and eSATA. And you can have it work as a NAS on a 1GB/s LAN if you get this: http://www.comx.co.za/STAM2000200-Se...ap-p-38848.php

That is actually a nice product.