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Wanna help me out with external harddrives? +k

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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 373
my macbook is 100% full so i need an external, so i headed up to circuit city, just to see and the external were like $150!? wtf?

so i o home and hit up google, and found some for less than that, so ive got a couple questions here;

whats the differance between them? other than space and cost?

andddd do some work with macs while others don't? and how can i tell?

i found this, any opinions?

Jul 11 2009 1:23PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 29,989
i got a 120 gig from best buy or something for like 70 bucks not too long ago, and it's pretty effin rad.
Jul 11 2009 1:28PM
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fragglemuffin
Posts: 3312 - Karma: 444
same...western digital passport or something like that.  i use it to hold all my movies and it works great
Jul 11 2009 1:29PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,273
depends if you want portable or desktop, i got an iomega 500gb desktop drive for under 100 but it's not very portable

most should work with macs. if you have an older mac DEFINITELY get a firewire one but if you have the newer macbook without firewire then make sure it's USB
Jul 11 2009 1:39PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 373
gracias all,
i dont think i have firewire, so i'll make sure to keep that in mind.

i guess portability's not too big of an issue, i'll probably just have it sitting here where i keep my computer.
Jul 11 2009 1:48PM
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gordie.
Posts: 2014 - Karma: 84
which macbook do you have? a new one?

firewire ports are pretty much exactly the same transfer speed as USB 2.0, so really theres no point in just lookign for firewire

if you're not looking for portability, its easy enough to find standalone drives, look at like costco or whatever the equivalent is where you live

if you want to get cheaper, what you can do is buy a hardrive enclosure for like 20- 25$
and then you can put in a old computer harddrive, either from an old laptop or desktop, its an easy process to do
then you can plug that into your mac and use it for back up

hell i even have an old random 60 gb comp harddrive sitting around my house, ill give it to you for free if you pay the shipping, its definately enough for backing up

oh and any hardrive should work with your mac, if it doesnt it just needs to be formatted, i can tell you how if you want
Jul 11 2009 1:54PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 373
yeah it's pretty new.

ummk, we're goin to costco later today, ill take a look around and see what they have.

i didnt know if like, only 2 or 3 externals on the market worked with macs or what.

gracias, +k home-skillet.
Jul 11 2009 1:58PM
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TeamJones
Posts: 629 - Karma: 12
I just bought a Iomega 1 TB external from Amazon for just under $100. USB hookups, but I haven't received it yet so I can't say much about it.
Jul 11 2009 2:09PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
i got a 750 for $80 at Costco
Jul 11 2009 3:13PM
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Mr_Orange
Posts: 1024 - Karma: 154
I'm not sure if there are specific ones for macs but I dout it. I got one they work really well, just put all your old pictures and videos on it clear up some space and your good to go.
Jul 11 2009 3:23PM
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daringharry
Posts: 1627 - Karma: 12
I got a 500 gb at wal mart for like 80 bucks.
Jul 11 2009 3:31PM
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chapz
Posts: 10182 - Karma: 66
i can get 1tb for 130 canadian
Jul 11 2009 3:42PM
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inactive
Posts: 4772 - Karma: 97
um i have a verbatim brand harddrive for my macbook, easy as hell to use, just drag and drop your shit into it.
Jul 11 2009 3:56PM
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inactive
Posts: 4772 - Karma: 97
hey man i use a mac, making me a fucking revolutionary.
Jul 11 2009 4:05PM
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Six.0.Tree-ski
Posts: 4059 - Karma: 67
he does too
Jul 11 2009 4:54PM
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Msully
Posts: 575 - Karma: 21
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4010243&Sku=M122-7828

that should be fine unless you need more space but im 100% sure most drives will work for mac unless stated

Jul 11 2009 5:33PM
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pdanger
Posts: 46 - Karma: 11
Try to find one with the highest read/right speep i think its measured in mbs/s
Jul 11 2009 5:41PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
or buy a 1tb and partition it
Jul 11 2009 6:17PM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
it's still the same drive mang.. if you have a hdd failure having it partitioned aint gonna do shit.

People don't really understand the importance of having solid backup procedures in place until it's too late.
Jul 11 2009 6:30PM
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inactive
Posts: 4772 - Karma: 97
revolutionary here-
what is a solid back up than
Jul 11 2009 6:43PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
i think he should buy a 1tb external, and partition it so that he has however much he needs for back up, then use the rest to take the programs he runs on his internaland put it on the external, thats what i did, the only thing i have on my comuter is cs4, logic studio, and final cut studio and i have 35gb left, u can still run games and programs from an external hd
Jul 11 2009 6:55PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
well no if the external is partitioned then the games and everything would be backed, an extra external drive would just be an insurance thing, its nice to have as a safety blanket but he probaby wont need it since he can do time machine backups
Jul 11 2009 7:00PM
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MrYeates
Posts: 1710 - Karma: 91
got a 1 terabyte for about $120 at wallmart
externals are extremely cheap
Jul 11 2009 7:02PM
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doublexl
Posts: 8407 - Karma: 27
i have a western digital My Book and its sweet. i put all my music on it.
Jul 11 2009 8:06PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
all the stuff on his internal probably wont fill up 500gb, im saying he should by 1tb and partition it 50/50 or 75/25 so essentially he will have two external hard drives in one case
Jul 11 2009 8:27PM
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eastside
Posts: 1744 - Karma: 167
how did you hit up circuit city? i thought they all got shut down.
Jul 11 2009 8:45PM
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eheath
Posts: 61648 - Karma: 123,472
For USB im guessing.
I got a firewire800 500gb for like 100 bucks online, just search around you'll find shit.
Jul 11 2009 8:51PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
bro hes on a mac, so its not a backup, its a time machine backup, not only can he access it on his computer he has, but he can access it on any computer that can read that kind of file/program. thats how i hooked one of my buddies up with cs4, its also how i have my external set up
Jul 11 2009 8:54PM
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Six.0.Tree-ski
Posts: 4059 - Karma: 67
I think this is what you were trying to say the whole time and he didnt get that.

Just buy a new drive and put all your shit on that. If you wanna be careful and not have to worry about losing ANYTHING then buy 2 and do what nomensteven is saying and have it in 2 places.
Jul 11 2009 9:36PM
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Six.0.Tree-ski
Posts: 4059 - Karma: 67
bingo. A year after i got my computer and had a huge music collection, my HD crashed and i had to send it in to get replaced. all my shit wasnt recoverable and had to start from scratch. It blows starting from scratch. you feel like you've been robbed of everything then its a veryy slow road to getting it all back. sometimes i fucking hate technology and its random fail-ish-ness
Jul 11 2009 9:49PM
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neutralzombie
Posts: 8629 - Karma: 606
western digital is good, and its not too expensive, i think you can get a terabyte for around 200$ otherwise, theres a little less for about 100$ too. i have one, its smaller than a wallet, haven't had any issues with it.
Jul 11 2009 9:50PM
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Soul.Powah
Posts: 27 - Karma: 10
I have a 500g passport.  got it from costco for 70, after rebate.  super good deal.  costco is the tits.
Jul 11 2009 10:19PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
ya most of my software is "borrowed" so i dont have to worry about losing it, and I (and probably Charmander) has an ipod with all his music and photos so he wont lose them if he losses one hd
Jul 11 2009 10:50PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 373
sorry i havent replied to my own thread haha

but i handed out liberal karma, yeah i do have an ipod with all my music, and thats why i need an external, because my internal is plum full of music haha

i think after we go to costco, ill either get what they have or a western digital external, id like to get 2 to have backup, but well... shit that costs too much haha

gracias everybody
Jul 11 2009 11:09PM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
I've had my laptop stolen and had my hdd fail. both times I was spared so much hassle and wasted time by being able to put everything back the way it was beforehand. Yes it costs a little more at the time to set up a backup system but it WILL save you far more in time and money when something inevitably stuffs up
Jul 11 2009 11:26PM
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Msully
Posts: 575 - Karma: 21

yeah id say get a 500gig external and just keep your music/vids on it

that way you could just plug it in when you want to dl music etc

Jul 13 2009 1:57AM
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BMskier
Posts: 3363 - Karma: 365
so i am loooking for a external hard drive now and there is an imoge on amazon for 100 (1TB) and a western digital for just over a hundred. (1.5TB). are both good hard drives? thoughs on companies and stuff.


BUMP!
Apr 18 2010 11:45PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
western digital
/thread
Apr 18 2010 11:46PM
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BMskier
Posts: 3363 - Karma: 365
anyone else? i am leaning towards the passport 500 gb. do all external hard drives require you to plug them into and outlet? thanks.
Apr 19 2010 3:39PM
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Gooseling
Posts: 1028 - Karma: 10
look on best buy's website they have some for $50
Apr 19 2010 3:42PM
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nkmo.
Posts: 3994 - Karma: 285
No, thats what Portable means. It powers itself off the USB.
Apr 19 2010 4:00PM
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nkmo.
Posts: 3994 - Karma: 285
Also, make sure to get this one:

Click for larger image

Not these ones:

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Apr 19 2010 4:09PM
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nkmo.
Posts: 3994 - Karma: 285
Also, make sure to get this one:

Click for larger image

Not these ones:

Click for larger image

Click for larger image
Apr 19 2010 4:12PM
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BMskier
Posts: 3363 - Karma: 365
can you give the specific names of the ones listed above? photos dont help that much when they all look similar. +k to you too
Apr 19 2010 4:26PM
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leahey
Posts: 2548 - Karma: 32
Get a 300 gig one, the price is worth it, you save yourself a lot of speed and RAM.
Apr 19 2010 4:33PM
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nkmo.
Posts: 3994 - Karma: 285
K. I actually meant this one for the last pic:

Click for larger image

The first one is what I use. It is the older MyPassport Elite 500gb. The other ones are the updated versions of the Elite and SE. From everything I've read, and using my roomies SE, the older Elite is the best one. The older elite uses micro USB (i think) and the new ones have some proprietary that supposedly does not connect very well. My Elite gets recognized within seconds and my roomies SE takes at least a couple minutes, plus it comes preinstalled with some WD SmartWare bullshit on it that kinda scares me.
Apr 19 2010 4:43PM
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BMskier
Posts: 3363 - Karma: 365
Click for larger image

Western Digital WD Elements

the reviews for this one are great and it comes in a 500 gb 1tb 1.5 and 2 tb all for a good price.

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Elements-External-WDBAAU0015HBK-NESN/dp/B002QEBMBY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top on that one because i dont think the new passports ar good based on peoples reviews at all

thoughts

Apr 19 2010 5:25PM
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