External HD

[Maciej]

I need a new external enclosure for my HD, any suggestions? Should I go for one w/ dual interface, just USB, just FW, or what? Any particular brands you guys trust? I've been looking around New Egg, but have only really read mixed reviews... which one do I buy.

[alcimedes]

I get one with both firewire and USB2 to be safe. Is it a full size or notebook size drive?

[SKMDC]

Go to dealmac.com, and register your desires with them and they'll email you daily as the specials come in.

I have a couple of Acoms that I like.

[macleod]

Other World Computing has some very nice External HD enclosures and they look very nice. Some can even except more than one drive which is nice if you want a lot of storage space.

[Maciej]

Good question Alci, thanks for pointing that out.

Its a full sized one.

[BlueRabbit]

I'd recommend getting a dual interface one as well - you never know when you'll end up needing a USB port. In my case, my PowerBook went into the shop, and I ended up connecting my external HD to my Beige G3 (!) in order to get my homework files off. It was really really slow, but at least it worked. ;)

[Maciej]

Are there any brands that are just above the rest? I looked at OWC and their stuff seemed really expensive. I'm not quite sure what to do...

[709]

I've had pretty good luck with Macally (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817146602) enclosures. I've got 6 running right now (some 400/USB2, some 800/400/USB2, one 5.25") and I've only ever had one case go bad on me. Drive installation is a cinch as well.

[edit]: Buy.com (http://www.buy.com/prod/Mace_3_5in_USB_2_0_1394_Aluminum_Enclosure/q/loc/101/10353081.html) has it for roughly the same price when you factor in free shipping. Either way, that's a good price considering it lists for around 70 bucks.

[edit2]: Yup. OWC (http://eshop.macsales.com/item/MacAlly/PHR100AC/) has it listed at $67.99. Screw that. The only thing worth considering at OWC is this (http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MEFW912AL2/), IMO (I have one, and it's very nice).

[Luca]

I'll second the Macally recommendation. I'm going to replace my plastic enclosure with a Macally one before I go to China. I'm not entirely sure, but I think the plastic one may have caused some kind of data corruption on my old hard drive. That one used a fan, which was so loud I had to disconnect it and I just run it with the cover off. But I can't do that when I travel, so a fanless aluminum enclosure it is.

[torifile]

I've also got a Macally one but I can't recommend it too much. It's been reliable but there's no power switch on the back, so I'll have to unplug it from time to time to get the drive to stop spinning. I'm talking about times it's not even connected to my computer that it will spin endlessly. The casing gets hot and I'd hate to have my drive die because it's spinning needlessly.

[709]

Yeah, the earlier cases were without power switches (stupid :rolleyes: ) or stands, but the newer ones have them. My 400s don't get too warm, but the 800s get downright hot.

[18 Miles to Memphis]

Is it for an S-ATA drive? Then I recommend the Raidsonic Stardom U6-1S-WBA (FW400) or the U6-1S-WBC (FW800), works great, looks good, solid and simple, well worth the money, it'll last you forever.
http://www.raidsonic.de/de/pages/products/external_cases_gal.php?search=35inch&PHPSESSID=f9891458542abb46d706f2d1d351feec

[alcimedes]

Interesting. From what I can tell, the raidsonic devices are the exact same as those sold by weibetech. Expensive, but very high quality.

[709]

Most of those Raidsonic enclosures are just relabeled. Everyone seems to be selling the same things under different brand names. For example, CoolDrives (http://store.yahoo.com/cooldrives/sataenclosures.html) has many of the same enclosures that RaidSonic and WiebeTech has, but usually much less expensive.

[edit]: Like this: RaidSonic Stardom (http://www.raidsonic.de/de/pages/products/external_cases.php?we_objectID=3763&PHPSESSID=f9891458542abb46d706f2d1d351feec) $?. WiebeTech TrayDock (http://www.wiebetech.com/products/traydockesata.php): $349.95. CoolDrives SATAVault (http://store.yahoo.com/cooldrives/dual-esata-sas-drive-case-al1.html): $169.98.

[defaultmike]

is there any such thing as an enclosure for a Sata HDD? I´m about to get for free a Sata HDD, and I was gonna put it in my G5, but now I´m thinking it might suit me better as an external HDD, since I´d be able to use it with my iBook also. thoughts? suggestions?

[alcimedes]

read the post above yours. ;)

[defaultmike]

Darn, I feel stupid :P