[magpie]

I want to back up my huge stash of Sharma pr0n, I have looked online and come to the conclusion I need an external hard drive (I don't want to save it all onto CDs) but I have no clue if there are different types or what is good.  Can I get something that is basically just a giant USB memory stick type thing or is it more complicated than that?

Any suggestions?

[slackline]

Can I get something that is basically just a giant USB memory stick type thing or is it more complicated than that?

Yep thats basically what an external HD works as.  You can get USB memory sticks up into the multiple GB's these days (around 64Gb I think, but tres expensive).

What you opt for depends on a) how much you want to spend; b) how much space you want; c) what size drive you want.

In reverse order...

c) Generally you get 3.5" or "desktop" or 2.5" or "portable".  For the same size drive the later will generally be more expensive.

b) Simple, the price will generally increase with the size of the drive.

a) is where it gets tricky.  Ideally you want a decent hardrive, Seagate/Western Digital and so forth.  But then there are some companies such a Leica who use these in their products (buy a leica, void your warranty by taking it apart and you'll likely find that its a WD or Seagate inside, I did).

Another option you might want to consider is something like a "media drive" like the Western Digital's My Book which is actually running a custom Linux distro and can be made to work as a uPnP server serving up your music, pictures and pr0n to your PS3/Xbox. (I use one of these to do similar stuff with 2x external HD's connected to it).

One thing to be wary of is the noise, some drives come with fans to cool them, some don't.  Those that don't may run a risk of overheating (although the one I've got never has, although it does get warm).  So look for comments on how noisy the things are too or if there have been overheating problems if thats going to be an issue.

Added links to ebuyer as it was quick and easy, check reviews which will sometimes mention what the hard-drive inside is and try some of the other shops listed in this thread.

Personally I have two Leica's, a 500Gb that I've had for four years (w/fan, still works fine and is constantly used) and a 750Gb which I've had about a year (no fan, still works fine).

HTHs

slack

[magpie]

Can open, worms everywhere.   

I don't really understand half of that, so I am going to go and look at all your links and then come back with stupid questions  Thank you for taking the time to type it all out for me.

My first stupid question is; do they need plugged in?  All the time?

[slackline]

My first stupid question is; do they need plugged in?  All the time?

Yes, they all need plugging into the USB port on your computer so that data can be transferred between your copmuters HD and the external HD   

However, you probably want to know whether they need an external power supply and it that needs to be permanently on, and that depends.  A general rule of thumb is that the desktop versions (larger 3.5" drives) tend to require and independent power supply, whereas the portable ones (smaller 2.5" drives) tend not to.  Instead they will pull power via the USB port, but this only works on relatively short cables (can't remember the exact length, buts its about 1m max, some crap to do with resisitence and physics, blah blah), so worth bearing in mind where your going to sit the external drive.

Neither have to be powered on all of the time though, but you do have to unmount the drive prior to disconnecting.  This simply ensures there is no active I/O process writing or reading data from the drive when you unplug it which would result in loss of data.  When you shut down your computer it will unmount the drives for you, and you can then turn of the independent power supply if the drive you get uses one.


So lets start with how big a drive do you want?

How much Sharma pr0n do you currently have?  I.e. whats the size of the HD in your computer?  (If your on windows go into explorer and righ-click on your hard-drive and select properties, this will tell you the size of the drive, how much space you've used, and how much is free).

Your unlikely to want one smaller than you currently have.

Whats your budget?  I reckon you can get what your after for between £35-70

Where's it going to be placed?  Are you going to travel from home to work/friends regularly with it?

[nik at work]

I've got a few western digital passport externalHDD's. The're only about £50 each and store 160gb (or maybe 250gb) which is basicaly a fuck of a lot of Sharma pr0n. They are just USB powered so just plug 'em in and away you go. Cheap enough to get a couple and shabang multiple backups. The're also pretty small and quiet in operation and portable. I likes 'em...

[magpie]

So lets start with how big a drive do you want?  How much Sharma pr0n do you currently have?  I.e. whats the size of the HD in your computer? 

I only have a laptop, if that makes a difference, I will check the size of it when I get home - it would probably have made sense to do that earlier  - it's not fancy or anything so I doubt it has a massive amount of space on it.  I really only want to back up my photos and music, and future photos, so something that will take quite a lot would be good.  I should maybe check how much space my current photos take up, that's about a years worth and would give me an idea what I'll need in the slightly longer term.

Whats your budget?  I reckon you can get what your after for between £35-70

I don't want to spend a fortune, ideally around £50, obviously if I can get a decent one for less then I won't complain.

Where's it going to be placed?  Are you going to travel from home to work/friends regularly with it?

I have no idea, I'm not planning on taking it anywhere really, except maybe very occasionally to my parents.  Does it need to have a special home, I was kind of thinking I could just put the photos onto it and then leave it on a shelf and forget about it.

What Nik's talking about sounds like it might do.  In case I'm not fully conveying my stupidity in all things computer related it's best to assume i want the simplest one avaliable.  Ideally, I'd like to plug it into my laptop and transfer the files over then unplug it and put it away until I want to add more pictures to it.

[nik at work]

Ideally, I'd like to plug it into my laptop and transfer the files over then unplug it and put it away until I want to add more pictures to it.

What I have would be ideal for this, there are loads of similar things for about the same money but these Western Digital Passports have been super reliable for me, despite the wifes best attempts to destroy my pr0n collection by dropping them on a stone floor from significant height.

[slackline]

The WD Passport's sound ideal then, they're the brand product of what I was referring to as 2.5" "portable" drives.  Although my brother has one that has failed in < 1 year so robustness is not the same as Nik's experience.

If you're on a laptop then location won't really be an issue (I only mentioned it as mine sit in the same place all the time and if covered get very hot which can result in failure, but this won't be an issue).

Apologies for over-complicating things 

slack

[magpie]

Would yours be this type of thing Nik? Someone I know (who is equally good with technology as I am) has said she has one of these and it's ok, but I don't know if I trust her, she may have bought it because it looked nicest out of all the ones in PC World.

Apologies for over-complicating things

Don't be daft, how were you to know I was incapable of understand anything but the most simple of terms? Your help was much appreciated.

[Paul B]

think thats the one magpie.
I've got one of those and a Western Digital 1tb external "book", it's noisy and seems to go to sleep which is annoying when you're flicking in and out of it when working.

[magpie]

I googled, they come in different colours - including red - I'm sold 

I think this post really shows my level of dedication to all things technical and buying the right bit of kit 

[Adam Lincoln]

I've got a few western digital passport externalHDD's. The're only about £50 each and store 160gb (or maybe 250gb) which is basicaly a fuck of a lot of Sharma pr0n. They are just USB powered so just plug 'em in and away you go. Cheap enough to get a couple and shabang multiple backups. The're also pretty small and quiet in operation and portable. I likes 'em...

I have the white 250gb Western Digital. Really good, no complaints. Great for on the move.

[nik at work]

Thats the beastie Magpie. Excellent little do-dah in my experience, sounds like just the techno-ma-bob for a Sharma obssessed crushing machine....

[tommytwotone]

Another vote for WD Passport. For size and plug and play convenience you can't go wrong.

Currently using the 250gb to backup, and despite loads of photos, tons of music and fair bit of video haven't even made a dent in it.

[slackline]

Another vote for WD Passport. For size and plug and play convenience you can't go wrong.

Currently using the 250gb to backup, and despite loads of photos, tons of music and fair bit of video haven't even made a dent in it.

Clearly not trying hard enough    Get yourself some HD torrents downloading 

[tommytwotone]

That's a good point slackers, but I've got enough of a bias towards my right arm already, without torrenting bongo off the net!

On the hard drive shizz, I know it's not a WD but ebuyer are doing a Buffalo 500GB for £49.99 - not sure if that's good by today's standards but I'm sure you could fit a heck of a lot of Sharma pr0n in that.

Link here: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149702

[GCW]

Get yourself some HD torrents downloading 

I've got a meagre 1.5TB of HD video clips from the camcorder.  Is that any good?

[slackline]

That's a good point slackers, but I've got enough of a bias towards my right arm already, without torrenting bongo off the net!

Time to develop your ambidextrous skills 

[lagerstarfish]

Magpie, you may already know this, or it may not matter to you, but...
Those WD Passports are ace and easy to use - they don't need plugging into the mains; just into your laptop via usb port. However, if you go for an external drive that does need its own power supply (plugging into the mains) then you will get lots more storage for your money. The one that Tommytwotone mentions from ebuyer is such a drive. I've got a couple of Iomega 500G drives that Staples were selling for £60ish each not so long ago - plug in and go.
If your drive is for backup when you are at home, then you don't need the extra cost of a drive that runs off your laptop's power supply.
Hope this makes sense

[magpie]

It does make sense Lagers, ta.

I have now also been pointed towards this one which i would guess is similar to what you are talking about, it's bigger so I need to plug it in and can't carry it about but it has loads more space.

I'm still not sure, the portable one might be easier for me casue I don't have a desk or anything, I just sit the laptop on my lap or sometimes the kitchen table, but then I guess the hard drive could just sit near me plugged in. 

It doesn't need to be switched on / have a power supply all the time, does it?  Just when you are doing stuff to it [/technical]

[nik at work]

The beauty of the little doofers is they are small and portable. So you can nick music/video/pr0n off other peoples computers easily, or have handy files to hand when away from your house. Or other things which are also good.
And unless you have a truly epic collection of crush fantasy videos 250gb is going to be enough storage. 500gb-1tb is essentially just "my hardy is bigger than your hardy" willy waving for the boys....

[lagerstarfish]

And unless you have a truly epic collection of crush fantasy videos 250gb is going to be enough storage. 500gb-1tb is essentially just "my hardy is bigger than your hardy" willy waving for the boys....

My hardy is bigger than your hardy.

Admitedly, most of my space is taken with my own video footage - which I suppose to some people is "a truly epic collection of crush fantasy videos ".

He's right. 250 is plenty, and portability does count for a lot.

[lagerstarfish]

It doesn't need to be switched on / have a power supply all the time, does it?  Just when you are doing stuff to it

No, all hardrives still keep the data when they are switched off. In fact, its a very good idea to switch them off when you are not doing stuff to them - if you drop them when they are switched on, they tend to be very fucked. I did this when I only had one drive, but was lucky enough to have hard copies of my footage. I did loose all my video editing project files though, which weren't backed up anywhere   

[Paul B]

Admitedly, most of my space is taken with my own video footage - which I suppose to some people is "a truly epic collection of crush fantasy videos ".

I've got a 1tb drive thats full with about 10 mins worth of lab data!

[magpie]

willy waving for the boys....

I'd rather spectate than actually do the willy waving so I'm leaning towards the little one (which also comes in cute girl colours!), I think it'd be easier for me, I like the idea of taking it to people's houses and stealing their music and videos. 

Thank you all for being so patient, if I knew where you lived I'd bring you cake round, and then steal your music and videos