external hard drive

[msvadi]

I bought an external hard drive to back up my pictures. It's western digital, 120G, USB2/Firewire. I don't have much experience with such devices, and there is one thing that puzzles me. Is it suppose to stay on all the time? there is no switch that turns it off, and I have to disconnect power cords if I want to trun it off.

[Canuck]

I bought an external hard drive to back up my pictures. It's western digital, 120G, USB2/Firewire. I don't have much experience with such devices, and there is one thing that puzzles me. Is it suppose to stay on all the time? there is no switch that turns it off, and I have to disconnect power cords if I want to trun it off.

It is powered thru the USB/FW bus. It is on so long as 1) computer is on and 2) it is plugged ito USB/FW port. Depending on what OS you run, if you wish to turn it off, you can do so by "safely ejecting" it. That is when you get the bubble that it is connected, click it again and disconn it.

[msvadi]

Thanks for the response, Canuck. This hard drive has a separate power cord, in addition to USB/Firewire. So, the power is on even if it's disconnected from the computer.

After I posted my question here, I did search on western digital forums. Somebody else asked a similar question. It turns out that the hadr drive designed to stay on all the time. It's supposed to go into the safe mode after it's not used for some time.

Too bad. The unit that I bought is a special edition. It has blue and red neon-type lights all around. If this thing is going to be on all the time ...

[Canuck]

Thanks for the response, Canuck. This hard drive has a separate power cords, in addition to USB/Firewire. So, the power is on even if it's disconnected from the computer.

After I posted my question here, I did search on western digital forums. Somebody else asked a similar question. It turns out that the hadr drive designed to stay on all the time. It's supposed to go into the safe mode after it's not used for some time.

Too bad. The unit that I bought is a special edition. It has blue and red neon-type lights all around. If this thing is going to be on all the time ...

Ok, no worries. :) I sit corrected (pun intended). You got the answer any-which-way-you put it. I was under the impression the only wires it had were for the USB/FW. Weird.

[robertwgross]

The use of an external hard drive is kind of different.

Some people keep it attached via USB or Firewire all of the time. That's probably OK. However, many purchase it so that they can attach it, take a copy of all or part of their internal hard disk, and then detach it and lock it up separately from the main system. For example, some keep that as their Master Backup, so they keep it in a fireproof safe, or at least in a slightly different location from the main system.

If you didn't buy it for that portability, then why else? The price you have to pay for an external hard drive is much more than the price of an internal hard drive. If you intended to leave it attached all the time, it would have been better to simply install a second internal hard disk, at least by my way of thinking.

---Bob Gross---

[msvadi]

There was a huge mail-in rebate on that model. It's still more expensive than internal hard drives, but I have no space for additional hard drive in my computer.

The use of an external hard drive is kind of different.

Some people keep it attached via USB or Firewire all of the time. That's probably OK. However, many purchase it so that they can attach it, take a copy of all or part of their internal hard disk, and then detach it and lock it up separately from the main system. For example, some keep that as their Master Backup, so they keep it in a fireproof safe, or at least in a slightly different location from the main system.

If you didn't buy it for that portability, then why else? The price you have to pay for an external hard drive is much more than the price of an internal hard drive. If you intended to leave it attached all the time, it would have been better to simply install a second internal hard disk, at least by my way of thinking.

---Bob Gross---

[CyberDyneSystems]

I'd just run the power cord through a power strip and switch it off when I don't need it were I you.. but that's just me.

I'm sure the drive it self actually spins down when the PC is shut off...


...and NEVER pull the plug (or flip a power strip switch ) while it is plugged to a PC that is running unlees you get the USB/Firewire controlle to give the O-kay first.

[aam1234]

Hi msvadi,

I'm looking for external hard drive (for a laptop). Can you post a link to the one you bought.

Thanks

[blinking8s]

Hi msvadi,

I'm looking for external hard drive (for a laptop). Can you post a link to the one you bought.

Thanks

dude...not to be rude, but sometimes its just called being lazy...

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=44 here is the link though

western digital only makes one 120gb combo drive that i can find, couldnt be too hard to look up yourself

http://www.google.com is an awesome site

[msvadi]

Hi msvadi,

I'm looking for external hard drive (for a laptop). Can you post a link to the one you bought.

Thanks

I bought it from Circuit City, they have $70 mail-in rebate that expires tomorrow, July 17.

[msvadi]

Thanks, CDS. I think that I'm going to use your solution.

I'd just run the power cord through a power strip and switch it off when I don't need it were I you.. but that's just me.

I'm sure the drive it self actually spins down when the PC is shut off...


...and NEVER pull the plug (or flip a power strip switch ) while it is plugged to a PC that is running unlees you get the USB/Firewire controlle to give the O-kay first.

[msvadi]

That's the hard drive, more or less. There are some differences, actually. One that I have is a special edition, it has a bigger buffer, and unfortunately, a different design. It has a clear, light-up case. There are red/blue neon type lights all around. Can be used easily as a christmas decoration.

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=44

[jboyd]

I purchased a 160GB internal drive and then put it in this to make it external.

http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&u=c&qp=0317336363654&bookmark=b ookmark_0&oid=79779&catoid=-10263&m=0

With rebates on both it came to right around $100.

works great!

Jackie