recommend external drive

for use with Macrium Reflect v6

from Elemental Forums

Might some of the super-user Stardockians share with me general advice and suggestions on picking out an external HD, (via USB port) to use to backup my Sys, maybe even allow total restoring of system if it gets 'trashed, somehow?  Maybe even reinstalling everything by copying External HD to C:  D:   ?  Using Macrium Reflect v6 .

.....................................

I7,win 7 home prof x64bit.

c: 465GB , 41GB free  (win is here)

d:1.81 TB, 1.52 TB free  (applications, etc.)

 

e: cd drive

 

appreciate useful suggestions.

64,908 views 19 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

I just bought this one for my daughters laptop. It's available in different storage capacities. 

WD My Passport Ultra 1 TB Portable External Hard Drive, Black (WDBGPU0010BBK-NESN) [New Model]

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Island Dog, Cauldyht, questio, do your redirects ALSO require getting a usb cable?  Ad was confusing.   I will check.  Thank you both!

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

They usually include a USB cable.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Ad say 'only the HD.'  SO I'm not sure...  

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Mine included a cable.

 

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Western Digital are usually pretty reliable i have 3 of them they all run 24/7 no failure so far one is 6 years old the others are close two years.
They do come with a usb cable however those are pretty short. 

Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

They all come with a (short) USB cable.  MyPassports are very sleek and reasonably priced.

Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top

I would suggest AGAINST toshiba brand extrnal hdds as I have had SEVERAL fail within 2 days o purchase and be replaced, then the replacement fails which is replaced, then fails again, then refunds, and even had this pattern happen thorugh different suppliers

harpo, he ghost NON-subscribing tech

 

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I just got a Seagate 1TB external drive. Runs 24/7 with no problems and a cable is included albeit a short one. I've had Western Digital before and they work great. The Seagate is a first for me.

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Depending on your budget, you may want to look into getting a NAS. Not only great for backups, but also a great way to have a lower power (than running a full PC) home data/media server. I have been running a QNAP for a few years now and love it.

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Ditto with ID's post #1.

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting harpo99999, reply 9

I would suggest AGAINST toshiba brand extrnal hdds as I have had SEVERAL fail within 2 days o purchase and be replaced, then the replacement fails which is replaced, then fails again, then refunds, and even had this pattern happen thorugh different suppliers

harpo, he ghost NON-subscribing tech

 
End of harpo99999's quote

agree do not get toshiba products, if stuff breaks you have to deal with the cs which is equally terrible as the product itself. 

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I disagree benmanns. My laptop is a Toshiba as was my last one and the first laptop I ever had. I have never had a problem with either one. I can't say anything about their external HDD's having never had one but the laptops themselves I consider gold. I'll take Toshiba over any other out there.

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

My WD external drive died but I suspect it was a caused by a power surge.  We get bad storms here in Florida.  I now have a 3 TB Seagate and it's working well.

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Mine.

2tb USB 3.0

Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top

I also have had some toshiba COMPUTERS(and do suggest to my customers that toshiba COMPUTERS are good), and the old( ie over 3 years ago) external hdds were good, but in the last year or so the externals have been quite reliable at FAILING within 5 hours of use

harpo, the ghost NON-subscriber tech

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Uvah, reply 14

I disagree benmanns. My laptop is a Toshiba as was my last one and the first laptop I ever had. I have never had a problem with either one. I can't say anything about their external HDD's having never had one but the laptops themselves I consider gold. I'll take Toshiba over any other out there.
End of Uvah's quote

I said it out of experience had 2 drives rated usb3 incapable of running the drive on usb3.
Support was a mess took me 2 months and lots of emails to get the drives repaired and back to my home, in the end the problem persisted, then they claimed that the problem would be on my end while i tested the drive on several pc´s and it ran on none of them. Even used my own USB3 cable to make sure that it wasnt a problem due to the cheap cable that came with it but it was the drives
If you watched a video from one of the drives they just "disconnected" in the middle of the movie and had to be replugged same on startup to continue/ and or to work in general.
Turned out that the usb cables that came with it were actually more worth than the drive itself.
Never again.
Dunno if they make good Laptops, i trust your word that they do, but they do not make good harddrives that is for sure.

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I have only used Western Digital externals. The Seagate is the one I chose because of the cost. Both I know to be decent external HDD's. As for Toshiba externals I'll have to take your word for it.