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External Hard Drive

  • 31-08-2014 1:47pm
    #1
    EarnestH
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭


    I'm looking to buy an external hard drive. I see that Argos have a Seagate 2TB external drive for 84e. I'm looking for something that will have at least 500GB, but ideally 1-2 TB. I'm also looking for something durable - say that will last at least 10 years, ideally more.

    The drive is needed to store Microsoft documents of various types (word, excel, powerpoint). It will also be used to store a lot of data files. I don't need it or photos, movies, etc.



    Any recommendations.


Comments

  • #2
    greasepalm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,244 ✭✭✭greasepalm


    for what purpose as you dont say,for pc with movies files etc or from use with a sat box which you would need to check limit in size to use,10 years is a long time.


  • #3
    EarnestH
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭EarnestH


    greasepalm wrote: »
    for what purpose as you dont say,for pc with movies files etc or from use with a sat box which you would need to check limit in size to use,10 years is a long time.

    I've updated my post. Thanks.


  • #4
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,313 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    500GB up to 1-2 TB, for archive data? You should be burning those files onto CDs. You couldn't rely on a HDD lasting >10 years, you'd need to have a rolling pair of disks and replace the older one every 3-4 years, CDs would be a much cheaper way to do it.


  • #5
    EarnestH
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭EarnestH


    coylemj wrote: »
    500GB up to 1-2 TB, for archive data? You should be burning those files onto CDs. You couldn't rely on a HDD lasting >10 years, you'd need to have a rolling pair of disks and replace the older one every 3-4 years, CDs would be a much cheaper way to do it.

    Thanks, but this would take too long as I have several hundred files.
    The idea of rolling replacement is a good one.

    Any recommendations on HDD?


  • #6
    riclad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,184 ✭✭✭riclad


    Any one that relys on a pc har drive lasting 10 years to backup files is taking a big risk.
    MAYBE put the data on 2 drives ,and back up to gdrive, dropbox etc
    online storage.
    There,s a good article on zdnet,
    explaining why drives stop working and how to get round it.
    in my experience drives last maybe 5 years in ideal conditions.

    http://www.zdnet.com/blog/storage/why-raid-6-stops-working-in-2019/805

    EVERY drive gets random ,errors, bad sectors ,thats why raid drives are used and also online backups.
    Dropbox has 2gig free storage.
    IF i have important files i copy em to 3 separate drives,
    or burn them to dvdr disk.
    There,s no such thing as a 100 per cent reliable drive ,
    some drives stop working after 8 months.


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