External Hard Drives...

**3pidemiC** · 27-Oct-2008

Here's a whole list of'em:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...losure&x=0&y=0

I would suggest getting one that has some sort of ventallation (you don't want it completely enclosed with no way for the heat to escape or a fan on it. The most common killer of hard drives is heat.

**EvilNed** · 27-Oct-2008

Originally Posted by acealive1

for the case or the hard drive??

The very first AMS case on the site posted above looks pretty good. It has ventilation, and none of those stupid, silly blue flashing lights.

**MinionZombie** · 27-Oct-2008

Hmmm, this IS rather intriguing.

So you buy an internal one, and then just slot it into one of these thingies, and bob's your uncle?

What are the benefits over traditional external HDDs?

Any difference between internal and external drives that would mean a benefit of externally casing a drive intended for internal use?

I also take it that it's nice and simple for a computer idiot like me to put together and get going nice and simply?

Also - would it work like normal externals, which essentially work like a giant flash drive which just opens up an explorer window?

**3pidemiC** · 27-Oct-2008

Originally Posted by MinionZombie

Hmmm, this IS rather intriguing.

So you buy an internal one, and then just slot it into one of these thingies, and bob's your uncle?

Yep.

What are the benefits over traditional external HDDs?

Usually you can get a better deal buying the two parts separately. You also have the choice to get better cooling/ventilation for it.

Any difference between internal and external drives that would mean a benefit of externally casing a drive intended for internal use?

Nope. Externally HDDs already made by other manufacturers are the same thing. Open them up, and there is an internal HDD inside.

I also take it that it's nice and simple for a computer idiot like me to put together and get going nice and simply?

Yep. Remove a couple screws. Plug HDD in. Replace screws.

Also - would it work like normal externals, which essentially work like a giant flash drive which just opens up an explorer window?

Yep.

**MinionZombie** · 27-Oct-2008

Interesting, although my initial viewings online for prices haven't shown any cost benefits to doing one myself ... yet.

**EvilNed** · 27-Oct-2008

Well, my main gripe with manufactured external harddrives are that they also try to look cool and hip, with lights and such. Which means that there's alot more components that can break inside.

If you buy an external shell, they already know that no ordinary guy would buy a shell (way too 1337!) but would go directly for an already manufactured external HDD, so they just focus on the practical side of it.

**3pidemiC** · 27-Oct-2008

Also, if the manufactured external hdd breaks, you'll have a helluva time getting that hard drive out of it.

**MinionZombie** · 27-Oct-2008

"lights and such"?

All Western Digital have is a nice looking, simple case (not like Seagate's "FreeAgent" on that silly little platform stool thing), and a blue light which denotes data transfer (a nicer version of the little green power/transfer light on my pre-FreeAgent Seagate drive).

So, what examples of "such" do you have? I'm intrigued, but also - how would the light conking out affect your data storage or your drive from working though?

**EvilNed** · 27-Oct-2008

THe lights don't affect your data storage, but usually when you see a light, or several, on an external harddrive it usually means they spent more time making it look cool (so you'll buy it) and less time on it being very functional. The cooler they look, the easier they break. Rule of thumb.

**MinionZombie** · 28-Oct-2008

So basically no real scientific evidence.

Although I will say, the Seagate FreeAgent doesn't look at all like a good design and physically unstable - give it a Google, it sits on some weird pedestal type design, very silly.

WD just has a very simple shape, a nice but simple black shiny finish and a nice but still simple light on it, which functions to show that it's on and data is transferring.

I think lesser brands tend to focus on fashion-over-function far more than the majors ... well, unless of course you think about the FreeAgent, which I'm totally not into - my original Seagate is a nice design, very stable, simple look, does the business.

Interestingly there was a 250gb super-hard-core external HDD on "The Gadget Show" last night here in the UK, one that's fire and water proof. They submerged it, torched it and blew it up and it survived all that.