Any recommendations for external drive?

Nico · Nico #1 (**permalink**)

12-05-2008, 11:50 PM

Hello,

I am relatively new Mac user and would like to purchase a QUIET 500 GB external drive so I can use Time Machine for backups. I heard that the Seagates are good, any other suggestions?

Thanks

PapaNoHair · PapaNoHair #2 (**permalink**)

12-06-2008, 12:19 AM

Best Buy had two on sale awhile ago - called MyBook and they come in either 500 GB or 650 GB. I got one on sale for $90.

D3v1L80Y · D3v1L80Y #3 (**permalink**)

12-06-2008, 01:57 AM

Check out the Sticky Thread for tons of suggestions:

Which External Hard Drive should I buy/Do you suggest?

Luminosity · Luminosity #4 (**permalink**)

12-06-2008, 06:28 AM

Do not go with WD. Worst company EVER!

Clairejr · Clairejr #5 (**permalink**)

12-06-2008, 04:48 PM

I have a WD and two Maxtor drives and if you want a quiet drive, I wouldn't recommend the WD. It makes a constant, relatively loud humming sound. The Maxtor One Touch 4 Plus, on the other hand, is totally silent. Maxtor is now owned by Seagate and the support from Seagate is good.

Claire

PapaNoHair · PapaNoHair #6 (**permalink**)

12-06-2008, 09:28 PM

That is odd - my WD MyBook is ultra quiet.

JGruber · JGruber #7 (**permalink**)

12-06-2008, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PapaNoHair

That is odd - my WD MyBook is ultra quiet.

x2 on that. I have 2 WD MyBook 1TB drives, and they are VERY quiet, never hear them at all.

harryb2448 · harryb2448 #8 (**permalink**)

12-06-2008, 09:55 PM

Never had a Seagate fail as yet (touches wood) including IDE, PATA external and SATA.

One thing you do not give your model details. PowerPC G4's and G5's can only boot from a firewire external drive, Intels can from USB 2 also.

Forum Shark · Forum Shark #9 (**permalink**)

12-07-2008, 10:22 AM

Well, here's a nice article if you're looking for a larger external HD. It's a 2 page roundup of HD's between 500GB-1TB.
Huge hard drives - Page 1 | Macworld

tmorgan1689 · tmorgan1689 #10 (**permalink**)

12-07-2008, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PapaNoHair

That is odd - my WD MyBook is ultra quiet.

Same here, I actually can't remember the last time I heard it.

brian0 · brian0 #11 (**permalink**)

12-07-2008, 12:14 PM

Seagate has 5 years warranty.

KB3GZW · KB3GZW #12 (**permalink**)

12-07-2008, 05:26 PM

I also have 2 Mybooks. One is 500 Gb and the other is 1Tb. In order to tell i they are spinning I have to touch them to feel the vibration. I cannot hear them. I would definitely suggest getting them.

Clairejr · Clairejr #13 (**permalink**)

12-09-2008, 11:08 AM

I guess I must have the only noisy WD drive. Anyone want to trade? Except for the noise, is works well.

WD has a poor reputation for customer support, but my own experience with their email support was satisfactory. I still, however, would recommend Seagate over WD. Their reputation is excellent and friends who have Seagate drives are very happy with them. I like my two Maxtor drives - and one is 3-1/2 years old and still working, so they seem to be durable.

Claire

Luminosity · Luminosity #14 (**permalink**)

12-09-2008, 01:59 PM

The reason I will never go back to WD again is because of their faulty drives and bad customer support. I bought a 500 gb WD MyBook back in july and plugged it into my macbook. The usb on it worked but the firewire was shot. I also tested it on my imac and my friends desktop with same results. Well I contacted WD and I sent it back. Again got another drive but with opposite problems. The firewire works but the USB doesnt.
So then again, i sent it back, costing me shipping everytime, and waiting another week for the drive, to find out my next drive had a hardware glitch in it. The stupid drive shuts off after 5 mins and freezes on my desktop and i have to unplug it from the back. (which is a risk of erasing all my data) I guess im better off keeping this one since finally both the firewire and usb work. (for about 5 mins) I will never again buy a Western Digital product as long as i live. IMO worst company ever.

Luminosity #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 09, 2008 Posts: 167 Mac Specs: 13" MBP, 2.53 Ghz, 4 Gb Ram, 500 Gb HDD	12-06-2008, 06:28 AM Do not go with WD. Worst company EVER! \| Digg \| Face Punch Studios \| Mac Rumors \| Video Copilot \| After FX Tuts \| \| Apple \| Youtube \| Blog \| Reddit \| Contact Me \|
	QUOTE Thanks

Clairejr #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 11, 2007 Location: Israel Posts: 81 Mac Specs: Mac Mini Core 2 Duo, PPC G4	12-06-2008, 04:48 PM I have a WD and two Maxtor drives and if you want a quiet drive, I wouldn't recommend the WD. It makes a constant, relatively loud humming sound. The Maxtor One Touch 4 Plus, on the other hand, is totally silent. Maxtor is now owned by Seagate and the support from Seagate is good. Claire Claire Rottenberg Homepage: Mac Tips and More Follow me on Twitter
	QUOTE Thanks

Forum Shark #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 19, 2008 Location: Brantford, ON Posts: 248 Mac Specs: Base Model MacBook (White from early 2008)	12-07-2008, 10:22 AM Well, here's a nice article if you're looking for a larger external HD. It's a 2 page roundup of HD's between 500GB-1TB. Huge hard drives - Page 1 \| Macworld Please follow me to Twitter! http://twitter.com/ForumShark
	QUOTE Thanks

KB3GZW #12 (permalink)
Member Since: Dec 23, 2006 Location: Lehigh Valley, Pa Posts: 342 Mac Specs: 2.53 GHz MBP, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB HDD	12-07-2008, 05:26 PM I also have 2 Mybooks. One is 500 Gb and the other is 1Tb. In order to tell i they are spinning I have to touch them to feel the vibration. I cannot hear them. I would definitely suggest getting them. I Love Free Software. Ext. Storage: 500GB MyBook Pro, 1TB MyBook Studio iPod: 120 GB Classic - Phone : Treo 800w TWITTER Follow Me
	QUOTE Thanks

Clairejr #13 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 11, 2007 Location: Israel Posts: 81 Mac Specs: Mac Mini Core 2 Duo, PPC G4	12-09-2008, 11:08 AM I guess I must have the only noisy WD drive. Anyone want to trade? Except for the noise, is works well. WD has a poor reputation for customer support, but my own experience with their email support was satisfactory. I still, however, would recommend Seagate over WD. Their reputation is excellent and friends who have Seagate drives are very happy with them. I like my two Maxtor drives - and one is 3-1/2 years old and still working, so they seem to be durable. Claire Claire Rottenberg Homepage: Mac Tips and More Follow me on Twitter
	QUOTE Thanks

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Nico #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Dec 05, 2008 Posts: 9	12-05-2008, 11:50 PM Hello, I am relatively new Mac user and would like to purchase a QUIET 500 GB external drive so I can use Time Machine for backups. I heard that the Seagates are good, any other suggestions? Thanks
	QUOTE Thanks

PapaNoHair #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 18, 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 2,180	12-06-2008, 12:19 AM Best Buy had two on sale awhile ago - called MyBook and they come in either 500 GB or 650 GB. I got one on sale for $90.
	QUOTE Thanks

PapaNoHair #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 18, 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 2,180	12-06-2008, 09:28 PM That is odd - my WD MyBook is ultra quiet.
	QUOTE Thanks

harryb2448 #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 28, 2007 Location: Nambucca Heads Australia Posts: 15,194 Mac Specs: iMac i5 2.7GHz OS X.9	12-06-2008, 09:55 PM Never had a Seagate fail as yet (touches wood) including IDE, PATA external and SATA. One thing you do not give your model details. PowerPC G4's and G5's can only boot from a firewire external drive, Intels can from USB 2 also.
	QUOTE Thanks

brian0 #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 19, 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 65	12-07-2008, 12:14 PM Seagate has 5 years warranty.
	QUOTE Thanks

Luminosity #14 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 09, 2008 Posts: 167 Mac Specs: 13" MBP, 2.53 Ghz, 4 Gb Ram, 500 Gb HDD	12-09-2008, 01:59 PM The reason I will never go back to WD again is because of their faulty drives and bad customer support. I bought a 500 gb WD MyBook back in july and plugged it into my macbook. The usb on it worked but the firewire was shot. I also tested it on my imac and my friends desktop with same results. Well I contacted WD and I sent it back. Again got another drive but with opposite problems. The firewire works but the USB doesnt. So then again, i sent it back, costing me shipping everytime, and waiting another week for the drive, to find out my next drive had a hardware glitch in it. The stupid drive shuts off after 5 mins and freezes on my desktop and i have to unplug it from the back. (which is a risk of erasing all my data) I guess im better off keeping this one since finally both the firewire and usb work. (for about 5 mins) I will never again buy a Western Digital product as long as i live. IMO worst company ever. \| Digg \| Face Punch Studios \| Mac Rumors \| Video Copilot \| After FX Tuts \| \| Apple \| Youtube \| Blog \| Reddit \| Contact Me \|
	QUOTE Thanks

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