06-03-2009, 06:08 PM

I'm looking to get a Terabyte External H.D and hoping it's simply to use...


I'm thinking Seagate or Western Digital??


since I have a macbook pro,

-should I look for a certain type to fit my mac?

-should I look for anything specific when shopping? (someone mentioned to get Firewire instead of usb...)

-does anyone see a problem with getting it from Amazon?? (no tax, cheaper, free shipping, and to my door...) -but is it safe to have something delicate thrown around in the mail??

I don't know much with computers... and I'm somewhat new to mac.... so any help is appreciated!


thanks so much
kyle

06-03-2009, 06:18 PM

You should be fine with either Seagate or WD. I prefer WD but I'm sure many people will say that Seagate makes solid drives.

You should be okay with USB unless you plan to do a lot of transferring with large files.

You don't need to find a "Mac" HD. In fact, frequently when they are labeled this way, they are no different but just more expensive. You will have to remember to format it when you get it.

You should be okay getting it from Amazon.

06-03-2009, 06:28 PM

This drive seems nice...

Amazon.com: Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive WDH1U10000N: Electronics

It appears that there is only a usb port on this drive. Is there any such "adapter" that I could buy, so that i could "convert" the usb port into a firewire port? -so that I could transfer media faster?

How hard will it be to format it? How do I do that??


thanks sooo much!!

06-03-2009, 06:41 PM

You will probably be fine with USB. Read this if you're interested.

Formatting is easy. You open /Application/Utilities/Disk Utility.app, click the new HD in the left hand pane, click the Erase tab, change the volume format to whichever you choose (if this drive is only for Macs, go with "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)) and click the "Erase..." button.

06-03-2009, 11:20 PM

thanks for that usb/firewire link! it was interesting!

i went ahead and got a western digital...

Amazon.com: Western Digital Elements 1 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive WDE1UBK10000N (Black): Electronics

it's not the one i originally had planned... but its like 20 bucks cheaper... hopefully it'll be good. lemme know if it's crap, and i'll cancel my order.

again, thanks sooooo much. i greatly appreciate it! you're awesome!

where in canada are you from? ever see the Weakerthans, Fembots, or Propagandhi?? such great bands...

06-03-2009, 11:52 PM

I can't comment on the drive itself as I haven't used it but the average rating was 4.5/5 so you should be fine.

I'm from Waterloo, ON, heading to Ottawa in a few months to continue school at U of Ottawa. I've never heard of Fembots or Propagandhi but I have heard of The Weakerthans (although, I've only heard of them and nothing more).

06-04-2009, 12:34 PM

I'd be inclined to look at an ioSafe (http://www.iosafe.com/3). The drives are waterproof, fireproof and mooseproof :-) While they are a bit more expensive than most other drives, the few extra bucks is money well spent, IMO.

06-04-2009, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by brettbh

The drives are waterproof, fireproof and mooseproof :-)

How do you test mooseproof? I can't begin to imagine what those QC procedures are like.

06-04-2009, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by vansmith

How do you test mooseproof? I can't begin to imagine what those QC procedures are like.

Cover the drive in cheese or some other bait/attractant and leave it in an area where the moosies are known to roam. I'm in Vancouver Island and, as there are no moosies here, haven't actually been able to put this to the test.