Need External HD compatible with OS 10.6.8

[scope]

Old Verbatim EHD no longer working, need recommendations for one that is compatible with Snow Leopard. Using a Macbook Pro with FW400 & 800 and USB2. Thanks!

 

[pigoo3]

Compatibility of external hard drives is really not associated with the OS version the Mac is running. You format the external HD so that a Mac can use it (Mac OS Extended Journaled)…and then use it.

Compatibility can be associated with the type of ports a computer has. But if you get a USB EHD…you won't have much trouble. Other EHD's with a firewire or Thunderbolt interface are more expensive…and most folks don't use them.

In other words…give me a Mac formatted EHD for a Mac running OS 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 10.10, or 10.11…and it will work.

- Nick

 

[scope]

Need External HD compatible with OS 10.6.8 for MBP2008

New to purchase new external portable HD compatible with MBP 2008 laptop and Snow Leopard. Recommendations please

 

[pigoo3]

Threads merged. Cross-posting is not necessary (one area only).

Thanks,

- Nick

 

[scope]

New here, Thanks, Nick. Why then, do some EHD specs say their compatibility is limited to Lion and up?

 

[pigoo3]

Why then, do some EHD specs say their compatibility is limited to Lion and up?

Assuming this external hard drive has no special features that only Lion & above would have…hard to say.

Sometimes manufacturer's when they release a product (and create the packaging & instructions)…work with whatever is currently available. Maybe at the time this product was "created" (printed box and printed instructions for the external hard drive)…OS 10.7 (Lion) was the most current OS. Now here we are 4 OS versions newer.

I can almost bet…that if I had the same exact EHD that said "Lion and up"…I bet it would work with OS 10.6.

As I mentioned. In most cases…the compatibility of an external hard drive is not really linked to the OS version installed on the computer. I'm talking most "modern" computers. If we go back in history far enough…I'm sure we could probably find some incompatibility. But I'm talking computers that might be 12+ years old and older.

As long as this is a USB external HD…with no special features…then it should work with your computer running OS 10.6.8. If you have a particular external hard drive in mind. Post a link to it here…and we can take a look at it.

- Nick

 

[scope]

Thank you for your patience. Working here with older personal MacBP, late 2008, pretty well loaded with RAM, etc., that has been solid as a rock; much better than newer Macs I have been using at work.. Thus, I am choosing to continue to use it, as is, for the time being. It does have FW 400 & 800 ports, and USB2.

Not too many pix or videos, so am looking at the following for an external hard drive.

http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/matrix/ENG/a4/4178-705024.pdf- particularly the WD - My Passport for Mac 1TB External USB 3.0/2.0 Portable Hard Drive - Black
Model: WDBJBS0010BSL-NESNSKU (BestBuy link is not cooperating when copied) These specs made me question if it would work.
Compatibility
Minimum System RequirementsMac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks and Yosemite; requires reformatting for Windows operating system
Please let me know your thoughts.. Thanks Susan

 

[pigoo3]

Thanks for the additional info Susan.

The link in your last post doesn't seem to be working (not going to any specific HD info). Here's a thought if you wish. Try shopping at OWC or Newegg:

- www.macsales.com
- www.newegg.com

OWC is a VERY good supplier of products for Apple computers. Newegg just sells a lot of computer stuff…and has a large selection & good prices.

- Nick

 

[Ember1205]

Many (most?) drive manufacturers include backup software with their drives to allow things like "one touch backup" of your system. THIS is the reason there are minimum OS requirements for various hard drives.

The single most important things to consider when buying an external drive are to buy one that's "plenty big enough" for now AND future use, and buy one that offers the fastest transfer rates. Sure, your computer today might operate at a slower rate (USB 2 versus USB 3), but the next computer will undoubtedly be faster - might as well ensure you have the fastest transfer already in the drive and not need to purchase again in what might be the not-too-distant future. Also, having the fastest transfer speeds ensures that you'll get optimal transfers even when connected to other computers.

 

[scope]

Thanks for the additional info Susan.

The link in your last post doesn't seem to be working (not going to any specific HD info). Here's a thought if you wish. Try shopping at OWC or Newegg:

- www.macsales.com
- www.newegg.com

OWC is a VERY good supplier of products for Apple computers. Newegg just sells a lot of computer stuff…and has a large selection & good prices.

- Nick

Nick,
Thanks again for the info.

Susan

 

[pigoo3]

Many (most?) drive manufacturers include backup software with their drives to allow things like "one touch backup" of your system. THIS is the reason there are minimum OS requirements for various hard drives.

Very true. I'm used to purchasing external hard drives that only come with Windows-based apps (which never get used on a Mac). And pretty much stay away from external HD's that make it seem they are "made for Mac's"…and cost much more than necessary. I almost always use Apple's Time Machine for backing up…or other 3rd party apps like Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper for backups.

But you are correct. The system requirements are probably for the backup software (which there are better alternatives).

Thanks,

- Nick

 

[elf69]

OP just a thought....

I work in a PC shop/repair center. Small local company.

We see lots on external HDD that don't work or sudden fail.

9 times out of 10 it is the caddy not the disk that has failed.

We sell lots of caddies as we pull old drive apart test HDD which 9 out of 10 times is fie then recase in new caddy and off you go again.
Worth a look and caddies are really cheap these days too.

just my 2p worth

 

[RavingMac]

OP just a thought....

I work in a PC shop/repair center. Small local company.

We see lots on external HDD that don't work or sudden fail.

9 times out of 10 it is the caddy not the disk that has failed.

We sell lots of caddies as we pull old drive apart test HDD which 9 out of 10 times is fie then recase in new caddy and off you go again.
Worth a look and caddies are really cheap these days too.

just my 2p worth

Good point. I keep a cable like this one handy to test Hard Drives.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J01I1G/?tag=macforums0e4-20

If the drive is good I put it in another caddy (or more likely, label it and stick it in a drawer as a spare).

 

[pigoo3]

Very similar to what you have Mike…I have this:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/U2NV2SPATA/

Your item is about $10 bucks less!

- Nick

 

[RavingMac]

Very similar to what you have Mike…I have this:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/U2NV2SPATA/

Your item is about $10 bucks less!

- Nick

Also very handy when installing new hard drives or swapping for SSDs.

1) Plug in the new drive
2) Format
3) Clone from old drive or install OS
4) Swap drives

Easy peasy

 

[pigoo3]

And for folks like me who have hard drives stacked up like this…and tend to forget what's on each drive!

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Assuming this external hard drive has no special features that only Lion & above would have…hard to say.

Both Seagate and Western Digital have models of external hard drive that won't and *can't* be made to boot up a Macintosh. This has been a huge source of frustration for many Macintosh users. If you purchase one of these drives, have trouble with it, and call tech support, generally they will tell you that you are SOL. Western Digital external hard drives, in particular, are worth avoiding:
http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1787
Note what it says on this page. Western Digital doesn't support Macintosh booting on *any* of their external hard drives. (Which isn't to say that you can't boot your Mac from a given WD external hard drive. It means that if you have any problem doing so, WD will be of no assistance whatsoever.)

Currently we are in a time when there are very few excellent external hard drives available, but quite a few poorly reliable ones. It's hard to know what to purchase.

Here is what I recommend:

If you want a reasonably priced and fairly reliable external hard drive drive, go with one from OWC:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB

If you want the most reliable external hard drive drive you can purchase for not an insane price, you might find the slight premium for a Glyph Studio drive to be well worth it:
http://www.glyphtech.com/
http://www.glyphtech.com/products/studio
(Glyph drives aren't just well made. Glyph has outstanding service and support. They even offer data recovery as part of their warranty. A Glyph drive is built like a tank.)

Amazon offers Glyph drives at a discount:
http://is.gd/6rLM1d

 

[pm-r]

And for folks like me who have hard drives stacked up like this…and tend to forget what's on each drive!

Hmmmm….???? Sure a lot of old IDE PATA hard drives showing in that stack…