Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : Recommended External Drive(s)


MkIII_Supra
08-01-2003, 07:50 PM
Okay here is the deal, I have a Linux only desktop at home and I have a dual boot laptop. The desktop was my primary system for connecting to the internet and that was the primary reason I kept it around. 3 day's ago I managed to get the HSF software modem to function with my SuSE 8.2 laptop! Yay team! Finally something that works after the first try. Anyhow, now that I have successfully managed to get my laptop to connect to the internet with the modem, I find that the only other reason I keep the desktop around is for the drive capacity that it has over my laptop.

Currently my desktop has about 60GB or so of storage. And I have an extra 20GB (internal IDE, UDMA-66) available should I ever need it. Now my laptop has to be a dual boot, I develop win apps for work so gotta have it, and I still can't get my Linux to connect to the VPN although I am closer now with the laptop! And there are a few things that I still need the W2K for that Linux can't do because of the proprietary formats involved. Anyhow, I thought about buying a bigger internal hard drive but darn those things are expensive for a laptop! So I started to look at external hard drives and I see that as a viable solution.

So here is what I have for my laptop specs:

15.1" XGA LCD (Max 1024x768 resolution)
Pentium 4 1.7Ghz CPU (upgradeable to 2.0Ghz)
256 MB DDR RAM (upgradeable to 512MB)
Black body with Silver lining
Built-in touch pad, 2 button mouse and scroll button for easier navigation)
20 GB Hard Drive
Combo drive, 8X DVD-ROM & 12X8X24 CDRW (can have CD-ROM or DVD-ROM or CDRW drive instead)
Windows XP preinstalled ? I deleted this as soon as I got it and installed Win2K and Linux!
4 USB 2.0 ports
56K modem connection
10/100 RJ45 network connection
Universal security lock (fits most Kensington security cables)
1 parallel port, 1 VGA port (for external monitor), 1 S-Video out connection, 1 Ir connection port,
1394 Firewire port

So armed with that information, and the fact that I am running a SuSE 8.2 personal (dual boot) which external drive(s) would you recommend and why?

I want to free some space in my house and since I work on my laptop and I am closer to getting it to connect to the VPN than the desktop, and the fact that it takes up little space and I can work anywhere with my laptop and I would like to have access to all my family pictures yada, yada. Why keep the dinosaur desktop around? Maybe in the future I will rebuild and re-load for my daughter when she is 10. Either way I feel that my idea with the laptop is the way to go. I am already looking into smaller and more efficient printers so I can replace both my HP DeskJet 600 and my HP LaserJet III.

Hayl
08-01-2003, 07:58 PM
i have a maxtor external usb 2 drive that i use for backups.

it works great. just need usb 2 support and the usb-storage module (iirc)

i think that maxtor makes them for firewire as well.

http://www.maxtor.com/en/products/external/personal_storage_5000/index.htm

mdwatts
08-02-2003, 06:57 AM
You can get a USB external drive or use a IDE in one of these.


MD-201 2.5" USB 2.0 Mobile Disk Enclosure

Work with both notebook and desktop PCs. IDE to USB 2.0. Dimension :135 x 75 x 15 mm. Aluminum.
$38 Cdn.

http://www.canadacomputers.com/storage.html