External Hard Drives

[threeholerglory]

I know this has been discussed in the past, but the topic is 5 years old...a lot changes in that time!

What do you currently use to store images? Have you had any problems with external drives? I'm looking into a Western Digital My Passport. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, but there are enough negatives to make me question it.

Thoughts/suggestions?

[wunaladreamin]

I have a 2tb WD My passport. It is very easy to use, easy to conceal, and all around a pleasure to own. Buy with confidence.

[Zee71]

For now I have a Toshiba Canvio 1TB and no issues thus far. It can be used on either OS (Windows or Mac (after you install the software on the Mac)).

[steve1840]

I have both a 500GB Seagate and a 2TB Toshiba Canvio. No complaints on either.

[Fighting_falcon_51]

I know this has been discussed in the past, but the topic is 5 years old...a lot changes in that time!


What do you currently use to store images?

I currently use 3TB Western Digital Green drives in a software RAID (redundancy) configuration. I have a computer running Windows Server 2012 and I map the drives on the network and I also have a VPN so I can access, upload, and download images where ever there is an internet connection. The downside to this is that it is expensive, a PITA to set up, and you have to keep a PC on 24/7. Although if you have an old PC that is decent you can use that, and Server 2012 is free for students so if you are one or have a family member that wouldn't mind using their credentials you can snag a copy for free.


Have you had any problems with external drives?

External drives are pretty much like internal drives, though I do recommend if portability isn't an issue and you have the space that you install an internal drive.

My reasons are:

1. The SATA interface is faster than USB
2. The drive is generally much safer and cooled better inside your PC case
3. It isn't that hard to do and it may even be cheaper


I'm looking into a Western Digital My Passport. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, but there are enough negatives to make me question it.

I only trust WD drives for my stuff so I definitely recommend them, but like any mechanical hard drive they can fail so I highly recommend to everyone that you have some sort of redundancy. Remember the users who are unhappy are more likely to leave a review than those who were satisfied.

[Steven Holzinger]

I had a 2TB WD MyBook go bad on me... have work from 2011 and 2012 on there that is likely lost but many people think it COULD be saved. Funny how that drive failed first, as I have a 1TB MyBook that is still kicking!

[wunaladreamin]

I currently use 3TB Western Digital Green drives in a software RAID (redundancy) configuration. I have a computer running Windows Server 2012 and I map the drives on the network and I also have a VPN so I can access, upload, and download images where ever there is an internet connection. The downside to this is that it is expensive, a PITA to set up, and you have to keep a PC on 24/7. Although if you have an old PC that is decent you can use that, and Server 2012 is free for students so if you are one or have a family member that wouldn't mind using their credentials you can snag a copy for free.



External drives are pretty much like internal drives, though I do recommend if portability isn't an issue and you have the space that you install an internal drive.

My reasons are:

1. The SATA interface is faster than USB
2. The drive is generally much safer and cooled better inside your PC case
3. It isn't that hard to do and it may even be cheaper



I only trust WD drives for my stuff so I definitely recommend them, but like any mechanical hard drive they can fail so I highly recommend to everyone that you have some sort of redundancy. Remember the users who are unhappy are more likely to leave a review than those who were satisfied.
And that is why Kenny does not have a tan lol.

[megatop412]

Recently purchased a 2TB Fantom Drive USB3.0. Love it, it's fast as hell. Keep it at Mom's as an offsite backup. I still use the 250GB Fantom it replaced, just for video, attached to my desktop via Firewire 400.

[steve1840]

And that is why Kenny does not have a tan lol.

......or a girlfriend. lol

[Derf]

I filled a 1.5 TB drive and had a backup that was shipped to Arizona where it sits in a safe
The rest of the data is backed up on a 1 TB drive and backed up on a 3 TB drive I normaly use

I do not believe in having the data in one place

[wunaladreamin]

I do not believe in having the data in one place
Amen! Backup Backup Backup is the name of the game. And when you're done backing up, back that up too.

[Fighting_falcon_51]

Amen! Backup Backup Backup is the name of the game. And when you're done backing up, back that up too.

Yup! Keep backing up until you fall off a cliff! Steve should do it too!

[wunaladreamin]

LOL and if you do fall, at least you're backed up.

Steve would just bounce.

[Fighting_falcon_51]

Steve would just bounce.

http://unmuffled.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/michelin-man.jpg

[Landing Lights]

I run a Zyxel NAS enclosure with a pair of 2TB drives inside in a RAID array. Had it for a little over a year and haven't had a single problem. The whole setup was about $300.

[RomNYC]

Have had a 1Tb WD for about 2 years now, which I use to back up the whole laptop... No issues whatsoever, and I remember spending little money for it. Very pleased with this brand.

[RomNYC]

I filled a 1.5 TB drive and had a backup that was shipped to Arizona where it sits in a safe
The rest of the data is backed up on a 1 TB drive and backed up on a 3 TB drive I normaly use

I do not believe in having the data in one place

Haha, extreme measures but I gotta agree.

[threeholerglory]

sweet thanks for the input! Hopefully I'm not one of those few who gets a crap copy. I need to format my computer so I'll be backing everything up, then backing everything up consistently in the future.

[ANITIX87]

I'm running a 4TB Seagate BackUp Plus connected to my new iMac. I don't run Time Machine as I think it's redundant. I just make sure I back up once a month unless I have a wedding gig in which I back up right after uploading images, and right after I finish editing.

I also use my back-up drive to keep space free on my computer's internal drive (moving RAW images after a gig is done, etc), though I realize I'm playing with fire if my Seagate fails...

TIS

[moose135]

I'm using a pair of WD 1.5TB drives in an external docking station, similar to this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Thermaltake---Dual-Bay-Docking-Station-for-Most-Internal-SATA-Hard-Drives/9419596.p?id=1218102199901&skuId=9419596

When I download files from the card, they go to my laptop hard drive plus one of the external drives. When I'm done editing, I copy the XML and JPGs from the laptop to the first external drive, then duplicate them to the second external drive.

I also have a few stand-alone external drives, WD and Seagate, that I've used over the years to back up older photo work, as well as non-photo files. I always try to have two of each to prevent loss if one goes bad.