Guest Frog Posted October 25, 2008 Posted October 25, 2008 I have an external USB 2.0 High Speed hard drive case. The hardware currently installed in this case is a 10GB Western Digital hard drive. I would like to replace that hard drive with a 500GB Western Digital drive... --one that would be used for backing up my internal hard drive, and --one that could be removed from the USB connected case (without loosing the backup data copied on that hard drive) and installing it internally on my computer (if that ever became necessary). I know the 10GB hard drive currently in the USB box was taken from an old computer, and it seems to work without any problems. Are there things I need to know before purchasing a new Hard Drive for the purposes outlined above? Thanks for your help. Frog
Guest Big_Al Posted October 25, 2008 Posted October 25, 2008 Re: Hard Drive Information Needed Frog wrote: > I have an external USB 2.0 High Speed hard drive case. The hardware > currently installed in this case is a 10GB Western Digital hard drive. I > would like to replace that hard drive with a 500GB Western Digital drive... > > --one that would be used for backing up my internal hard drive, and > > --one that could be removed from the USB connected case (without loosing > the backup data copied on that hard drive) and installing it internally > on my computer (if that ever became necessary). > > I know the 10GB hard drive currently in the USB box was taken from an > old computer, and it seems to work without any problems. > > Are there things I need to know before purchasing a new Hard Drive for > the purposes outlined above? > > > > Thanks for your help. > > Frog This is really limited info. But try this: Since the hard drive is 10 gigs, that means its more than likely an IDE drive, in contrast to a SATA drive. (in some other terms they refer to them as parallel and serial drives). If you wish to keep the same USB Case, you can, just buy another IDE drive. However IDE drives are becoming hard to find (and a dying breed). I would buy a new SATA drive and case. BUT to use it *in* your current cabinet, you'd have to have a SATA controller. This you'll have to check with your docs. Otherwise you're back to the IDE story. Most USB cases, be them IDE or SATA drives internally are going to work much like yours does.
Guest Wilderbeast Posted October 26, 2008 Posted October 26, 2008 Re: Hard Drive Information Needed Frog wrote: > I have an external USB 2.0 High Speed hard drive case. The hardware > currently installed in this case is a 10GB Western Digital hard drive. > I would like to replace that hard drive with a 500GB Western Digital > drive... > > --one that would be used for backing up my internal hard drive, and > > --one that could be removed from the USB connected case (without > loosing the backup data copied on that hard drive) and installing it > internally on my computer (if that ever became necessary). > > I know the 10GB hard drive currently in the USB box was taken from an > old computer, and it seems to work without any problems. > > Are there things I need to know before purchasing a new Hard Drive for > the purposes outlined above? > > > > Thanks for your help. > > Frog Simple replace the 10 gig drive with any new IDE drive. Nothing to it.
Guest Twayne Posted October 26, 2008 Posted October 26, 2008 Re: Hard Drive Information Needed > > --one that could be removed from the USB connected case (without > loosing the backup data copied on that hard drive) and installing it > internally on my computer (if that ever became necessary). Data doesn't become "loose". It's either there or it's not. There is nothing to loosen up in data on a drive.
Guest Frog Posted October 26, 2008 Posted October 26, 2008 Re: Hard Drive Information Needed Big_Al wrote: > Frog wrote: >> I have an external USB 2.0 High Speed hard drive case. The hardware >> currently installed in this case is a 10GB Western Digital hard drive. >> I would like to replace that hard drive with a 500GB Western Digital >> drive... >> >> --one that would be used for backing up my internal hard drive, and >> >> --one that could be removed from the USB connected case (without >> loosing the backup data copied on that hard drive) and installing it >> internally on my computer (if that ever became necessary). >> >> I know the 10GB hard drive currently in the USB box was taken from an >> old computer, and it seems to work without any problems. >> >> Are there things I need to know before purchasing a new Hard Drive for >> the purposes outlined above? >> >> >> >> Thanks for your help. >> >> Frog > > This is really limited info. But try this: > > Since the hard drive is 10 gigs, that means its more than likely an IDE > drive, in contrast to a SATA drive. (in some other terms they refer to > them as parallel and serial drives). > > If you wish to keep the same USB Case, you can, just buy another IDE > drive. However IDE drives are becoming hard to find (and a dying breed). > > I would buy a new SATA drive and case. BUT to use it *in* your current > cabinet, you'd have to have a SATA controller. This you'll have to > check with your docs. Otherwise you're back to the IDE story. > > Most USB cases, be them IDE or SATA drives internally are going to work > much like yours does. Thanks for your response. I'm not sure what hard drive can reside in the housing I have. The housing is a MACALLY PHR-100A High-Speed USB 2.0 External Enclosure for a 3.5" HDD. I find, when I look the enclosure up on the internet, that it supports drive types 3.5" PATA...see here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/496673-REG/Macally_PHR_100A_PHR_100A_USB_2_0_External.html#specifications How do I know if this enclosure will work with a SATA drive? My computer was purchased in February 2008 and it had Windows XP SP2 installed on it (assembled by a local computer shop). The hard drive that resides in my computer is a 500GB SATA Hard Drive. The plan is to backup (using Casper Software) my system (500GB to 500GB or exact copy) on the external hard drive. Once the backup is made, the external hard drive would be "Safely Removed" from the system. The backup on the external drive would be updated every week or so and again removed from the system. The backup on the external drive would be used as necessary to reinstall files, folders, a whole drive, or replace the internal hard drive in the cabinet. I would appreciate any additional guidance sent my way. Thanks to all who helped me. Frog
Guest Big_Al Posted October 26, 2008 Posted October 26, 2008 Re: Hard Drive Information Needed Frog wrote: > Big_Al wrote: >> Frog wrote: >>> I have an external USB 2.0 High Speed hard drive case. The hardware >>> currently installed in this case is a 10GB Western Digital hard >>> drive. I would like to replace that hard drive with a 500GB Western >>> Digital drive... >>> >>> --one that would be used for backing up my internal hard drive, and >>> >>> --one that could be removed from the USB connected case (without >>> loosing the backup data copied on that hard drive) and installing it >>> internally on my computer (if that ever became necessary). >>> >>> I know the 10GB hard drive currently in the USB box was taken from an >>> old computer, and it seems to work without any problems. >>> >>> Are there things I need to know before purchasing a new Hard Drive >>> for the purposes outlined above? >>> >>> >>> >>> Thanks for your help. >>> >>> Frog >> >> This is really limited info. But try this: >> >> Since the hard drive is 10 gigs, that means its more than likely an >> IDE drive, in contrast to a SATA drive. (in some other terms they >> refer to them as parallel and serial drives). >> >> If you wish to keep the same USB Case, you can, just buy another IDE >> drive. However IDE drives are becoming hard to find (and a dying >> breed). >> >> I would buy a new SATA drive and case. BUT to use it *in* your >> current cabinet, you'd have to have a SATA controller. This you'll >> have to check with your docs. Otherwise you're back to the IDE story. >> >> Most USB cases, be them IDE or SATA drives internally are going to >> work much like yours does. > > > Thanks for your response. I'm not sure what hard drive can reside in > the housing I have. The housing is a MACALLY PHR-100A High-Speed USB > 2.0 External Enclosure for a 3.5" HDD. I find, when I look the > enclosure up on the internet, that it supports drive types 3.5" > PATA...see here: > > http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/496673-REG/Macally_PHR_100A_PHR_100A_USB_2_0_External.html#specifications > > > How do I know if this enclosure will work with a SATA drive? > > My computer was purchased in February 2008 and it had Windows XP SP2 > installed on it (assembled by a local computer shop). The hard drive > that resides in my computer is a 500GB SATA Hard Drive. The plan is to > backup (using Casper Software) my system (500GB to 500GB or exact copy) > on the external hard drive. Once the backup is made, the external hard > drive would be "Safely Removed" from the system. The backup on the > external drive would be updated every week or so and again removed from > the system. The backup on the external drive would be used as necessary > to reinstall files, folders, a whole drive, or replace the internal hard > drive in the cabinet. > > I would appreciate any additional guidance sent my way. > > Thanks to all who helped me. > > Frog > > It won't. PATA is Parallel ATA, the old term is IDE. Same-o Same-o.
Guest Big_Al Posted October 26, 2008 Posted October 26, 2008 Re: Hard Drive Information Needed Frog wrote: > Big_Al wrote: >> Frog wrote: >>> I have an external USB 2.0 High Speed hard drive case. The hardware >>> currently installed in this case is a 10GB Western Digital hard >>> drive. I would like to replace that hard drive with a 500GB Western >>> Digital drive... >>> >>> --one that would be used for backing up my internal hard drive, and >>> >>> --one that could be removed from the USB connected case (without >>> loosing the backup data copied on that hard drive) and installing it >>> internally on my computer (if that ever became necessary). >>> >>> I know the 10GB hard drive currently in the USB box was taken from an >>> old computer, and it seems to work without any problems. >>> >>> Are there things I need to know before purchasing a new Hard Drive >>> for the purposes outlined above? >>> >>> >>> >>> Thanks for your help. >>> >>> Frog >> >> This is really limited info. But try this: >> >> Since the hard drive is 10 gigs, that means its more than likely an >> IDE drive, in contrast to a SATA drive. (in some other terms they >> refer to them as parallel and serial drives). >> >> If you wish to keep the same USB Case, you can, just buy another IDE >> drive. However IDE drives are becoming hard to find (and a dying >> breed). >> >> I would buy a new SATA drive and case. BUT to use it *in* your >> current cabinet, you'd have to have a SATA controller. This you'll >> have to check with your docs. Otherwise you're back to the IDE story. >> >> Most USB cases, be them IDE or SATA drives internally are going to >> work much like yours does. > > > Thanks for your response. I'm not sure what hard drive can reside in > the housing I have. The housing is a MACALLY PHR-100A High-Speed USB > 2.0 External Enclosure for a 3.5" HDD. I find, when I look the > enclosure up on the internet, that it supports drive types 3.5" > PATA...see here: > > http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/496673-REG/Macally_PHR_100A_PHR_100A_USB_2_0_External.html#specifications > > > How do I know if this enclosure will work with a SATA drive? > > My computer was purchased in February 2008 and it had Windows XP SP2 > installed on it (assembled by a local computer shop). The hard drive > that resides in my computer is a 500GB SATA Hard Drive. The plan is to > backup (using Casper Software) my system (500GB to 500GB or exact copy) > on the external hard drive. Once the backup is made, the external hard > drive would be "Safely Removed" from the system. The backup on the > external drive would be updated every week or so and again removed from > the system. The backup on the external drive would be used as necessary > to reinstall files, folders, a whole drive, or replace the internal hard > drive in the cabinet. > > I would appreciate any additional guidance sent my way. > > Thanks to all who helped me. > > Frog > > Sorry, I didn't read far enough down. Your *new* system seems to accept both SATA and PATA drives (lucky). So you can buy anything you want for external. So if you can find an IDE then great, you got the case. Else just buy a new case. Also if you have 500G internal, you don't really need 500G to back it up you know. I doubt you keep 100% of it full, and compressed it might only take 1/2 that or less. My 80 gig with 40gig on it takes about 15 gig to backup. This is a suggestion. I don't know anything about it, it was just the first USB to SATA case I could see. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817347018 Side note, eSATA is a faster external interface than USB. If you have a eSATA (300 speed) connector on your system then that would be a better enclosure to buy. Just another option to look at.
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