Hard Drive Information Needed

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

October 26, 2008