From: TJ@noneofyour.business   
      
   On 01/11/2013 02:14 PM, Jim Beard wrote:   
   > On 01/11/2013 11:01 AM, TJ wrote:   
   >> On 01/11/2013 09:24 AM, TJ wrote:   
   >>> On 01/10/2013 09:25 PM, Jim Beard wrote:   
   >>>>   
   >>>> You (?someone?) mentioned a small external.  Any suggestions?   
   >>>> Quirks I   
   >>>> should be aware of?   
   >>>>   
   >>>> My WDC external HD is about 5 x 7 x 2 (inches) and a bit big   
   >>>> for a safe   
   >>>> deposit box, but the "passport" externals likely would fit   
   >>>> easily.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> My newest computer has an "Intel 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset   
   >>>> USB2   
   >>>> Enhanced Host Controller" and the other an ATI 7x0/8x0/9x0 USB   
   >>>> [EO]HCI   
   >>>> controller.  That looks to me like USB 3.0 would not be   
   >>>> supported.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> I would expect to use Mandriva's tools to delete partition(s) and   
   >>>> create/format ext4 partitions, ignoring the manufacturers   
   >>>> Winlows/iMac   
   >>>> software.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> What think you?   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Cheers!   
   >>>>   
   >>>> jim b.   
   >>>>   
   >>> My latest WDElements SE "portable" external drive is approximately   
   >>> 3x4.5x0.75 inches, and is powered through the USB 2.0 bus. No   
   >>> quirks so   
   >>> far. Mine is 1TB, but I believe they have them  at 2TB, maybe   
   >>> even 3 by   
   >>> now. I used Mageia's tools to format it to ext4, no problems   
   >>> once I   
   >>> figured out what I was doing.   
   >>>   
   >>> There are other brands, too. Not sure about this, but I believe   
   >>> USB 3.0   
   >>> devices are backwards-compatible with 2.0. A cable adapter may   
   >>> be required.   
   >>>   
   >>> TJ   
   >>>   
   >> Let me amend that a bit. Not a "quirk" exactly, but the USB 2.0   
   >> cable provided with the above WDC drive is only about 18 inches   
   >> long, and the drive end is non-standard. It resembles each of the   
   >> two digital camera cables I have, but is different from both. I   
   >> suppose there might be a camera cable that is compatible, but my   
   >> guess is that you might as well assume a replacement would have   
   >> to come from WDC. If the short length is a problem, the drive   
   >> will work with a standard USB extension cable.   
   >   
   > What I see on the web comes with a cable, so that should not be a   
   > problem, initially. Replacement cables only from the manufacturer are a   
   > PITA, but not exactly unknown.  Depending on what you have, you may have   
   > to buy a model-specific cable from the manufacturer. :(   
   >   
   > Of greater significance (to me), I found the WDElements SE at Western   
   > Digital, and the blurb suggests it is the "economy" version. The WDC   
   > Passport drives are only about $10 more and appear to be the main   
   > product, with pricing at   
   > $70-$100 for 500GB to 1TB.   
   >   
   > I am inclined to look at a couple of Brick-and-Mortar places in my area   
   > and see what they have, and that may delay things a while.  Compared to   
   > the years I have operated without the off-site backup, I think the added   
   > risk is acceptable. :)   
   >   
   FWIW, I just went over to Newegg and cruised through the customer   
   feedback on those two drives. The Elements drive had 15 reviews and a   
   score of 4 eggs; the Passport had 29 reviews and a score of 3 eggs. Most   
   who had problems complained of the speed with USB 3.0, though I noticed   
   one whose drive crashed after a few months. At each poor review WD   
   offered to help, a nice thing to see.   
      
    From what I see, the difference between the Elements and Passport   
   drives isn't one of reliability, but perhaps one of an included   
   "feature" or two. IMHO, either one would be adequate for the discussed   
   purpose.   
      
   TJ   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)