What kind of External Hard Disk for back up??

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by mimijo, Oct 29, 2006.

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  1. foghorne

    foghorne Registered Member

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    That is how I interpret the following:

    The Original Purchaser may use the Software on a single computer owned or leased by the Original Purchaser. You may not use the Software on more than a single machine even if you own or lease all of them without the written consent of Acronis.


    Seems clear enough.

    F.
     
  2. aigle

    aigle Registered Member

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    Thanks for that.
     
  3. bulldog356

    bulldog356 Registered Member

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    First things first: Backing up directly to optical media is not specifically an ATI problem. No matter which program does the burning, the unfortunate truth is that backing up directly to optical media is by itself a shakey proposition. You're much better off to backup to a folder on your hard disk and then use your regular burning software to burn the backup file to optical media. That method can also be faster than backing up directly to disk.

    That being said, there's nothing like backing up to an external hard drive. It's like, once I met my wife I wasn't interested in other women. Once you experience the convenience and reliability of backing up to an external HDD, you'll wonder why you ever bothered backing up to CDs or DVDs.

    There are two types of external HDDs (for consumers): There's the kind you use for a desktop - the 3.5" model - and the kind that's more easily portable and so more convenient for a laptop - that's the 2.5" model. You'll pay nore for a portable drive, so don't get one if you don't need one.

    It's not a question of what drive does ATI support. ATI supports USB 2.0 connections...anything that's a hard disk will do. If you want to put a hard disk in an enclosure, and you know what you're doing, by all means go ahead. I went for a fully assembled unit. Less to worry about. If it doesn't work, back it goes under warranty. If I assemble one myself and there's a problem, then I have figure out is it the hard drive, the enclosure, who's responsible?
     
  4. LenC

    LenC Registered Member

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    Yes - separate licenses are required.
     
  5. como

    como Registered Member

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    Yes you need one for each
     
  6. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    If you have any respect for you system partition and above all your personal data, use an external USB 2.0 harddisk, instead of fooling around with CD/DVD's.

    Using CD/DVD's as backup media for harddisks is BEGGING for TROUBLE.
    I never had a harddisk crash in my life, but I had several CD crashes.
    I have 3 harddisks in total, they can't crash at the same time, maybe one but not all three together.
    I don't need to be a genius to figure that out. It's a pure logical reasoning.

    You don't have to test your backup, that's the easy part, you have to test your restoration. What's the point of a regular backup, if you have never tried to restore your image files ? I did more restorations with ATI in the very beginning than backups and I still take any opportunity to restore my computer.
    Backup doesn't save my computer, restoration saves my computer.
    Backup requires only discipline and regularity and that is not a technical matter.

    Being an FDISR-user, I created an off-line snapshot, that works like a computer without internet connection, malware-free like in the old days and I use that snapshot for working without any disturbements, for defragmentation, for backup/restoring images, for archiving/restoring snapshots, for burning CD/DVD's.
    All these jobs, including me, need a quiet environment to do their job properly and without security messages, updating messages, annoying popups, etc.
    I use my on-line snapshot for internet and dirty work.
     
  7. mimijo

    mimijo Registered Member

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    Hmm...no what i mean is....for FAT32 the single file limit is 4GB right? So if my system is FAT32 but my external hard drive is NTFS....will ATI split the file size bcos of my system is FAT32? OR since im chosing my NTFS external hard drive as my backup destination, ATI wont split ito_O?
     
  8. mimijo

    mimijo Registered Member

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    Yes you are right..thats why i bought another licence for my the other desktop.
    Both of my desktop are using ATI 9.0, another older desktop and my laptop is using the free ATI 7.0. Its just too troublesome to backup all....headache:oops:
     
  9. mimijo

    mimijo Registered Member

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    Hmm im getting this "My Book™ Premium Edition 250GB" from Western Digital which cost $199 in my country.

    Yea, it come with its own backup software, so i will just install the needed drivers etc...but without the backup software.
     
  10. mimijo

    mimijo Registered Member

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    Yes, i planning to get those 3.5" model that are fully assembled.
    This is the one im getting:
    http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=221&language=en

    wish me gd luck :D
     
  11. mimijo

    mimijo Registered Member

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    thanks for the advise :D . Im getting excited bcos this will be my very first external hard drive :D but it cost me a bomb :'( $199

    and i have given up on backing up on discs....i hope this is the right move.
     
  12. Menorcaman

    Menorcaman Retired Moderator

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    Hello mimijo,

    It doesn't matter whether your source drive is FAT32 or NTFS - TI will not split the image into 4GB chunks when backing up to a NTFS formatted destination drive.

    Regards
     
  13. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    I had the same feelings and my first restorations were real thrillers, but after 6 months restorations, it became routine. I do restorations like backups without any worries. I hope you are as lucky as me. :)
     
  14. sarutaro

    sarutaro Registered Member

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    Excuse my ignorance. WD 250GB External USB Hard drive is currently available for $83.16. I am thinking about buying this unit. My question is whether HD part is interchangeable with smaller HD or not. I have a 80GB EIDE Harddisk (before replaced with 400 GB HD) in storage. Can I replace 250 GB HD in the external USB HD with the previously used 80GB? TIA. Sarutaro
     
  15. bVolk

    bVolk Registered Member

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    Yes, the drives themselves are interchangeable, as long as they are the same format (say 3.5") and same type - either both EIDE (also called IDE or ATA or PATA) or both SATA. No to worry, if the drive didn't match the enclosure, you wouldn't be able to connect it.

    Some enclosures are combos - they accept both IDE (...) and SATA drives. They come supplied with a double set of cables to suit each type. I have one of those and it works.
     
  16. sarutaro

    sarutaro Registered Member

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    Doesn't the memory size matter? If I get a 250GB External USB Hard drive, a drive with bigger than 250GB (e.g., 400GB) may not work. Is that correct? Sarutaro
     
  17. bVolk

    bVolk Registered Member

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    No, it doesn't matter, just the definition would change. The 250GB External USB Hard drive would become a 400GB External USB Hard drive. The GB number refers to the capacity of the drive installed in the enclosure. The enclosure has no memory of its own and will accept drives of any capacity, as long as you stay with drives of the same type (eg. 3.5" IDE) the enclosure was built for.
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2006
  18. starsfan09

    starsfan09 Registered Member

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    1. Where can you get a WD 250gb for $83.16?

    2. I'm not so sure you can just swap out WD USB External HD's ... like you can with "Enclosures". All USB Externals I've seen were NOT made to Open. Doing so will void the warranty, and possibly damage the unit. I'd call Western Digital to get more advice before proceeding with this.

    3. Why would you want to replace a 250gb ....with an 80gb? o_O I'm lost here!
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2006
  19. max0071

    max0071 Registered Member

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    Respectfully, why would you wanna build your own? The price point is so low now why wouldn't one just buy an external HD off the shelf rather than build your own. I wouldn't want to build my own car so I bought one already built!!!
     
  20. GroverH

    GroverH Registered Member

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    This weeks special from BestBuy thru Nov 4

    Western Digital My Book Premium 250GB External FireWire and USB 2.0 Hard Drive
    Model: WDG1C2500N
    $129 Sale price

    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7643071&type=product&cmp= &id=1134698030480

    Also on sale this week: Maxtor® 320GB External USB 2.0 Hard Drive $139

    mimijo! This can save you money.!!!
    --------------------------

    max0071
    Having your own enclosure offers more options for switching or upgrading the drive size without having to buy another power supply.
    Enclosures are made to be switched by the user. External drives from the mfgr is not........without difficulty, etc.
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2006
  21. max0071

    max0071 Registered Member

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    Thanks for responding. But you gotta buy the "new" HD anyways, so you pay a small premium for an as built, the difference can't be that much. But of course it seems complicated to me, others may find it a no brainer (putting together your external hd and enclosure). That's my 2 cents.
     
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