Hard Drive, external - cheapest way to go?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Big Mac
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Big Mac

I would like to set up an external hard drive that is not connected
most of the time, but only used to make a complete back-up, or a
bootable "image" of my regular hard drive, just in case some day I
crash and burn and lose my C: drive.

I already own Norton Ghost, which can do the imaging.

But I don't want to pay what they want for a new USB drive they sell
nowadays. How would I find out about buying a little hard drive
external case, and the wiring that I can run from the connector
plug-in off of the motherboard, not directly to an internal hard
drive, but to, say, a plug-in thingy on the back of my computer that I
could then plug the hard drive into whenever I wanted to use I, or
have an on-off switch?

Or is that impractical. & should I just have the wiring hanging out
the back of my computer and just plug in the hard drive into it want
to image my C: drive?

A used slow hard drive would be ok for this purpose. Someone point me
in the right direction for part or all of my post. Thanks..

Big Mac
 
Too many options here since you'll settle for dangling wires.

The cheapest way to go is a rack mount hard drive that you can simply plop
into a 5 1/2" bay and remove it when you're done the back up. The rack mount
sells for $12 and up and is very dependable. You can use multiple hdds if
you buy extra carriers. The IDE cable plugs into the mb.

But, if you're still sold on buying an external drive do yourself a favor
and don't buy the cheapest you can find. I've been very satisfied with a
USB2/firewire box sold by ADS. They cost me about $80 each at CompUSA but
they have been very reliable as I've used one for a hdd and one for a DVD
writer for the past year. And yes, they have a little green lighted switch
on the back Their cables are at least 5 ft long. Haiving the option of
firewire is a real plus because I've found that USB2 for at least XP systems
do not always release to disconnect the software without shutting down.
Firewire does not seem to have that problem.
http://www.adstech.com/products/DLX185/intro/DLX185intro.asp?pid=DLX185
 
I would like to set up an external hard drive that is not connected
most of the time, but only used to make a complete back-up, or a
bootable "image" of my regular hard drive, just in case some day I
crash and burn and lose my C: drive.

I already own Norton Ghost, which can do the imaging.

But I don't want to pay what they want for a new USB drive they sell
nowadays. How would I find out about buying a little hard drive
external case, and the wiring that I can run from the connector
plug-in off of the motherboard, not directly to an internal hard
drive, but to, say, a plug-in thingy on the back of my computer that I
could then plug the hard drive into whenever I wanted to use I, or
have an on-off switch?

Or is that impractical. & should I just have the wiring hanging out
the back of my computer and just plug in the hard drive into it want
to image my C: drive?

A used slow hard drive would be ok for this purpose. Someone point me
in the right direction for part or all of my post. Thanks..

Big Mac
Click to expand...

FIrst it would be important to determine if your motherboard bios can
enumerate USB devices (drives) and on what interface, and that interface
speed. Going with a typical scenario for a semi-modern motherboard, if it
detects USB drives and supports USB1 or USB2, you'd buy the appropriate
external enclosuer supporting that type of interface. For example you can
use Newegg's search function and read user reviews, see pictures of their
offerings here:

http://www.newegg.com/app/manufactory.asp?catalog=92&DEPA=0

If your system can't boot from USB and the USB device doesn't have DOS
drivers (most don't, check manufacturer's website) then it's less useful
for a complete restoration, since you'd have to be able to boot windows
to access the drive else take out the hard drive on the "down" system and
transfer the backup on another system, or swap the two drives from
enclosuer and "down" PC if you'd made a clone (duplicate) instead of a
compressed backup image file.
 
I would like to set up an external hard drive that is not connected
most of the time, but only used to make a complete back-up, or a
bootable "image" of my regular hard drive, just in case some day I
crash and burn and lose my C: drive.

I already own Norton Ghost, which can do the imaging.

But I don't want to pay what they want for a new USB drive they sell
nowadays. How would I find out about buying a little hard drive
external case, and the wiring that I can run from the connector
plug-in off of the motherboard, not directly to an internal hard
drive, but to, say, a plug-in thingy on the back of my computer that I
could then plug the hard drive into whenever I wanted to use I, or
have an on-off switch?

Or is that impractical. & should I just have the wiring hanging out
the back of my computer and just plug in the hard drive into it want
to image my C: drive?

A used slow hard drive would be ok for this purpose. Someone point me
in the right direction for part or all of my post. Thanks..

Big Mac
Click to expand...

They make an enclosure with tray that can be installed into the front
of your computer.

The backup hard drive gets installed into the tray. When you want to
do the backup/clone, you put the tray with the drive into the
enclosure, turn a key on it, and its ready. When done, turn the key
off and take out the tray. The key locks the tray into the
enclosure...plus gives power to that drive.

You can leave that tray in all the time if you want...and only turn
the key on when needed...but I don't recommend it.


Have a nice week...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
 
: I would like to set up an external hard drive that is not connected
: most of the time, but only used to make a complete back-up, or a
: bootable "image" of my regular hard drive, just in case some day I
: crash and burn and lose my C: drive.
:
: I already own Norton Ghost, which can do the imaging.
:
: But I don't want to pay what they want for a new USB drive they sell
: nowadays. How would I find out about buying a little hard drive
: external case, and the wiring that I can run from the connector
: plug-in off of the motherboard, not directly to an internal hard
: drive, but to, say, a plug-in thingy on the back of my computer that I
: could then plug the hard drive into whenever I wanted to use I, or
: have an on-off switch?
:
: Or is that impractical. & should I just have the wiring hanging out
: the back of my computer and just plug in the hard drive into it want
: to image my C: drive?
:
: A used slow hard drive would be ok for this purpose. Someone point me
: in the right direction for part or all of my post. Thanks..
:
: Big Mac

Why not just mount the drive internally? I'll sell you my
pci ide controller for $5.
 
: On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 16:21:56 -0700, Big Mac
:
: >I would like to set up an external hard drive that is not connected
: >most of the time, but only used to make a complete back-up, or a
: >bootable "image" of my regular hard drive, just in case some day I
: >crash and burn and lose my C: drive.
: >
: >I already own Norton Ghost, which can do the imaging.
: >
: >But I don't want to pay what they want for a new USB drive they sell
: >nowadays. How would I find out about buying a little hard drive
: >external case, and the wiring that I can run from the connector
: >plug-in off of the motherboard, not directly to an internal hard
: >drive, but to, say, a plug-in thingy on the back of my computer that I
: >could then plug the hard drive into whenever I wanted to use I, or
: >have an on-off switch?
: >
: >Or is that impractical. & should I just have the wiring hanging out
: >the back of my computer and just plug in the hard drive into it want
: >to image my C: drive?
: >
: >A used slow hard drive would be ok for this purpose. Someone point me
: >in the right direction for part or all of my post. Thanks..
: >
: >Big Mac
:
: They make an enclosure with tray that can be installed into the front
: of your computer.
:
: The backup hard drive gets installed into the tray. When you want to
: do the backup/clone, you put the tray with the drive into the
: enclosure, turn a key on it, and its ready. When done, turn the key
: off and take out the tray. The key locks the tray into the
: enclosure...plus gives power to that drive.
:
: You can leave that tray in all the time if you want...and only turn
: the key on when needed...but I don't recommend it.
:
:
: Have a nice week...
:
: Trent©
:
: Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

If you've got the IDE controller free, again install an
internal drive. I've got some old IDE trays that you
can have for $10. But then you've got a bay filled
with nothing to do. Just mount it internally.
 
Gray asphalt said:
Why not just mount the drive internally? I'll sell you my
pci ide controller for $5.
Click to expand...

First, to you other guys, and thanks everyone for responding, I do not
have any more room in my mini tower to mount a removable rack. I
already have a CD drive and a DVD R/W drive, & a multiple card reader
and an 3 & 1/2" floppy. No more room.

Also, I found out that my 2.2 GHz Athalon does not support booting
from a USB device, and the bios would have to be tweaked by 3rd party
software. I really do not want to mess with it.

So, my best bet is either to find an external mini-rack designed for
external mounting of internal HDs (maybe they had them in the old
days??) with, or without, a power supply, I want cheap, & just run the
wires out the back of my computer so I can plug it in a few times a
year to make a back-up image.

Or, yes, Gray, I could mount it internally, provided there was a way
to switch it off... I would only need to fire it up once a month to
back-up.

Say... can I just command XP to switch off a drive and leave it off?
No power to it, not even at boot up to look at it? That would work
out nicely.

Or is there a hardware on/off switch designed for that? I am guessing
my motherboard has a place to plug in the wires for a second hard
drive. Used to be yes, any motherboard would handle that.

If worse comes to worse - why don't I just keep it in a cardboard box
in my drawer when not in use, and plug it into the wires I would
string out the back of my computer (controller wires & power supply
wires) when I wanted to fire it up? Why do I need to mount it
anywhere? I don't need to.

Big Mac
 
First, to you other guys, and thanks everyone for responding, I do not
have any more room in my mini tower to mount a removable rack. I
already have a CD drive and a DVD R/W drive, & a multiple card reader
and an 3 & 1/2" floppy. No more room.
Click to expand...

A couple of final thoughts...

Are you going to get an IDE drive? If so, do you have any IDE
connections available?

If yer cdrom is IDE, I'd get rid of it...and put that tray in its
place. With the speed of the dvd drive, yer not gaining anything by
keeping it...especially with the speed of the 2.2. I'd dump it...and
burn to a temp file if you been burning directly from optical to
optical.

Of course, if needed, you can always buy another IDE controller.
So, my best bet is either to find an external mini-rack designed for
external mounting of internal HDs (maybe they had them in the old
days??) with, or without, a power supply, I want cheap, & just run the
wires out the back of my computer so I can plug it in a few times a
year to make a back-up image.
Click to expand...

Why not just keep the cover off the case...or take it off for those
few times a year. At the most, you'd have 4 screws to take
out...maybe less.

Then just disconnect the IDE lead to the optical drive...and put it in
the purchased drive.
Say... can I just command XP to switch off a drive and leave it off?
No power to it, not even at boot up to look at it? That would work
out nicely.
Click to expand...

You could probably work something out like this for USB...but not IDE.
If worse comes to worse - why don't I just keep it in a cardboard box
in my drawer when not in use, and plug it into the wires I would
string out the back of my computer (controller wires & power supply
wires) when I wanted to fire it up? Why do I need to mount it
anywhere? I don't need to.
Click to expand...

Correct. But why even string wires out the back? Just take...or
keep...the cover off.

If you string wires out the back...which will need to include the IDE
'wire', you'll be tying up an IDE connector...which will only be used
a few times during the year. As I hinted, you may not even have that
connector available NOW.

Anyway...good luck.


Have a nice week...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
 
: >Why not just mount the drive internally? I'll sell you my
: >pci ide controller for $5.
:
: First, to you other guys, and thanks everyone for responding, I do not
: have any more room in my mini tower to mount a removable rack. I
: already have a CD drive and a DVD R/W drive, & a multiple card reader
: and an 3 & 1/2" floppy. No more room.
:
: Also, I found out that my 2.2 GHz Athalon does not support booting
: from a USB device, and the bios would have to be tweaked by 3rd party
: software. I really do not want to mess with it.
:
: So, my best bet is either to find an external mini-rack designed for
: external mounting of internal HDs (maybe they had them in the old
: days??) with, or without, a power supply, I want cheap, & just run the
: wires out the back of my computer so I can plug it in a few times a
: year to make a back-up image.
:
: Or, yes, Gray, I could mount it internally, provided there was a way
: to switch it off... I would only need to fire it up once a month to
: back-up.
:
: Say... can I just command XP to switch off a drive and leave it off?
: No power to it, not even at boot up to look at it? That would work
: out nicely.
:
: Or is there a hardware on/off switch designed for that? I am guessing
: my motherboard has a place to plug in the wires for a second hard
: drive. Used to be yes, any motherboard would handle that.
:
: If worse comes to worse - why don't I just keep it in a cardboard box
: in my drawer when not in use, and plug it into the wires I would
: string out the back of my computer (controller wires & power supply
: wires) when I wanted to fire it up? Why do I need to mount it
: anywhere? I don't need to.
:
: Big Mac
:

Your idea sounds like a good solution. For me I just would
like to have the drive mounted internally. I make backups a lot
more than you. Actually not that much but sometimes I have
to make one quickly and it would be so easy just to replace
from an installed drive and I lose everything, including a video
card recently, so misplacing a hard drive is possible. Good
luck.
 
Can't you just goto radioshack and and get a simple 1 pole switch
(http://www.radioshack.com/category.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&category_name=
CTLG%5F011%5F002%5F015%5F006&Page=1), and a molex 4 pin extention, solder
the switch on the red wire of that extension, and use it to connect the
backup hdd power?

You can mount the switch on the back or the front for convenience. And I am
guess when there's no power to the hdd, bios shouldn't detect it right?


-bron
 
: Can't you just goto radioshack and and get a simple 1 pole switch
:
(http://www.radioshack.com/category.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&category_name=
: CTLG%5F011%5F002%5F015%5F006&Page=1), and a molex 4 pin extention, solder
: the switch on the red wire of that extension, and use it to connect the
: backup hdd power?
:
: You can mount the switch on the back or the front for convenience. And I
am
: guess when there's no power to the hdd, bios shouldn't detect it right?
:
:
: -bron
:
: "Big Mac" <[email protected]> ???
: ???...
: > >Why not just mount the drive internally? I'll sell you my
: > >pci ide controller for $5.
: >
: > First, to you other guys, and thanks everyone for responding, I do not
: > have any more room in my mini tower to mount a removable rack. I
: > already have a CD drive and a DVD R/W drive, & a multiple card reader
: > and an 3 & 1/2" floppy. No more room.
: >
: > Also, I found out that my 2.2 GHz Athalon does not support booting
: > from a USB device, and the bios would have to be tweaked by 3rd party
: > software. I really do not want to mess with it.
: >
: > So, my best bet is either to find an external mini-rack designed for
: > external mounting of internal HDs (maybe they had them in the old
: > days??) with, or without, a power supply, I want cheap, & just run the
: > wires out the back of my computer so I can plug it in a few times a
: > year to make a back-up image.
: >
: > Or, yes, Gray, I could mount it internally, provided there was a way
: > to switch it off... I would only need to fire it up once a month to
: > back-up.
: >
: > Say... can I just command XP to switch off a drive and leave it off?
: > No power to it, not even at boot up to look at it? That would work
: > out nicely.
: >
: > Or is there a hardware on/off switch designed for that? I am guessing
: > my motherboard has a place to plug in the wires for a second hard
: > drive. Used to be yes, any motherboard would handle that.
: >
: > If worse comes to worse - why don't I just keep it in a cardboard box
: > in my drawer when not in use, and plug it into the wires I would
: > string out the back of my computer (controller wires & power supply
: > wires) when I wanted to fire it up? Why do I need to mount it
: > anywhere? I don't need to.
: >
: > Big Mac
: >
:
:

That's a good suggestion. Pull-outs work on that principle.
The drive is attached to the cable but until the key is turned.
 
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