Can i just buy any external hard drive for my laptop

Hey guys i have a 160gb 5400rpm hard drive in my laptop....i do a lot of downloading dvd, and video editing etc so i wanted to get an external hard drive to put all this stuff on, annd just leave the regular OS and utilities and games on my regular hard drive

i need an external thats fast, firewire, and over 300GB......which one should i buy?

I see all these external drives, but do they work with laptops?? dont they need a case or somethin?

please help
thanks alot

 

I would buy a desktop hard drive. (3.5") They offer the best value for your money. Then you can buy an external casing for them that allows you to connect it to your laptop via firewire or usb. There is a how to guide here that covers all of it. It will give you the idea of how to do it, and what to buy. But remember that the desktop hard drives(3.5") are cheaper than their laptop(2.5") cousins.

 

But 3.5" external drives will need a plug to power it, 2.5" drives all USB powered. So the question is do you want portable or more storage?

JC

 

I guess id kinda want the more portable one since if i bring it with me somewhere or want to download something onto it i wont have to plug it into the wall outlet, so which one should i get?

 

Get a 2.5" if you don't want to plug in. You can either buy a 2.5" drive and put it into an enclosure or buy a pre-made external. I'd check newegg.com out if you're in the States, they usually have decent deals.

 

You have two options:

1) Large 3.5" desktop HD inside a 3.5" enclosure
=Pros
-inexpensive
-large capacity at 7200rpm
-USB and firewire
=Cons
-needs power supply
-heavy
-bulky

2. Small 2.5" HD inside 2.5" enclosure
=Pros
-Small
-Compact
-USB powered
=Cons
-expensive
-HD maxes out at 200gb at 5400rpm
-USB, rare firewire

 

I see that i cant find any 2.5 drives over 160GB on newegg, maybe ill just buy the 3.5 WD one for 145 bux and then i would have to put a casing on it?

 

It is rare to find 2.5 inch drives over 160GB. I think the largest is 200GB.

Yes, you can get the 3.5 inch WD HD and then put a casing on it.

 

then i can just plug in intolaptop firewire, and download and or drag all files to this HDD?

 

Precisely!

 

why do i need encasing for that WD hard drive, cant i just plug in firewire to it?

 

Because if you buy a HD all it is, is a HD, you need the casing with the adapters.

 

If you are talking about the 3.5" drive, you'll also need an adapter which will provide power via molex to the hard drive.

 

Or you can buy a pre-built external HD. I got a couple of 160 GB 7200 RPM Seagates for $90 each about a year ago. They must be cheaper by now.

 

Indeed they are. I believe they are selling for about $70 now.

 

Ok now im really confused, i need to buy an adapter and a casing? Can someone either link me to a 2.5 200gb drive that i can just plug in......or link me to the things ineed to buy if i buy the WD 320 gig drive on newegg

 

Are you sure?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0971534+1309721217&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=380

JC

 

Here is a 2.5 inch 200GB notebook hard drive from Toshiba, at newegg.com. Its a little pricey though, and only has 4200rpm speed.

 

2.5" 200 GB and larger are pricey and run at slower speeds than you want.

How about something like this (doesn't have to be this particular model):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136023

 

Unfortunately, there is no 200 GB pre-made 2.5" External HD. You got to make it by yourself.

There is only 1 200 GB 2.5" HD.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822149059

And you also need one of these..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...53807124+1054107131&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=92

JC

 

If you want ALREADY PREMADE EXTERNAL HD, check these out.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N=2000150414&Submit=ENE&Nty=1&SubCategory=414

JC

 

Yeah that Western digitasl 320gb was cool, but what else do i need to buy with it, im not gonna get a 2.5, not fast enough...

dont care about mobility no more
i just want to get a hard drive in the mail, plug it in firewire to my laptop and see a drive show up with over 250gb.....thats all i want, anyone got a link forsomethin like this?

 

If you ware going to buy the Western Digital My Book Premium WDG1C3200N 320GB (with FIRWIRE), there is nothing else need to buy. ALL cables are included.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136028

Good luck

JC

 

The suggestion of NetBrakr , is a fair decent price.


Get a 320GB seagate for 99$ then buy a cheap Enclosure for it 25$. Make sure enclosure is SATA supported. Total price won't cost you more than 130$. I prefer to use USB than firewire.

After you plug everything in and connect to computer. you need to do a format for your drive.

Go to : Control Panel/ Administrative tools/ Computer management/

In the Computer management click Disk Management under storage, It'll show your new HDD in the right window. right click on that new HDD and click format or create partition.