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    External HD Enclosures?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by MaloS, Mar 6, 2008.

  1. MaloS

    MaloS Notebook Geek

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    Hello...

    Well okay, I have an IBM Thinkpad T61, I am transferring myself over back to laptop world after playing with a desktop for some time (I officially don't believe in desktops for any purpose but gaming...)

    I want to provide myself with similar storage space, although I only need access to it at home. I have a half-terabyte SATA hard drive that I want to transfer over into an enclosure, and have the ability to add another half a terabyte or more (I like to convert all my music into digital format and store CDs safely).

    Thus, the question is - which Enclosure? I have options between using USB and 1394 ports, I need it to be quiet, supporting 2x SATA HDs. Price - the cheaper the better =].

    Post what you use, what you recommend, and make me happy with some good info =] Thanks.
     
    MaloS, Mar 6, 2008
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  2. Lil Mayz

    Lil Mayz Notebook Deity

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    Lil Mayz, Mar 6, 2008
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  3. MaloS

    MaloS Notebook Geek

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    MaloS, Mar 6, 2008
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  4. Johnny T

    Johnny T Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Much faster transfer speeds.
     
    Johnny T, Mar 6, 2008
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  5. MaloS

    MaloS Notebook Geek

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    For a laptop that only offers USB/1394...
     
    MaloS, Mar 6, 2008
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  6. Johnny T

    Johnny T Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I was just answering your question. :) You can always get a PCMCIA e-SATA card ;)
     
    Johnny T, Mar 6, 2008
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  7. jeffmd

    jeffmd Notebook Evangelist

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    malos, usb2.0 will be fine, its pretty fast. I know if external enclosures for 1 drive, but nothing for 2 outside of another pc case. Also noise will actually prolly be a little louder since you dont have as many layers of metal and cables to help dampen the sound of them.

    I was about to do an external drive enclosure for a hd I had lieing around, but ended up getting one of WD's passport drives. 2 reasons mainly, the size of a single HD enclosure is pretty big, and they required external power supplies. The passport type portable drives are small, quiet, and power off the usb 2.0 port (1.0 is tricker, you will most likely need to buy the cable that combines power of 2 usb 1.0 ports to even get it to work).

    the only negative is obviously is a 500 gig 2.5 drive is much more costlier then a 500 gig 3.5 drive. ;)
     
    jeffmd, Mar 7, 2008
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