Using a backup harddrive.

[alrightgame]

I am currently using a two year old seagate harddrive for my backup harddrive and I'm wondering a couple things.

I still use this backup harddrive to run my music and movie files and occasionally pull a file from the harddrive.
I am worried about doing this as it is a backup harddrive.
Should I just transfer the files from my backup and put it on my harddrive I am currently using for windows and games, then unplug the drive and only use it when I need a file on it?

What is the difference with having the drive plugged in and never using anything on the drive between just having the drive unplugged?

How much will it matter if I use the backup drive to play music and videos?

I never liked the idea of putting duplicate files on my main harddrive, but I'm thinking that maybe I should and just shut my backup down.

What do you all think?

 

[Old Hippie]

I'm thinkin' you worry too much.

Start with a :beer: to officially unwind.

My main consideration about external drives is the heat.

I like mine @ 40C and 50C is the cut-off point for me to feel comfortable.

If your external case has active cooling, that's a definate advantage.

Have another :beer: and think about it.


Good Luck!

 

[RebateMonger]

Please better define what you mean by "backup drive"? It sounds like you have files on it that don't exist anywhere else?

A backup drive should be a place where secondary copies of files are kept in case your main drive(s) fail(s).

As noted, external hard drives tend to run hot and not be quite as reliable as internal drives. If you only have a single backup drive, it'd be safest to only turn it on when making backups. The only problem with this arrangement is that people (including me) are lazy and never get around to making backups.

 

[alrightgame]

The backup drive is internal that runs with my computer. They only run at 35C idle.
It is also a storage drive as well.
I think I"m just gonna have a beer.

 

[Old Hippie]

I think I"m just gonna have a beer.

Now you're talking! :thumbsup:

BTW, you should be just fine. Many of us use the backup drives for irreplaceable documents and pics and just store them in various places. Yours is being used as a second storage drive but if you really want to be safe with some data it should be kept off-site.

 

[rlim111]

Originally posted by: alrightgame
I am currently using a two year old seagate harddrive for my backup harddrive and I'm wondering a couple things.

I still use this backup harddrive to run my music and movie files and occasionally pull a file from the harddrive.
I am worried about doing this as it is a backup harddrive.

If you worried using it as backup drive, you can buy a cheap external drive. Its better to have two backup drive to keep your data.

I actually use my unlimited hosting place to store my files

 

[alrightgame]

What is the most reliable backup harddrive out there?
I'd like a 640-1 TB drive and I'm not sure about externals, I've read storys of just moving the drive while off can cause it to completely want to reformat.

 

[Elixer]

Originally posted by: alrightgame
What is the most reliable backup harddrive out there?
I'd like a 640-1 TB drive and I'm not sure about externals, I've read storys of just moving the drive while off can cause it to completely want to reformat.

Dunno where you read that, but that isn't true, unless they dropped the HD, or something strange like that.

As for the most reliable HD... well, since all HDs can (& will) fail, the question is, how safe do you want to be? The more backups you make, the more safer you are. If that means buying 2 smaller HDs, instead of one bigger one, then that is what you should do.

Right now, WD black series drives seem to be the crowd favorite.

 

[alrightgame]

Are Fantom drives any good?

 

[biodtl]

Fantom seems like an 'off' brand to me. Although they probably use another companies drives with their label. If you are just using this drive for backups, where speed is not an issue, consider the Western Digital Green drives. They seem to be a crowd favorite and are cheap as well. It has been discussed that they may be more reliable due to slower spindle speeds and cooler operating temperatures.

 

[alrightgame]

Ok, I'm gonna go with a 640 green WD as a storage and use my 320 seagate to also store those files.
Is there a place to order these online that still use styrofoam packaging? Newegg scares me on the harddrive shipments.
I was thinking frys but have never ordered from them before.

 

[RebateMonger]

ZipZoomFly's last drive shipment was VERY well packed. Yeah, Newegg is getting careless.

 

[rlim111]

Originally posted by: alrightgame
Ok, I'm gonna go with a 640 green WD as a storage and use my 320 seagate to also store those files.
Is there a place to order these online that still use styrofoam packaging? Newegg scares me on the harddrive shipments.
I was thinking frys but have never ordered from them before.

Its better to use new drive to store files since old drive' failure rate higher than the new.

 

[alrightgame]

Yeh, I was going to back up on both harddrives.