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Cheapest way to store 120GB of files?
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Hello
Can anyone recommend a cheap way to save 120GB worth of files, I currently have them on DVD-r but don't want all my files in one place.
They mean so much to me.
Is there a good external hardrive, like a USB one or something?
Thanks ever so
Potatospace
Can anyone recommend a cheap way to save 120GB worth of files, I currently have them on DVD-r but don't want all my files in one place.
They mean so much to me.
Is there a good external hardrive, like a USB one or something?
Thanks ever so
Potatospace
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Having a flick through the misco catalogue I got yesterday:
You can get a 'buffalo usb2 2.5" portable storage drive with 120gb capacity for £72 + vat.
Have a look on their website/ebuyer/scan. There are so many options available that it really comes down to personal preference.
If you were to go down the external hdd route, I would personally get something made by western digital or seagate.
120GB on tape isn't the cheapest way though.
120GiB = 128,849,018,880 bytes
120GB = 120,000,000,000 bytes
So you would need a 129GB or larger disk to fit all your files on. The sweet spot for drives going on price per GB is either 200 or 250GB anyway - so may as well get a bigger disk.
Yes I would make sure if I got an external drive I woul dget one about 150gb - but I am thinking whether or not it is just worth waiting a while till new technology comes along like the blu ray disks and they get lower in price, I dont think it is worth getting a dual layered disk writer.
I have never heard of magnetic tape for storage??
Thanks again all
To those of you who work in IT - do they still use tape anymore? Or is it old hat these days?
Another useless fact: tape was used in the olden days alot when memory, hard drives and floppies were not invented/expensive. Computer games many years ago used cassette tapes for data storage.
Ooops now I know what they are - they use them at work, put tapes in slots for each server and do a back up each day!
Thanks again
Don't wait if the files are important to you, blue ray discs are only 25GB or 50 GB in Dual layer and a wrter will cost a packet.
Yes .. absolutely they do..
Tape sizes are up to 400Gb or more with AIT and Ultrium but the tapes cost a bit and the drives are very expensive, especially as they need quality SCSI or Fibre Channel cards to run them..
Tapes are fantastic for huge amounts of storage. The downside is that data on tape is nowhere near as accessible as it is on disc.
There are ways around it but you have to be more disciplined to make sure all your data is properly backed up, and to maintain a full cycle you need a lot of tapes which can cost a lot of money..
Yes I remember it well, going to Boots (!) and buying Commodore games on cassette for £5 then watching the screen flash stripey colours while it loaded for 5 mins, great days!
if you have a DVD burner then take a second copy and keep them somewhere else is probably the cheapest way.
alternatively buy an external HHD enclosure - such as Link and a 160/200G HDD (total cost about £85)
Get an external 200-250gb drive with Firewire. You can back stuff up quickly onto it AND boot (startup) from it if necessary.
You can't boot from a USB2 drive.
I like the Lacie models or if you're confident with electronics, build your one. Get a FireWire case and drop a Seagate into it and you're sorted!
Besides, if the files mean that much to you, don't go for cheap — go for reliable.
Yes I do have a Mac:)
Any reccomendations of firewire ones?
Can you afford something like this?
http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3TV4
Triple interface — USB2, FW400 & 800 as well. FW400 & FW800 will give you far faster sustained write speeds than USB2.
What kind of Mac do you have?
Not 100% sure, but I do remember reading somewhere that although USB2 devices have a slightly faster burst transfer rate their sustained transfer rate is not as high as that of Firewire.
I have an IMAC G5 20', it does have 230GB free space but I dont wanna put it all on my computer yet as there have been a problem with it.
Thanks for the link - its just a shame I am a bit poor at the moment cant afford anything much.
Allowing extra space for the future, you could go for this one for under £144.
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=95660&_LOC=UK
320 Gb (that's 45p per Gb) , with High Speed USB and Firewire.
Or you could by this WD3200JB at £88.6 + IcyBox IB350UE-BL at £23 for £123.5 + delivery + 5 mins putting together and have the same thing
Or this is a 200GB drive for a tenner less: here.
Paul.
I thought the cheapest way to store this much data would be to buy a internal 150 - 200Gb hard drive?