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External HD question...
#9754 05/04/10 08:30 AM
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I've outgrown my G-Drive mini - 120Gb/FW 400/FW 800/USB 2.0 - and the logical thing to do seems to be to put a new HD into the enclosure, but before I rush in where wise men fear to tread, a few questions...
  1. I've read any number of threads that have dealt with dead/dying HDs, but I've no recollection of ever reading about a terminally ill enclosure.
    Mine is almost 2 1/2 years old, is out of warrantee, and has never exhibited any issues; is it worth the upgrade?
  2. Is anybody aware of any installation complications or, even worse, pitfalls peculiar to this enclosure that I need to know about in advance?
  3. I've got the phillips-head screwdriver I need to get the enclosure open, but beyond seeing that I also need a pretty small torque-wrench with which to unseat the HD I've got no idea what other tools I may need; can anybody fill me in?
  4. And last, but far from least... I can't figure out which, if either, of the two 320Gb/5400RPM HDs pictured here will work with my enclosure which has 6 torque screws, NOT rivets, holding its cover on/it in place. (The 5K320 looks right, but the images are not all that clear.)
Many thanks for any assistance, input, suggestions,...


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Re: External HD question...
artie505 #9755 05/04/10 10:39 AM
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Hi Artie,

It looks like you may have one key question to answer first:

What drive interface does my enclosure support? In your circumstance, I would guess that the 2 1/2 inch drive inside your enclosure is most likely PATA not SATA (like you've linked to.....). Probably best to pop the case open and see what is currently installed.

Once you've gotten that answer, all the other issues which concern you will fall into place easily.

It's been my experience that if an enclosure has worked well for 2 1/2 years, it will continue to operate well once a new drive is installed.....and normally, there are no additional tools required than those you've already identified.


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Re: External HD question...
artie505 #9760 05/04/10 06:32 PM
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1) most enclosures fail due to their power pack dying or mechanical damage like a broken USB port. Very few fail electronically

2) not me

3) everyone that works on computers should have a good set of precision tools. This is my personal favorite: Wiha #75992 It's not extremely cheap, but you WILL get your money's worth out of it. The bits are extremely high quality, the T5 (yes really) it comes with is so hard and sharp that I use it to extract rounded screws all the way down to PH#00

4) yes make sure you have your pata/sata figured out, other than that anything should work.



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Re: External HD question...
MacManiac #9795 05/06/10 08:15 AM
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Hi, Lee,

Thanks for your input.

My current HD is, indeed, a SATA; I had already taken a look, but, on your excellent advice, I opened the enclosure a second time to ensure that my memory wasn't faulty.

(I also checked to make sure that the voltage specs and cache size of the drive to which I linked are consistent with those of my current drive, and they are. As you can see here, the linked drive is likely the same one G-Technology [which I never before noticed is a Hitachi company] is using in their current line.)

I've also decided that it would be foolhardy to go for 320Gb when I can get 500Gb for only $15 more, but I'll stick with 5400RPM, because 7200RPM will be overkill for a backup drive that's rarely used for anything other than data storage.

(More in my response to V1.)

Thanks again. smile


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: External HD question...
Virtual1 #9797 05/06/10 08:54 AM
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Thanks for you input.

> 3) everyone that works on computers should have a good set of precision tools. This is my personal favorite: Wiha #75992 It's not extremely cheap, but you WILL get your money's worth out of it.

Droool!!!

I prefer to buy quality in all aspects of my life, but most tools I buy are pretty much single-use items and don't warrant the expenditure.

I did take my enclosure apart, though, to ensure that I wasn't about to run into any unforeseen issues (PATA/SATA included), and I discovered that the only tool I need is a #1 Phillips, so I'll supplement my kinda chewed up one with a high quality new one (since a #1 Phillips is the tool for working on the user-serviceable parts of my MacBook, too).

By the way... After reacting to your statement that all your drives seem to be morphing into WDs I decided on a Hitachi, because, after 10 cumulative years of good experience with them in four different devices, sticking with a known winner seemed to be the way to go.

Can that... After comparing the (Newegg.com) reviews garnered by the Hitachi I intended to buy with those garnered by this WD (particularly those posted in the last 6 months) I've decided to go with the WD for the exact same price! smile

[aside]

Speaking of cheap tools, I bought a $0.99 (Yep... 99¢) rip saw a coupl'a months ago, not because I had the least bit of need for it, but because I couldn't resist the price...never saw one before...haven't seen another since.

[/aside]

Thanks again. smile

Last edited by artie505; 05/06/10 10:34 AM. Reason: Can that...

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

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Re: External HD question...
artie505 #9802 05/06/10 05:17 PM
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I prefer to buy quality in all aspects of my life, but most tools I buy are pretty much single-use items and don't warrant the expenditure.

Strange to see that, I find the opposite is true for me. Tools are the best value because they're dead opposite of "consumables". You pay for them once and get value from them for years to come. I consider buying tools an "investment".

But yes I have to watch out that I don't buy a tool I'm not going to use much in the future. Sometimes renting a tool or borrowing or getting something cheap is more appropriate. I got a really good deal on an air compressor, that I've used twice in 10 years. That was probably not a good investment. But most other things I get my money's worth and then some.


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Re: External HD question...
Virtual1 #9811 05/07/10 05:26 AM
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Originally Posted By: Virtual1
I prefer to buy quality in all aspects of my life, but most tools I buy are pretty much single-use items and don't warrant the expenditure.

Strange to see that, I find the opposite is true for me. Tools are the best value because they're dead opposite of "consumables". You pay for them once and get value from them for years to come. I consider buying tools an "investment".

You work with tools for a living, live in a house, and are, I suspect, a do-it-yourselfer. (Did you buy that bird feeder or build it in your basement shop?)

I, on the other hand, have never worked a job that required more tools than a (high-quality, of course) wine-opener, live in apartment, and think jury-rigging whatever's busted with a section of wire hanger is do-it-yourself (and there's always the super).

I agree with you whole-heartedly, but my not following through on it as respects "real" tools is simply a matter of perspective.

(Went out to buy that #1 Phillips...
  1. Closest reasonably stocked hardware store [attached to a lumber yard and caters to pros] is an Ace... Not even a Stanley!
  2. Walked better than half a mile to the TrueValue store and got the last Klein they had.
  3. Sears and the next best store are unreasonably far for both walking and public transportation.
Hell... In this neck of the woods I pretty much couldn't buy quality even if I was driven to it unless I was driven to it! grin )

Last edited by artie505; 05/07/10 05:36 AM. Reason: Hit wrong radio button

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: External HD question...
artie505 #9815 05/07/10 05:18 PM
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(Did you buy that bird feeder or build it in your basement shop?)

Actually I just designed it. I'm not really good at woodworking. My design was specifically to make it a hassel for pidgins which if left unchecked will empty a 3 gallon feeder in 2 days flat. The land is very small, the glass on both sides is sloped up/out, and the overhang is generous. Pidgins that want some have to grab the land and flap continuously to keep themselves pressed against the glass to grab a beakfull because their physical size places their center of gravity off the land. If they're that hungry that's fine by me, sometimes I do see one getting a workout for a mouthful of seed, but nothing like it was before with 2-3 on each side for hours at a time.

All the other birds (except crows) have no problem landing for food. The squirrels hang from above and eat upside-down. My next battle is trying to keep out the earwigs.

Sears is probably your best local tool source even if its not convenient. A few of their hand tools are decent, though I've actually flat out worn out several of their T6 and PH00




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Re: External HD question...
artie505 #9824 05/08/10 02:14 AM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
(Did you buy that bird feeder or build it in your basement shop?)

I can sorta understand the tool tangent, but the bird feeder question is entirely out of place in this thread. If you guys want to continue that discussion it belongs in the Lounge (where, if anyone's interested, there's also Cool tools).


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Re: External HD question...
cyn #9825 05/08/10 06:07 AM
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Originally Posted By: cyn
Originally Posted By: artie505
(Did you buy that bird feeder or build it in your basement shop?)

I can sorta understand the tool tangent, but the bird feeder question is entirely out of place in this thread. If you guys want to continue that discussion it belongs in the Lounge (where, if anyone's interested, there's also Cool tools).

Just to clarify, cyn, I didn't pose that question expecting any answer, let alone an in-depth one; it was meant as an "elbow-poke" extension of "You [...] are, I suspect, a do-it-yourselfer."


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: External HD question...
artie505 #9827 05/08/10 10:08 AM
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Update...

Mission accomplished, and I even overcame my natural tendency to over-tighten screws (which has lead to major problems with the Phillips variety in the past frown ).

Surface scan - disk2 - took 8 hours 40 minutes to complete and returned NO errors! cool (I overlooked my note to run rdisk, so maybe I'll try it tomorrow out of curiosity.)

Many thanks for all input and support. smile


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: External HD question...
artie505 #9837 05/09/10 01:19 AM
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Forgot to mention that the 8 hours 40 minute scan was with bs=10240000.

I started to run rdisk to compare scan times, but after 8 hours I realized that I forgot the bs=10240000, so I terminated the process and found that only about 1Gb had been scanned.

I wonder how long it would take to scan a 1 Tb disk with neither rdisk nor bs?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire

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