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View Full Version : Need Help choosing an external HD



InSaNeCyAnUr
Oct 19, 2008, 08:19 PM
1. I need portability, so it has to be 2.5''.
2. Needs to be bus powered, this leads to my first question, which may end my search faster. Is eSata bus powered (via my expresscard on MBP)??

I want to go for either an all-made external drive (like a G-Drive Mini) or get a hard drive enclosure and put a 2.5" inside. I want FW800 or esata (if bus powered). Problem is I didn't find any 2.5" case that has esata.

So do any of you have a esata 2.5" drive (either all-made or just enclosure case). If not, any suggestion for a FW800 case or all-made (I though the G-Drive mini (http://www.g-technology.com/Products/G-DRIVE-mini.cfm) was pretty cool), just found the OWC (http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MS8U5500SB8/), cost a lot less.

Thanks in advance


johnsy
Oct 21, 2008, 03:15 AM
esata is not bus powered. You found 2 options, here is more:
Lacie rugged (http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=10821)
wiebetech enclosure (http://www.wiebetech.com/products/toughtech_mini.php) (or with hd)
western digital (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3952315&CatId=2425) fw400
iomega (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4151788&CatId=2425)
richard.mac
Oct 21, 2008, 03:24 AM
only Firewire is BUS powered so get a Firewire 800 one. but they dont come cheap.
andrewpoll
Oct 21, 2008, 03:25 AM
I just got the Lacie Rugged drive, super happy with it! The one i got is the 320gb with 800, 400 and USB. I find that with the USB i need to extra power lead on my MPB but with firewire i dont need to.
johnsy
Oct 21, 2008, 07:52 AM
I just got the Lacie Rugged drive, super happy with it! The one i got is the 320gb with 800, 400 and USB. I find that with the USB i need to extra power lead on my MPB but with firewire i dont need to.

Is FW 400 is enough to power for lacie rugged? I saw in apple store that it was working on usb (that was year ago and I am not sure which model of rugged they used). I think it was not working because of 7200rpm?
andrewpoll
Oct 22, 2008, 12:40 AM
It works perfectly with through the Fw 800 and 400 with no extra power needed. With the USB is seems that just one USB port on my MBP can't provide enough power so i need to use the extra USB power cable.
InSaNeCyAnUr
Oct 22, 2008, 04:10 PM
Thanks all, I think I'll get the Rugged Lacie;)