does anyone have a Seagate FreeAgent Go external HD?

[mdwsta4]

i currently have a few year old 320gb WD external HD to backup my MBP's data plus RAW camera files. i wanted to replace it with something a little bit larger and something that doesn't require external power.
i stumbled upon seagate's FA Go series a while back and am thinking about buying the 500gb version. Amazon is currently running a special where you can get a free dock along with it. i have read multiple reviews that mention the dock and some say you need to use two USB cables with the dock, others say the ports just need to be powered.
the dock would be a nice accessory to have, but my MBP only has two USB ports and one is always being used for my keyboard. can the hard drive be used with only one USB while in the dock? or can it only be used with one USB when mounted by itself?

anyone have any praises or other recommendations?

thanks!
M

 

[Gordy]

i currently have a few year old 320gb WD external HD to backup my MBP's data plus RAW camera files. i wanted to replace it with something a little bit larger and something that doesn't require external power.
i stumbled upon seagate's FA Go series a while back and am thinking about buying the 500gb version. Amazon is currently running a special where you can get a free dock along with it. i have read multiple reviews that mention the dock and some say you need to use two USB cables with the dock, others say the ports just need to be powered.
the dock would be a nice accessory to have, but my MBP only has two USB ports and one is always being used for my keyboard. can the hard drive be used with only one USB while in the dock? or can it only be used with one USB when mounted by itself?

anyone have any praises or other recommendations?

thanks!
M

Laptop sized usb drives generally come with a special usb cable which has two connectors one which is data/power and a second one for the few computers who's usb ports can't provide enough power. The mbp should be able to power the seagate with just one. I've certainly never seen a drive that needs the second cable on my mbp and I've tested a whole heap of them.

 

[Ceebler]

i currently have a few year old 320gb WD external HD to backup my MBP's data plus RAW camera files. i wanted to replace it with something a little bit larger and something that doesn't require external power.
i stumbled upon seagate's FA Go series a while back and am thinking about buying the 500gb version. Amazon is currently running a special where you can get a free dock along with it. i have read multiple reviews that mention the dock and some say you need to use two USB cables with the dock, others say the ports just need to be powered.
the dock would be a nice accessory to have, but my MBP only has two USB ports and one is always being used for my keyboard. can the hard drive be used with only one USB while in the dock? or can it only be used with one USB when mounted by itself?

anyone have any praises or other recommendations?

thanks!
M

Be careful with Amazon's promotion. I found out (too late ) with this one that unless the "free" dock is sold from Amazon (which at the time they did'nt, only 3rd parties) they would not deduct the cost. I was not pleased

On a side note to this, I believe the version you are concidering (and I ordered) is a Windows version. They do have a more expensive Mac version that has FW400 interface as well as USB. Does anyone here think that the Windows version would not be possible to re-format and convert to a Mac version (obviously without FireWire)?

 

[Gordy]

Be careful with Amazon's promotion. I found out (too late ) with this one that unless the "free" dock is sold from Amazon (which at the time they did'nt, only 3rd parties) they would not deduct the cost. I was not pleased

On a side note to this, I believe the version you are concidering (and I ordered) is a Windows version. They do have a more expensive Mac version that has FW400 interface as well as USB. Does anyone here think that the Windows version would not be possible to re-format and convert to a Mac version (obviously without FireWire)?

The windows version will just be in a windows format. Fixable in less than a minute in disk utility.