HDD How Big is Too Big?

[Big Alsie]

I am looking to replace the 500 Gb HDD in my early 2007 24" iMac with the 2TB WD Caviar Green model linked below.

LINK

However, I read somewhere that using a drive of this size and relatively slow speed as the primary drive is a risky proposition and will more likely lead to drive failure. Is there any weight behind that statement? Should these drives be used as back up drives only?

 

[J the Ninja]

No, the issue with that drive it has several design choices that were made to minimize power consumption at the expense of performance. It's newly released high-performance cousin is this one here:

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=733


P.S. You are aware of what is involved to change the hard drive on your machine, aren't you?

 

[Big Alsie]

Wow, I didnt realize they finally released the faster model. I was just talking about how i wished WD had a 7200 RPM 2TB HDD. Thanks for the link.

As for the actual HDD swap, yes, I am aware of what it entails, I've seen it done before, shouldn't be too much trouble (except for removing the silver tape around the screen).

 

[stainlessliquid]

Usually larger HDD's are faster than smaller ones. They are fine for using as your only drive but definitely separate your OS and data into different partitions. Putting your OS and data together on a drive that size is just begging for catastrophic data loss should the OS get messed up and need to be reformatted.

 

[Gav2k]

Usually larger HDD's are faster than smaller ones. They are fine for using as your only drive but definitely separate your OS and data into different partitions. Putting your OS and data together on a drive that size is just begging for catastrophic data loss should the OS get messed up and need to be reformatted.

Incorrect. Just because a drive is bigger dosnt mean it's faster.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Incorrect. Just because a drive is bigger dosnt mean it's faster.

That's why someone used the word "Usually..."

To the OP: There is no such thing as "too big." Even if there was, that perception will just change in two years.

 

[Unique Visuals]

Never enough for me

Well for me its tough to find ones big enough I can afford at times. See my sig for whats in this machine. I also have 6 HDD in a fire/theft proof safe for backups and on site storage. It is made to hold at least 6 more. Two are Raided for TM backup speed ups. I have about 4.5 TB of unique data that I need/want easy access to. I have files from 1980s that I still use occasionally. My first two comps had no HDDs. I can create several GB of files weekly doing photography,graphic design and building custom websites. I have several HDD full of stuff on offsite storage also along with CDs/DVDs. I built adult websites a while back and thanks to the 2257 laws I have to keep onsite copies of these and all the log files from the server showing everything it saw and did and changes.

I degres, back to the OP. I would go with the WD 2TB black. I have one and plan on more. fast and quieter than my others. It never seems to strain on any operation I've used.

 

[xIGmanIx]

when you can't afford it . to me its always better to have excess space then not enough.

 

[Unique Visuals]

when you can't afford it . to me its always better to have excess space then not enough.

I so agree. Before I upgraded to SL, I installed my SG 2TB and partitioned it into 6. I checked app compatibility's with what I need. Made a folder on one of my storage drives with the alias's to my installers. I save all installers so I don't have to take time to download. I checked and got the new updated SL installers that I would need in addition. Also creating alias's to those. Inserted my SL disk. Shut down the comp and pulled all but the clean SG 2TB drive. Cold started and did a clean install on one partition. Clean install and migrated some user data from leopard on another. Clean install and migrated all user data. Upgraded to SL from a clone of my Leopard on another. Then I could test all types of upgrade and choose what I wanted. Set up the first clean install with all apps installed and preferences set, just as I would use it on a daily basis. Cloned that and put it on another partition and copied to another HDD for safety. Now I can just open the clone and be ready to work in minutes if I get a total hardware failure.

 

[opera57]

For me a hard drive can never be too big!