Slow Backup Speed - Help Needed Super Fast!

Hi - I run backups via my MacPro (2.6 Dual Core, 2 GB RAM. 10.5.8) onto a Lacie 300GB external Hard Drive.

I usually use Time Machine, but that got full - so I wiped the disc of old stuff, and tried again.

The backup was painfully slow - I left it overnight, and this morning it had backed up only 40GB.

So I stopped it and just dragged my folders directly - this is just as slow, if not slower, and is reporting 85 Hours to backup everything - which is nearly 4 days!!!!!!.

I am backing up 186 GB

This really is no good as I need to take my HD away with me in 24 hours time.

IS this normal speed?

 

Plugged into my Mac rather than the keyboard and now faster