Suggestions on external drive

[UncleSchnitty]

I need suggestions on a new external drive for my setup. I need one with 4tb inside but it needs to be fairly easy to disassemble because my intention is to pull the 4TB out and throw that into my 1st gen time machine, then I want to take the 3 tb HDD that I have in my MacPro and put it in the external drive then take the 1TB drive from the Time Machine and place it in the Mac Pro.

I know it seems a little backwards but it seems to be cheaper to buy the whole external than it is to buy the HDD and an enclosure separately.

Any suggestions would be great, thank you.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
[[ I need suggestions on a new external drive for my setup. I need one with 4tb inside but it needs to be fairly easy to disassemble ]]
and
[[ I know it seems a little backwards but it seems to be cheaper to buy the whole external than it is to buy the HDD and an enclosure separately. ]]

You are better off buying separate components and "building your own" drive, really... you are.

Most (if not all) "pre-assembled" drives are put together with the intention that they -not- be taken apart. That is to say, you're probably going to have to do some "prying" to open them, which may or may not break something in the case.

You didn't specify which form factor you want (2.5" or 3.5"). I believe 2.5" drives are limited in their capacities.

There are numerous 3.5" external enclosures out there.

Actually, if the drive you need is not intended to be "portable" (as in, put it into a briefcase or backpack for travel), you would do best to buy a USB3/SATA docking station, like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Optimized-Ina...435461&sr=8-1&keywords=inateck+usb3+sata+dock

Cost-effective, works with any drive, supports 4tb, if you can put bread in a toaster, you can use this.
The only disadvantages: not as readily portable as an "external enclosure", and it doesn't look quite as snazzy sitting on your desk.

But if you want something that works and makes swapping drives around EASY, this is the piece of equipment you need...

 

[UncleSchnitty]

OP wrote:
[[ I need suggestions on a new external drive for my setup. I need one with 4tb inside but it needs to be fairly easy to disassemble ]]
and
[[ I know it seems a little backwards but it seems to be cheaper to buy the whole external than it is to buy the HDD and an enclosure separately. ]]

You are better off buying separate components and "building your own" drive, really... you are.

Most (if not all) "pre-assembled" drives are put together with the intention that they -not- be taken apart. That is to say, you're probably going to have to do some "prying" to open them, which may or may not break something in the case.

You didn't specify which form factor you want (2.5" or 3.5"). I believe 2.5" drives are limited in their capacities.

There are numerous 3.5" external enclosures out there.

Actually, if the drive you need is not intended to be "portable" (as in, put it into a briefcase or backpack for travel), you would do best to buy a USB3/SATA docking station, like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Optimized-Ina...435461&sr=8-1&keywords=inateck+usb3+sata+dock

Cost-effective, works with any drive, supports 4tb, if you can put bread in a toaster, you can use this.
The only disadvantages: not as readily portable as an "external enclosure", and it doesn't look quite as snazzy sitting on your desk.

But if you want something that works and makes swapping drives around EASY, this is the piece of equipment you need...

I actually started looking into a Synology DS213j, see my issue is before it was easy because I just had my MacPro with a 1tb first gen time capsule. The Pro has a 3tb media drive inside(so that doesn't get backed up with the time capsule) and it also has Playback to work as a DLNA server to my Xbox and Playstations threw-out the house. Now I have a couple of issues:

1. I have a Macbook Air that I want to easily have access to all these files, Ive set up file sharing but then I have problem 2
2. The Pro uses a lot of energy to run (and is a space heater) and I cant let it sleep or the dlna server shuts down and wont wake on network connection(I have tried that option in power saving)
3. I Need to get backups going on my MBA.

It seems like I can use the NAS with one 4tb HDD as my backup drives and then throw my 3tb drive in with my media and enable the NAS as a dlna server. My only hesitation is how easy is it to access the network drives now that they are on NAS, I guess I could just access them as network drives but do I have to log in each time to access files or do I have to use the software to log in? Anyway Im just trying to learn a little more now before I get this, get the drives and then realize it doesn't do what I need it to do.

Thanks again for any help

 

[thedeske]

Agree with Fishrrman once again for the same question asked so many times.
Drive docs rule for desktop single disk externals.

 

[UncleSchnitty]

Agree with Fishrrman once again for the same question asked so many times.
Drive docs rule for desktop single disk externals.

Only problem is Im not looking for a single disk external. What I need is a little more complex.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote above:

Then, get more than one individual dock.

Or.. get a "dual dock" (many available, just one example shown):
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-...88&sr=8-27&keywords=usb3+sata+dock+dual+drive

If even that isn't enough, get something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-eSAT...5524007&sr=8-1&keywords=usb3+sata+dock+4+bays

 

[UncleSchnitty]

OP wrote above:

Then, get more than one individual dock.

Or.. get a "dual dock" (many available, just one example shown):
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-...88&sr=8-27&keywords=usb3+sata+dock+dual+drive

If even that isn't enough, get something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-eSAT...5524007&sr=8-1&keywords=usb3+sata+dock+4+bays

Those would be great except like I wrote in my first reply the idea is to be able to have all my other devices connect even when the MacPro is in sleep mode. I do think that those are great options and Ill probably pick one up for my other small drives. The issue is that I need something that is capable of sharing my media to other devices on my network while at the same time backing up my Macs. If I just get a dock my Pro would have to be on and in that case I would just use the internal sleds(thats what I have been doing)