Amateur Photographer Magazine

Skip to Content

The world's number one weekly photography magazine

Digital Photography Forum - A shared resource

Equipment >> Computer Related Help & Discussion
 |  Print Topic
Jump to first unread post. Pages: 1
parisian
Over the hill and far away...


Reged: 10/02/2002
Posts: 9298
Loc: Môn mam cymru
External drives
      #798542 - 07/06/2009 07:51

I am looking hard at this; LaCie 1TB Little Big Disk Quadra eSATA
Does anyone have any experience with this manufacturer?

--------------------
Hells pensioner - born to be mild
JustMono


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
beejaybee
Marvin


Reged: 18/07/2007
Posts: 6282
Loc: Really Here In Name Only
Re: External drives [Re: parisian]
      #798561 - 07/06/2009 09:28

LaCie ... the innards are just the same as everyone else's; a random selection of what they could get cheapest at the time. The brand has a reputation for being reasonably reliable but significantly overpriced for the specification. (Think Nikon as opposed to Vivitar or Leica). Styling is personal. Whether the price represents good value for you is your choice not mine.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
jchrisc



Reged: 20/01/2003
Posts: 6098
Loc: Ampthill, Bedfordshire
Re: External drives [Re: parisian]
      #798564 - 07/06/2009 09:39

I bought their 500Gb external drive some time ago without realising that it actually held two separate 250Gb drives with software that made it behave like a single disc. Nothing serious ever went wrong with it, but the software was temperamental and I had to be careful about the switching-on routine or it would fail to boot.

--------------------
Chris

My memory is getting worse . . . and my conscience clearer


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
parisian
Over the hill and far away...


Reged: 10/02/2002
Posts: 9298
Loc: Môn mam cymru
Re: External drives [Re: jchrisc]
      #798569 - 07/06/2009 09:58

Thank you both, caveat emptor indeed
I will continue trawling through other maker's wares.

--------------------
Hells pensioner - born to be mild
JustMono


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
deddard
addict


Reged: 11/03/2008
Posts: 460
Re: External drives [Re: parisian]
      #798580 - 07/06/2009 10:38

I recently got a WD 1TB Mybook eSATA, which didn't function at all on eSATA.
USB/Firewire was fine, and the eSATA was sometimes detected in BIOS, but always hung the system.
Checking out some reviews, it seems that it is a common thing with these disks, so I sent it back and am now looking for something else.
eSATA is definitely the way to go - I guess I'll look at Seagate or something similar.


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
BigWill
Gorgeous oversensitive Nikon-loving cream puff


Reged: 08/09/2000
Posts: 36387
Loc: Northern Ireland
Re: External drives [Re: beejaybee]
      #798624 - 07/06/2009 14:18

I've got a Maxtor 500gb external drive Peter. It works a treat with no problems at all and even comes with a three year guarantee...........which is nice!

BigWill

--------------------
I'm sailing like a driftwood on a windy bay.


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
FenModerator
BAD WOLF


Reged: 12/03/2002
Posts: 25718
Loc: London'ish
Re: External drives [Re: BigWill]
      #798625 - 07/06/2009 14:24

I've got a LaCie 500GB external USB drive. Never had any problems. Had it 2yrs now

--------------------
Fen .......... My Fen's AP Galleries - My Blog - My Flickr

"Apologies to right-eyed shooters. You're screwed."
- Joe Mcnally


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
parisian
Over the hill and far away...


Reged: 10/02/2002
Posts: 9298
Loc: Môn mam cymru
Re: External drives [Re: BigWill]
      #798639 - 07/06/2009 15:53

Thanks Will and Fen, all information very welcome before lashing out.

--------------------
Hells pensioner - born to be mild
JustMono


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Ian_A
A very, very, very, very evil git


Reged: 02/09/2002
Posts: 9272
Loc: Horwich UK
Re: External drives [Re: parisian]
      #798701 - 07/06/2009 22:04

I generally buy an external housing like this and stick whatever drive I like in it.

--------------------
Ian A
"No matter where you go, there you are ... "


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
RonM
Alpha Romeo


Reged: 26/04/2001
Posts: 4307
Loc: Scotland
Re: External drives [Re: Ian_A]
      #798719 - 07/06/2009 22:42

Like Ian I have similar boxes with IDE and SATA drives and use MS SyncToy to back-up images and data

--------------------
Ron BSRIPN
Life is a Learning Opportunity
My Flickr


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
parisian
Over the hill and far away...


Reged: 10/02/2002
Posts: 9298
Loc: Môn mam cymru
Re: External drives [Re: RonM]
      #798739 - 08/06/2009 07:56

IDE - SATA?
Oh Ron, I'm older than you, you know and definitely a lot thicker. Are these different types of drive?

--------------------
Hells pensioner - born to be mild
JustMono


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Meredith
addict


Reged: 23/10/2006
Posts: 426
Loc: Coventry, UK
Re: External drives [Re: parisian]
      #798826 - 08/06/2009 12:47

IDE and SATA are hard disk interfaces. SATA is replacing IDE.

--------------------
Meredith Lewis

http://www.meredithlewis.co.uk


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
pachinkofan
veteran


Reged: 25/08/2005
Posts: 1490
Loc: Dunblane, Scotland
Re: External drives [Re: Meredith]
      #798839 - 08/06/2009 13:30

IDE's the old style "ribbon" cable (80 pin), SATA's a new different faster connection which only has 4 wires, but then there's also SATA II which is even faster. You can get a cable etc to change an IDE motherboard to be compatible with SATA, but I don't know how well it'd work.

little bit of clarity

G>

--------------------
tba :|

Edited by pachinkofan (08/06/2009 13:34)


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
BigWill
Gorgeous oversensitive Nikon-loving cream puff


Reged: 08/09/2000
Posts: 36387
Loc: Northern Ireland
Re: External drives [Re: Ian_A]
      #799031 - 08/06/2009 21:07

Quote:

I generally buy an external housing like this and stick whatever drive I like in it.




I had (still have actually) one of those as well but it always concerned me that you switch them on and off from a simple power switch or that they simply stop when you switch your computer off if you leave the switch in the on position. I mean you wouldn't switch your computer off and on from the power switch as it might damage the HD doing that and so why would you do it with an external drive? My Maxtor has a "power up/down mode" as well as a standby mode which to my mind seems to be much kinder to the drive..................though having said that I never did actually have a problem with my old cheapo external HD enclosure! .............just a thought though. Whaddya reckon Ian?

BigWill

--------------------
I'm sailing like a driftwood on a windy bay.


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Ian_A
A very, very, very, very evil git


Reged: 02/09/2002
Posts: 9272
Loc: Horwich UK
Re: External drives [Re: BigWill]
      #799094 - 08/06/2009 23:51

Quote:

Quote:

I generally buy an external housing like this and stick whatever drive I like in it.




I had (still have actually) one of those as well but it always concerned me that you switch them on and off from a simple power switch or that they simply stop when you switch your computer off if you leave the switch in the on position. I mean you wouldn't switch your computer off and on from the power switch as it might damage the HD doing that and so why would you do it with an external drive? My Maxtor has a "power up/down mode" as well as a standby mode which to my mind seems to be much kinder to the drive..................though having said that I never did actually have a problem with my old cheapo external HD enclosure! .............just a thought though. Whaddya reckon Ian?






wibble.

--------------------
Ian A
"No matter where you go, there you are ... "


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
digitravel
I aint got nuffin


Reged: 03/12/2002
Posts: 1295
Loc: Dorset
Re: External drives [Re: Fen]
      #799109 - 09/06/2009 00:30

Ive had Lacie externals and portables for a few years as well and never had a problem either.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
LargeFormat
Pooh-Bah


Reged: 24/10/2006
Posts: 1908
Loc: Cumbria and Buckinghamshire
Re: External drives [Re: parisian]
      #799359 - 09/06/2009 19:34

I have one of these LaCie 1TB Little Big Disk Quadra eSATA and it seems to work OK. I have two similar LaCie drives which are getting somewhat old now. As I like the cases does anyone know whether I can just replace the two drives?

An alternative to the packaged hard drives is to use docking stations, see here:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?menuno=12756


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
parisian
Over the hill and far away...


Reged: 10/02/2002
Posts: 9298
Loc: Môn mam cymru
Re: External drives [Re: LargeFormat]
      #799628 - 10/06/2009 14:32

Thank you everyone. A whole new language to learn but it's all fun isn't it?

--------------------
Hells pensioner - born to be mild
JustMono


Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Pages: 1

Subscribe now »


PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 8
In part four of our guide, we look at the Full Editor mode and explain how to make the best use of the available tools

More




Extra information
0 registered and 1 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator:  Mat Gallagher, lisadb, AndrewC, Benchista, Siuya, Damien Demolder, Fen, TheFatControlleR, mark_jacobs, daft_biker, Myk.R, Mike Lowe, OneTen, Hotblack, hhmr 


Print Topic

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      Mark-up is enabled

Rating:
Topic views: 1022

Rate this topic

Jump to

Contact Us | Privacy statement Main website

Generated in 0.067 seconds in which 0.008 seconds were spent on a total of 12 queries. Zlib compression disabled.