Can anyone recommend an external hard drive?

I am very new to Mac but I am quickly learning why everyone has an external hard drive. With so much movies, music, and more I guess it's a must for Mac owners. Can anyone recomend a good one. Thank you in advance. I have a Macbook 2.26 Ghx Intel Core 2 Duo ,

Advice, yes. Don't get just one drive. So many people have hundreds if not thousands of dollars of media on one drive. The one sure thing about a drive is it will fail, and along with it all the files for which you have to pay for each download. Everything should be on two drives. Don't keep the drives in the same place. A thief or fire will take both.
After that it's up to you. Firewire is better for high demand such as video editing. Otherwise USB is cheaper. Many like the new 1TB or larger drives but in reading reviews on them I recently decided to stick with a pair of 640GB drives that received a solid 5/5 stars. If you're doing portable you want a smaller drive. Many of those get their power from the computer but I'd opt for one with external power source.

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Can you recommend an external hard drive for me?

I have a white macbook- nothing special. the cd burner is broken for the zillionth time so apple will be mailing it away for repairs. they suggested i back everything up before turning it over to them. there isnt much on it except my itunes library, some pictures, and a few word/excel docs. here are my questions:
1- what size external hard drive do i need?
2- is there a cheaper/easier way to do this?
3- is there a recommended brand for macs? i heard western digital was good, but several mac users gave it terrible reviews.
thanks so much!!

If you aren't sure how big your computer's drive is, select the hard drive icon on the desktop and Get Info from the File menu. At the top of the Get Info window you'll see the icon and below that some disclosure triangles - the second one pointing to General. If the triangle isn't pointing down, click on it and you'll see information about your drive. Look for Capacity and that is the formatted capacity.
You'll want a drive that is at least as big as your computer's drive so you can back up everything. Some people only back up their data but that, in my opinion, is silly. Look for a drive that is slightly larger that your drive's capacity. For example, you might see your capacity is 78.7 GB so get at least an 80GB drive. I say at least since you might want to consider using this new external drive with TimeMachine so you can always have an up to date backup. With TimeMachine you should get a drive that is at least twice as large as the data you are backing up.
The cheapest way to do it is to run down to your local discount store and pick up whatever they are selling. That's the cheapest but not necessarily the best. I strongly recommend that you buy a drive that includes FireWire - getting one with FireWire and USB ports will provide a good deal of flexibility. I also strongly recommend that you buy a drive with an external power supply. I recommend drives that derive their power from the computer only when the drive needs to be portable too. A backup drive isn't usually portable.
Name brands such as Seagate, Iomega, and Western Digital are all easy to find and okay. I think everyone has been burned by one brand or another so just about every manufacturer will get slammed with a particular horror story.

Can anyone save my external hard drive?

Hi all,
This is probably the first time ever that I have to ask a question myself. Usually when I have any problems I can find a solution in other people's solved threads. But not this time and I'm really frustrated. If any of you can help me with this I will be eternally grateful.
I have a 1TB WD external hard drive with 500Gb of millions of files, really important data that is not copied anywhere else right now.
Around the time I upgraded to Maverick's I think (not 100% sure) I started having problems when I wanted to copy files from the HDD. Some files would randomly give the error "The operation can’t be completed because the item X is in use". Some not, but since I have millions of files, I would try to copy folders, and whenever one of these files gave an error, the whole operation would be canceled and all the copied files deleted. Copying one by one is not an option, especially because there are some that don't even work individually, maybe 1/3 of them, I don't know.
I started looking on the internet about the problem and I found many people having the same one. However, they circumstances were usually different, not wanting to copy from an external HDD, but maybe they just wanted to delete some file or talking about some network thing saying some terms that I don't understand like NAS, SMB shares, AFP, so I thought that that wasn't my case. For the ones whose circumstances were similar, I tried every single option that I found. Here is what I tried so far:
-Copying not the files but the "mother/s folder/s (in many different ways and it definitely didn't solve anything).
-Killing some process called "Unmount blabla" I don't remember.
-Disabling the icon preview in finder. I thought it would solve it because everyone said it did, but not for me : (
Note that so far, while I couldn't copy the files, the speed at which it tried or it copied some was a normal one.
Then I went to disk utility and tried to repair the disk, thinking something was wrong with it. The first time I could verify, but not repair. It didn't solve anything obviously. The second time I couldn't even verify it.
Then I decided to upgrade to Yosemite thinking this might solve a possible Maverick's problem.
My God, it didn't. Now, not only it keeps saying that the files are in use. Now every time I plug the HDD, it takes around 15 minutes without recognising it, until finally a message pops up "This disk can't be repaired. You can still copy files from it, but backup as many as you can and then erase the volume". (It seems it automatically tries to repair it now?)
As if that wasn't enough, once the device is recognised. It seems that the speed at which it reads the files inside has been dramatically decreased. If I try now to copy some files. Like an iPhoto Library of 4 Gb, it copies at approximately 0,05 Mb per second, with an estimated time of 24 hours for 4 mere Gb. It would take a whole year to transfer 500Gb. But of course, not even that since after waiting one hour, it gives the same problem "file in use".
It seems to be more the reading than the writing since when I copy big files that are not in populated folders (and that are not the "evil / in use" files) it does it faster.
Erasing is not an option, there are just too many important things. I know, I should have had 2 copies, but this is the situation now...
I tried downloading a recovery software and I tried with some Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery or something like that. The first times I tried recovering files from it, it would do it at the same ultra slow speed. One of the times, randomly it copied all the files at a normal USB 3.0 speed (I had forgotten how fast that was), but all the files were completely unreadable. When I tried to open them it said they were damaged.
However, it's not that the files are damaged because when I try to copy them manually they can be opened normally. But of course, at the slowest speed in the world and only a fraction of them.
If you can help me solve this issue, I really would be in debt forever. I haven't end up in a dead end like now and I really need to recover the data.
Thank you so much in advance.
Jose

The device may be formatted for Windows, as NTFS. The format is readable, but not natively writable on a Mac. To write to the device, you must either reformat it (erasing all the contents) or install third-party software to enable write access to NTFS.

Can anyone recommend a second hard drive for my PowerPC G5

Hi,
Sorry if this question has been asked before but I need the answer in a hurry.
I need to fit a second hard drive into my PowerPC G5 - and I have never done this before. I phoned a company to buy a drive and they said that there can be compatibility problems with certian drives and Macs. A friend at work also confirmed this and pointed me to the site www.xlr8yourmac.com which has a database of drives and their associated problems.
Unfortunately I don't have time to digest all of the info. I am letting a friend use my Mac for a project that they are working on and they need the space urgently. They are working to a strict deadline.
So basically what I would like to know is if anyone can recommend a drive that I can fit without it causing any problems. I need a high quality, fast and very quiet drive for audio and video production. The drive should be 250GB, 7200RPM, 16MB cache. The Mac support pages say it must be a serial ATA drive but I have no idea if you can use ATAII or ATA300 (or any other number???).
Also - as I have never done this before - I have heard 'jumpers' mentioned - will I need to set the jumpers to a particular configuration?
Thanks in advance, Byron.

Xbench results as promised:
System Info
Xbench Version 1.1.3
System Version 10.4.8 (8L127)
Physical RAM 3072 MB
Model PowerMac11,2
Processor PowerPC G5x2 @ 2.00 GHz
L1 Cache 64K (instruction), 32K (data)
L2 Cache 1024K @ 2.00 GHz
Bus Frequency 1 GHz
Drive Type WDC WD1600JS-41MVB1 (Macintosh HD, 150GB)
Disk Test 132.10
Sequential 135.71
Uncached Write 146.03 60.87 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 128.75 52.72 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 136.11 21.55 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 133.10 53.78 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 128.68
Uncached Write 143.27 2.15 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 165.80 37.39 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 103.90 0.69 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 118.36 24.36 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Drive Type ST3250620AS (Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250GB S300)
Disk Test 103.68
Sequential 123.43
Uncached Write 59.04 24.61 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 187.41 76.75 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 214.15 33.90 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 182.96 73.92 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 89.38
Uncached Write 53.68 0.81 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 122.95 27.73 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 96.28 0.64 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 131.56 27.08 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Drive Type Maxtor 6 B200P0 (Lacie, 200GB, Firewire 400, External)
Disk Test 70.52
Sequential 57.40
Uncached Write 55.84 23.28 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 46.40 19.00 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 68.80 10.89 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 63.74 25.75 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 91.40
Uncached Write 231.29 3.47 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 75.37 17.00 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 91.20 0.60 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 65.76 13.53 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Feel free to comment!
PowerPC G5 Dual 2 Ghz Mac OS X (10.4.8)
PowerPC G5 Dual 2 Ghz Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I would like to know if you have to back up a macbook hard drive, can I use a external hard drive that has been previously used to back up several pc 's, or is it best to have a separate external drive for the Mac?

I would like to know if you have to back up a macbook hard drive, can I use a external hard drive that has been previously used to back up several pc 's, or is it best to have a separate external drive for the Mac?

In the Mac side of things, backups usually come in two flavors: clones or incrementals.
A bootable clone is a bit-for-bit copy of all essential files in the startup volume. If using the Lions, clones can be made using CarbonCopyCloner or just plain old Disk Utility. These backups represent the safest protection of your info, but take the longest to do. Recovery is an inverse process: you copy the clone back into the internal drive.
Incremental backups start with a complete backup of the startup volume and only copy whatever changed from the previous run. OS X includes the fully integrated Time Machine backup utility to do this. It is extremely easy to do and takes the least amount of time. Recovery is another matter altogether since you have to start with a freshly installed instance of the OS and have to apply all intervening backups to bring the result to the latest saved version.
As for where the backup takes place, the recommended media is an external dedicated drive or drives connected via the fastest interface available on your Mac: Thunderbolt, USB3, Firewire, or USB2. Network-based backups, wired or wireless, are attractive but may not offer the same performance and hence take longer. Also important to note that the entire drive need not be completely dedicated to a single backup. The Mac's EFI firmware infrastructure allows for an unlimited number of partitions on a hard drive and each can be used for either type of backups.
Holler if you need specifics on how to do each. This was just an executive summary.

Can I use one external hard drive for 3 of my Macs?

I have a 2007 white MacBook, a 2011 MacBook Pro, and a 2013 MacBook Air.
I want to be able to transfer all of my precious family photos off of my MacBook and Macbook Pro onto an external hard drive and then wipe those computers clean, and then I want to be able to backup and wipe clean my Macbook Air so that I can update it to Mavericks.
Can I use one external hard drive to do this for three of my Macs? Will it be compatible with all of them? And will I still be able to use the hard drive with my Air once it is updated to Mavericks?
Which hard drive do you recommend?

1. Yes. Note that anything you want to keep should be on at least two drives in case one of them fails.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
(110959)

Can anyone recommend an external storage device to supplement my mac book air? I already have a time capsule but want the new device to replicate the data on that so ideally would like a device that i can connect to the time capsule through a cable.

Can anyone recommend an external storage device to supplement my mac book air? I already have a time capsule but want the new device to replicate the data on that so ideally would like a device that i can connect to the time capsule through a cable.

Hi CJR
I'm not sure how Time Capsule can be replicated onto your external drive but there is a USB port on the back of TC that can be hooked up to any recent external drive.
Another thing to think about , besides a Time Capsule failure, is the theft of your Time Capsule, so it might be a good idea to consider separating any redundant back-up from your Time Capsule or both my be stolen.
TC will back up until full and then begin deleting the oldest back-ups. Mine is a 2TB Time capsule.
My back-up plan is as follows:
1. Macbook Air back-up on Time Capsule though Time Machine backs up everything - I think it's about every 30 min or so.
2. Contacts, reminders, appointments, notes, email are backed up through iCloud.
3. iTunes and non-itunes purchased music is on iMatch (and no need to back-up) and any non-iTunes music is backed up on an HP external drive (in case Time Capsule dies)
4. Photos are on my MacBook Air and are backed up on my HP external drive.
5. Office documents (Excel, Powerpoint, Access etc) are stored in a Skydrive app (like iCloud) and Skydrive syncs these docuemnts with the MS cloud and my old PC and does not alter their native format like storing in iCloud would do.
Cheers

Can I use an external hard drive for my ipad mini?

Can I use an external hard drive for my ipad mini?

There are some wireless external hard drives that can be used with the iPad.
The Kingston Wi-Drive, which costs $50 for the 16 Gigabyte, and then $30 more for every 16 gigs more. It works by you turning it on and then accessing the files on it from an app that you download on your iDevice. You can access music, movies, and other stuff. No connections or anything, it works like a WiFi connection, you connect to it from the setting on the iPad under wireless networks.
Then there is the Seagate GoFlex, which some would recommend over the Wi-Drive. But this one costs $199 and had 500 Gigabytes of storage. It works the sameway as the Kingston: no wires, runs over its wireless connection. You can actually fit up to 300 HD movies on it.
Another option:
Expand your iPad's storage capacity with HyperDrive
http://www.macworld.com/article/1153935/hyperdrive.html
On the road with a camera, an iPad, and a Hyperdrive
http://www.macworld.com/article/1160231/ipadhyperdrive.html
 Cheers, Tom

Can I reimage an external hard drive that is in the windows NT file format?

can I reimage an external hard drive that is in the windows NT file format?

With WinClone 3.x $20 for Mac or with Windows imaging - built into Windows.
Some like Acronis didn't (may now) work on Macs. Many use a linux CD recovery boot..
You can write to NTFS with a simple NTFS driver. There, I strongly recommend Paragon for OS X
www.paragon-software.com
They also have all the program and Apple Boot Camp support
Image a system or image a hard drive or.... ?

Can i use an external hard drive in windows to add additional storage after my initial partition is set up. i want to add a 500 GB hard drive to use with my windows. I set windows up in boot camp with a 50 GB partition?

can i use an external hard drive in windows to add additional storage after my initial partition is set up. i want to add a 500 GB external hard drive to use with my windows. I set windows up in boot camp with a 50 GB partition? I now want to add another 500 GB?

Yes. Windows supports external USB drives.

How can I use my external hard drive for my iphoto instead of my mac book pro memory?

i don't know if this question has been asked before: how can I use my external hard drive for my iphoto instead of my mac book pro memory? just like itunes all my song are save on my external hard drive. make sense?

Moving the iPhoto library is safe and simple - quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity to the external drive - depress the option key and launch iPhoto using the "select library" option to point to the new location on the external drive - fully test it and then trash the old library on the internal drive (test one more time prior to emptying the trash)
And be sure that the External drive is formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) (iPhoto does not work with drives with other formats) and that it is always available prior to launching iPhoto
And backup soon and often - having your iPhoto library on an external drive is not a backup and if you are using Time Machine you need to check and be sure that TM is backing up your external drive
LN

Can i connect a external hard drive to apple tv 3 generation, for see my movies itunes with out use streaming or icloud?

can i connect a external hard drive to apple tv 3 generation, for see my movies itunes with out use streaming or icloud? in apple tv 3 and 2?
That i want to know is i can connect a external hard drive to apple tv, for see my movies that i keep in my external hard drive, i dont want to see then whit the streaming and icloud, or used my laptop o pc for access de movies and stuff.
i put iny spanish to, because i feel my english is not so good, but i hope you understand me.
if i can´t connect a external hard drive, wich others media players divices you know that can see itunes movies?
¿quisiera saber si se puede conectar una memoria externa al apple tv, para ver el contenido de itunes que tengo guardado en esa memoria como peliculas, ect?
lo que no quiero es usar la icloud, o el servicio streamig para ver mi contenido, ni tener que usar la computadora para ver mi contenido el la tv?
y de no poderse conectar que otros dispositivos media pleyer conoces para ver peliculas de itunes en la tv?

Welcome to the Apple Community.
can i connect a external hard drive to apple tv 3 generation
Unfortunately not.

Hi - my 2011 Mac Pro no longer recognizes devices in the usb ports, I've been told it's the logic board. is there a way I can connect the iomega external hard drive to it through the firewire or thunderbolt ports?

Hi - my 2011 Mac Pro no longer recognizes devices in the usb ports, I've been told it's the logic board. is there a way I can connect the iomega external hard drive to it through the firewire or thunderbolt ports?

jrburrows wrote:
Ok, fair enough. But since Job's death - Apple's control on leaks has been terrible. I got the new iPhone, and I like it - but it hasn't made nearly as big as an impression as previous ones. Because of the vast ammount of leaks. With the iPad mini leaks, it's 99% sure to come out next week.
Apple uses many manufacturers and it's massive also websites prefer to report on Apple whether true or false because it brings more hits.
Amd by "others" I meant other people on iPads - not other devices/manufacturers. It's possible to do so, I just want to know how. I honestly don't think we'll ever be in a Post-PC era until all tablets allow us to use USB in the way computers do.
No, USB is not the future, you missed the memo about cloud and wireless computing?

I can't find my external hard drive in FCPX

I can't find my external hard drive where I have all my old events and projects. In Finder it shows but not in the latest version of FCPX. I am full updated with FCP and Mavericks
Any Ideas?

Please check this out:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5958
http://fcpx.tv
Take your time and read the above. FCP X will create a new Library comtaining your Projects & Events, but read the above first.
File/Update Projects & Events/Locate

After trying to change permissions on my computer so others on my network can access files, my external Hard Drive has a lock on it and I can't access files. I've tried repairing permissions, logging in under another Administrator account, using Terminal

After trying to change permissions on my computer so others on my network can grab files, my external Hard Drive has a lock on it and I can't access files. I've tried repairing permissions, logging in under another Administrator account, using Terminal to fix the problem, downloaded BatChmod but nothing works… Any other suggestions? I have an Imac running OS10.6.8.

There is suddenly a lock icon on my external backup drive!
Custom Permissions

Can anyone recommend an external hard drive?

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