I need an external HD

i have ~3GB left on my 30 GB ibook...
i have no idea how to begin choosing external drives! i like the portability of western digitals... but there are so many kinds there! and they're kinda pricy.
i'm looking for ~80-160GB external drive that i can use w/both my mac and pc.
thanks!

I don't agree with your choice, I think that you should get a combo drive, FireWire is very important (for troubleshooting as well as a reliable expansion drive)
One should always backup their hard drive just incase anything happens to your computer. One can't predict the day when a friend trips over their own feet; knocking your iBook on the floor with a huge crash. The most annoying thing to carry around when traveling is the Mac OS X install discs. I hate bringing them with me because I am in constant fear that I will loose them. The reason I bring them with me is because if something happens while I am away, I can troubleshoot my problem. I can startup from the install disc and then run Disk Utility, Archive and Install, Erase, and partition my hard drive. Once someone has a problem on the road; they will never leave their house without the discs. Instead of carrying around those discs, I partitioned one of my external hard drives into three sections, one for backup (140Gb), one for Mac OS X Tiger (10Gb), and the last one is for Panther (10Gb. I gave my girlfriend an iBook and she has Panther on it). This means I am equipped to startup my computer without using my internal drive.
Have you ever lost your iTunes library or your TurboTax data? Well, by backing up your hard drive (internal to external), you can save all your vital data incase something happens. You will find it a life saver if anything ever happens.
With the external like the CrossFire, you get 160Gb, 2 FireWire Ports (so when your hard drive is plugged in you can still use FireWire), USB 2.0, and more at a lower price.
Jon

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Do I need an external hard drive for my pictures?

Generally, you should have an external hard drive to backup your system. If your internal hard drive is filling up, you certainly can move pictures to an external hard drive.

Need a external HD 40% bigger than internal for Time Machine backups??

I've heard that using Time Machine as my backup program I need a hard drive that's about 40% bigger than the source (internal) hard drive I want to backup. Some in these forums have said I need a external HD 2x or 3x as big as the internal hard drive for Time Machine backups!
What's your general rule, and does Apple recommend a certain percentage increase of the target over the source hard drive?

There is no set rule, except that the drive being used for Time Machine must be at least as large as the data (not drive) being backed up.
So if you have an internal 500GB drive, but you only have 300GB full, and with exclusions (things that you select NOT to back up), only 200GB needs to be backed up, then a 320GB external drive could do an adequate job (even though the internal drive is 500GB).
During the first backup, Time Machine will back up everything (that is everything you have set it to backup). So the external drive volume used for the backup must be at least the size of the data being backed up. After that, Time Machine creates an incremental backup states every hour, for things that changed during that hour. But because it is Time Machine and not just Backup Machine, the previous versions of the files that changed are also retained. Therefore, over time, the Time Machine backup archive will take up more and more space.
Once you run out of space, Time Machine will tell you and start deleting the oldest backup states to make room for the newest states. So if you have a really huge volume for your Time Machine backup, you can +go back in time+ further (probably back to the date you started using Time Machine) than if you have an adequate but smaller size drive for that purpose.

Desperate need of External Hard drive help.

Bottom line, I need one that will work. I have been through a mess of external HD problems & I have looked at hundreds of drives on many sites & I just don't know which one I can trust. I have tried a few already, but they just didn't like working on a Mac (even though they are Mac recommended). If anyone can offer any kind of help, it would be greatly, greatly, greatly appreciated. Of course, we won't know how appreciative I am until it arrives & it actually works.
Here is what I am looking for. About 120GB capacity. Nothing over $110, but I am a little flexible. It will just be sitting on my desk, so it doesn't need to be ultra portable. I do not want to buy a regular hard drive & stick it in a case, it's what I have now & it has caused me so many problems. I have FireWave surround sound, so it would be nice if it was firewire (plugs into the back of the FireWave, which is tucked away, while the drive sits on the desk). Would prefer it not to be bus-powered, less cables coming out of my laptop, the better.
I have been through a lot with these products & it just seems like there isn't a great external hard drive that was meant for the MacBook Pro. Please, help me if you can. I need one very soon, the external I have now (the one in a case) is all screwed up & I can only access files when doing a data recovery, but I need another external to transfer the files onto, (I have very little space left on my internal). Thank you very much.

If your looking for something that looks great, works great, and is highly recommended, then I would suggest you look at a drive by G-Technologies. I have been using their drives for years and I have yet to have any issues at all. They do use a variety of drives in the cases, but their boards are what are great. They always receive at least 4 mice, if not 5 from MacWorld as well.
You might be a little hard pressed to get a drive right in your price range, but a smaller drive, such as the one your looking for, are a little harder to find unless they are 2.5" drives. Everything these days is getting bigger.
http://www.g-technology.com/Products/G-DRIVE.cfm
Oh, I should also note that their drives come with a 2 year warranty as well.

Need bootable external Firewire drive for iMac G5

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I'm frustrated.
Would appreciate. Any helpful info.

I use this one:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MAU4S7H20T64/
and SuperDuper for creating a bootable clone.
(But there are others too: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB )

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If the iTunes database files are on that drive, launch iTunes with the Shift key(Windows) or Option key(Mac OS X) held down, select Choose Library, and navigate to it. The computer may need to be authorized to play protected content, and if the library contains rented movies, those won't play.
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Step by Step Guide needed for external drives.... Help!

I know this has probably been done to death already but I can't seem to make any of the suggestions work in this case. I guess what I need is someone to tell me like I'm a 5 year old on how to do this.
I want to move my music library to an external drive as my main drive is getting full. I have iTunes on my c: drive and want to move my music to an external drive (h:) so it can play and be stored there. I have tried a couple of times to move it and tell iTunes where to find it but for some reason a couple of things happen...
1. iTunes changes the location back to the c: drive, even after I have pointed it to a folder created on the external drive.
2. if it does look to the external drive it doesn't find the library... the music is there but iTunes doesn't display it in the library.
I must be doing something really wrong or this isn't possible... any advice would be a great help.

You might find this article useful: iLounge - Transferring your iTunes Library to Another Drive

How do I fully import my itunes music from my external hard drive to my new HP computer so that I don't need the external HD attached to listen to my music? It won't promt me to fully import songs when I import the folder from the EHD.

When I select File> Add folder to library and then press "select folder" after finding the iTunes music folder I wish to import from my external hard drive, it does not promt me whether to fully import it or not. After the importing is complete, the external hard drive must be attached in order for me to listen to my music. I do not wnat this; I wnat my music fully imported so that I don't need my EHD. What can I do? Thanks!

To import music into your iTunes library on the computer go to iTunes>Help>iTunes Help>Add items to iTunes and follow the instructions

Need an external hard drive, advice?

Hi,
For awhile now I've been wanting an external hard drive but no nothing about them. I have a 160 GB 17" iMac 2GHz and I'm always running out of space. Right now I have 20GB free.
Anywho the big question is USB or Firewire? Now, I can get USB ones pretty cheap at a local store here and Future Shop has this 500GB USB one on sale right now.
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0665000FS10089693&catid=2 3795&logon=&langid=EN
or I could go much bigger and order this 1 TB one online too:
http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10299356&search=externa%20hard%2 0drives&Mo=4&cmre=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-CA&Nr=P_CatalogName:BCCA&Sp=S&N=0&wh se=BCCA&Dx=modematchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=PCatalogName:BCCA&Ne=4000000&D=externa%20hard%20drives&Ntt=externa%20hard%20drive s&No=0&Ntx=modematchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1
I"ve been told that Firewire is great for things like using iMovie or if you use your video camera for videos etc.
Down the road I want a video camera and may use iMovie more in the future. So how important is Firewire and how big should I go? I'm thinking bigger is better and know I need at least 500GB as I want to back up my whole system and have room for movies, TV shows etc. Also want something that isn't too loud.
Here are two other Canadian stores I've looked at briefly to see what they have,
http://www.tigerdirect.ca and http://www.canadacomputers.com
Any advice would be appreciated,
S.

There are dozens of posts that say basically this:
Bought a MyBook. (USB or FW) - it won't work anymore, period.
After you see 8 or 10 of those you take the MyBook off the list. If all it is, is a backup to a reliable drive then the risk is you lose the drive and need to buy a better one and redo the backups. I would not use a drive with a known failure problem as a backup ever. Certainly not the only media drive on my system.
The LaCie D2 cases do not use fans and I have 4TB of them working for years so that is not the reason the MyBooks fail - they fail because they are not well made. The LaCie cases are about 6 pounds of cast aluminum so they act as huge heat sinks. Even then I use a small desktop fan to blow air over them so they stay cooler.
I suspect the WD bridges are poor and the interface between the drive and the USB/FW port becomes unusable. This is why I don't buy the $10 Tiger Direct cases and put good quality drives in them . Rotten bridges.
One reason to buy them is if the sale price becomes cheaper than the raw drive price then you can open the case and get a new drive for less than buying one but then you wind up with a lot of trash.
Get a LaCie, OWC or G-Tech.
Message was edited by: Cannibals

Advice needed RE: External hard drives?

Hey Everyone,
I'm relatively new to the world of Macs and Final Cut, i've been editng on an iMac for about a year now and have never invested in any external media storage.
I've just got quite e big job that will require me to capture a lot more media than I have ever done before, so think I need to invest in an external hard drive.
I was speaking to a lad I know and he was saying when I do get one I should connect it via a usb 2.0 connection, yet i've read in a book I have that I should connect via the firewire connection. I'm a bit confused so thought i'd put it to you guys, what do you think is best?
Also any recommendations on a decent/reliable hard drive (preferably the cheaper the better as i'm fairly skint).
Any advice would be greatly appreciated,
Scott

Purchase a 7200rpm Firewire drive. It's OK if it also has USB connections, you just won't be using that method. Once the drive is connected to your Mac with a Firewire cable, start up your Mac. Go to Applications->Utilities->Disk Utility. When Disk Utility has opened, locate the drive on the left side and highlight it. Select the Erase tab and then select Mac OS Extended as the formatting for the drive. You do not need to have Journaling turned on. Give the drive a name if you wish. Once the drive has been formatted it will be ready for use with your Mac.
Open FCE and in preferences, set the new drive as the Capture/Scratch volume for FCE. See the FCE help files for details.
-DH

Do I need an External Hard drive to Back up with Time machine?

     I probably have all kinds of misconceptions about Resetting to an earlier time for the computer I have. It's a 2009 macbook, running OS 10.8.5. I got it last week, previous to this machine I have been running a powerbook G4. It does not have a backup with Time Machine either.
Let me tell you a funny story,
      Back in the year 2000 I got a powerbook G4, it was tops (in my Book) and my boss paid for it. David, my boss is the owner -operator of a manufacturing business turning out soft-weapons for martial artist's I call it the Chinese Stick Fighting Factory. <Sof-Stx.com> . While going to work one fine summer day on my Harley Super Glide,( I saw in my rear-view mirror that the back pack (packing the G4) had left the Vehicle with out authorization, and was bouncing down the road in the opposite direction. Anyway to make a long story short, I developed inoperable Colon Cancer in 2008, I had to retire for the second time in my life, this time collecting a fixed income. and when I was able to fit it in my budget (in 2012) I got a used G4 and last week I got the MacBook running Maverick.
     So… any input ?

Answer to your question....yes, buy an external HD. You do not need an expensive one and you do not need a huge one. I run two 500 GB externals - both attached (occasionally) to my MacBook Pro.
Barry

New User Help Needed Formatting External HD in MS-DOS for PC file migration

I have files on my PC and planned on putting them on a new external HD to transfer to the iMac.
I have a new MiniStack V3 external HD with USB and Firewire connections. It comes formatted for the Mac.
I want to format the HD on the iMac to MS-DOS so I can connect it to my PC; pull off my files; and reconnect to the Mac; pull over the files; and then reformat the external HD for the Mac.
Going into the disk utility I gathered the Erase tab is how you reformat. Only Mac OS choices are available for the format type. *How do you format the disc for Mac OS on the Mac???*

minimejdh,
First, select the drive (not the named volume that will appear indented underneath), then switch to the Partition pane. Click the "Options..." button and choose the "GUID Partition Scheme," then partition the drive with a single partition.
Now you can select the named volume, switch to the "Erase" pane, and choose MS-DOS.
That said, you might want to consider using your PC to format the drive using the NTFS format. FAT-32 (the MS-DOS format) has a 4 GB file size limitation, and it is possible that some of the files you wish to transfer exceed this limit (I'm sure you would know better than we). Your iMac will have no trouble accessing the drive and NTFS format, but it will be as read-only. Since you will be formatting it again with the Mac, using HFS+ (Mac OS Extended), you won't need write access to the drive.
Scott

Need a external DVD Bruner

Im looking for a external DVD burner for my mac book the one that is built in is too slow, i need a 16x burner what do you recommend that i get.
thanks.

Not sure what your looking for but someone I know has this:
http://www.mittoni.com.au/external-usb-20-dual-layer-dvd-burner-p-1894.html
They claim it works well.

EMERGENCY need responce External firewire as startup

I need to know which way to go firewire for a start up drive
I need an answer right away since i have just put in my order at Newegg for the ACARD AEC-6280M PCI IDE Controller Card For Mac but the shipping is $22 $73 total
Will this work on a sawtooth duel 1gig getting an ext. 250gif fire wire drive as my start up volume. Using an external hard drive encloseure that will allow me to put 1 of my ide drives that has a usb to ide interface they run abouy $30,
I already have a 4 port usb pci card and a belkin 4 hub that uses an external power.
Of course i can transfer the data of the two ide drives onto the new firewire drive.
I would like to have at least 1 secondary drive (audio/video) files take up a lot of space abs would like a seperate drive for this.
But i need to know which way is less exspensive so i can cancel my order at new egg.
sknoxx

Hi, Steve -
Not quite sure what your question is - your thoughts seem a bit run together - but here's some info on the subject.
If your G4's dual 1.0GHz processors are original, you do not have a Sawtooth model - the Sawtooth models are the G4 (AGP) models, which did not come with dual processors; the fastest original processor for an AGP is 500MHz.
Instead, a dual 1.0GHz model can be either a G4 (QuickSilver 2002) model or an original G4 (MDD) model.
In all cases, if it is a G4 (AGP) model or later it is firewire bootable using the built-in firewire buses - there would be no need to add a PCI card in order to use firewire for booting.
Your G4 is also USB bootable. However, I would not suggest using any drive on USB for other than archiving and file storage - USB is just too slow to use for booting.
If you are doing audio and video work, data transfer times for drives should be of concern to you. For what it is worth, unless you go to SCSI (which would require adding a PCI card; and, SCSI cards and drives are not cheap) the drive with the fastest net data transfer rate will be an internal IDE/ATA drive.

I need an external HD

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