Recommendations please: external hard drive to use as Aiport Disc

I recently have been having performance problems with my mid-2009 13" Macbook Pro. I traced this to two things. One is running low on RAM (little free, lots of page outs and swaps) and that my 350GB harddrive only has about 10GB of free space. Most of the current HD is taken up by my itunes library (music and video) that I access very infrequently these days. So I want to move that over to an external HD attached to my Time Capsule to free up that space on my MBP.
I was hoping to get some recommendations about what sort of HD works best for this. In my research I have come to understand that AC powered vs BUS powered is a better way to go. What about other specs or brands? Any thing else I need to look for? I am probably looking for a 500GB drive in case that is useful information to know.
Thanks in advance.

I'm a bit confused - is this a drive to actually record to, or a drive you'll give to your client containing the show files, just as a delivery medium?
Why not record to a big, fast, reliable HD (perhaps even an eSATA external) and just copy the completed project over to a cheap, slow USB HD like a Memorex like this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822150007

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I have just started using WD external hard drives, I use it to save my movies and music on. On more than one occasion, when I connect to my MacBook it erases everything on had on there. Can someone please help with this problem?

I have just started using WD external hard drives, I use it to save my movies and music on. On more than one occasion, when I connect it to my MacBook it erases everything I had save on the hard drive. Can someone please help me with this problem? I am super tired of having to put all of my movies and music on the hard drive just to have it erased again. The products I am using are WD 4TB My Book and 2 TB My Passport external hard drives. When it happens, there is always an icon that reads, EFI, along with the My Book icon. Thank you for your assisstance.

dwgar1322 wrote:
I have just started using WD external hard drives, I use it to save my movies and music on. On more than one occasion, when I connect it to my MacBook it erases everything I had save on the hard drive. Can someone please help me with this problem? I am super tired of having to put all of my movies and music on the hard drive just to have it erased again. The products I am using are WD 4TB My Book and 2 TB My Passport external hard drives. When it happens, there is always an icon that reads, EFI, along with the My Book icon. Thank you for your assisstance.
Yes, you have WD software installed REMOVE IT !!
WD has warned its customers about their huge mistake that their software doesnt work on Mavericks and causes data loss.
(also dont use WD drives anymore)
Read all about it here:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5475136?start=255&tstart=0
See their website on removing the destructive WD software here:
http://community.wd.com/t5/External-Drives-for-Mac/External-Drives-for-Mac-Exper iencing-Data-Loss-with-Maverick-OS/td-p/613775
Western Digital External Hard Drives Experiencing Data Loss On OS X Mavericks
http://www.cultofmac.com/252826/western-digital-external-hard-drives-experiencin g-data-loss-on-os-x-mavericks/

Which format for external hard drive to use with time machine backup and connect to windows laptop?

Hi! I have an external hard drive on which I have transferred my iTunes library (just mine - not others). I have also a folder containing just films (some but not all of which are in iTunes too) Everything has been working just fine until yesterday I noticed that Time Machine was not including the external hard drive in back up as it wasn't formatted. So I have moved everything back to the Mac hard drive and and ready to format the external hard drive - but understand that if I do the contents cannot be opened from a windows laptop ... is that right? Is there are format I could choose that would allow Time Machine to back up and allow Windows to open as well (the idea being that I take the external hard drive with me on holidays etc!!) Many thanks for any advice.

ok - I understand. I have managed so far to format the drive (on windows) to exFAT file system - which apparently works with both Windows and Mac - but you're correct - it will not be included in time machine backup as I have checked the back up files and Samsung is not showing. Reckon I'm onto having to buy yet another portable hard drive just for windows - or of course buy myself a new mac book!! Can I ask you please - does the drive have to be clear of everything before I change the format - or can I change it with the files still in there? Also, got any quick ways duplicating the files onto another External Hard drive (for use on the windows laptop) At the moment the files are taking 2/3 hours + to copy over! Thank you!

Recommendations for External Hard Drive?

Would appreciate hearing people's suggestions for an external hard drive to use with my current Mac. I see that some brands have longer warranty than others, and some may have bundled software for Mac use, while others don't. Reliability is essential.
I'll be using the the drive to back-up files for safety, documents and especially photos. I think a drive 500GB or greater is probably appropriate.
Eventually I'll upgrade to a newer, faster machine, so buying a drive that works with what I have now as well as the computer I move to in the future would be nice.
Please let me know if I need to provide you with any other information to help you make your suggestions.
Thanks!

dflow:
Welcome to Apple Discussions.
Excellent move. Regular backups is the best thing you can do for your valuable data. A 500 GB HDD will give you plenty of space for quite a while. You want to be sure to get a drive with an Oxford chipset. The firewire bridge is usually the first thing to fail in a firewire HDD, and the Oxford chipsets are the most reliable available. The previous poster mentioned OWC. I agree. The Nepune is their economy version, but a very reliable drive. The better quality Mercury Drives offer a wider range of options and the same rock solid reliability. You can choose Firewire or Firewire/USB, as well at Firewire 400/800 depending on your computer.
Once you have the HDD you will need to format and partition it, but more of that later. Look through the offerings above and post back with questions.
cornelius

Best speed External Hard Drive to use with Final Cut Pro X ?

Hey all
I'm looking at getting a new USB 2.0 external hard drive to use with FCPX, I was wondering what everyones thoughts were on minimum speeds and what everyone else uses.
I am looking at least 1-2TB.

I will warn you now that I am somewhat of a lone voice on these forums for recommending USB 2.0s.
I have used the 7,200rpm types with their own mains supply over the last 6 years (and exclusively for the last 3) and had no problems of any kind.
Having said that I am not a pro with tight schedules (or underwear!) but I have used DV, HDV, AVCHD with and without ProRes and AIC.
Most of my projects are short though I have done a number of 2 hour projects with comparatively simple editing and a few effects etc. One ongoing project has some 12 hours of DV which I dip into occasionally.
I have a couple of LaCie FW HDs which I stopped using a couple of years ago in favour of the much cheaper USB 2.0s and didn't notice any difference, though as I said I don't have pro time constraints.
Now is not the best time to buy HDs cheaply as the autumn floods in Asia knocked out many of the main suppliers, prices doubled overnight and have still not got back to last summers figures (2TB WD Essential £69 with free delivery).
Look at the price now!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Elements-External-Desktop/dp/B003IPC21Y/ ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1330504588&sr=8-11

Any recommendations on external hard drives for Air?

The couple of external hard drives I used for time machine etc. are firewire based. (The alternatives for making them usb friendly do not work with the Air.) Any recommendations on a good, self powered external, about 500gb? Thanks.

I only buy 2.5" internal drives and place them in Macally enclosures. I've had store bought all-in-one externals and they have not been reliable, and many are installing all kinds of software on them, via firmware, and you can't do much about it. I've never had one problem over the years going this route, and drives are so cheap now, you can get the enclosure plus a 500GB drive for just over $100.00 at macsales.com
The Macally's have FW/USB interfaces. I have the new MBA, and use USB.
Bryan

How do you fix bad blocks on an external hard drive without using disk utility

so basically does anyone know how to fix bad blocks on a external hard drive without using disk utlility please

Oh...if you have data you are trying to save then its best to try cloning the drive to another one, which should save its data as-is to another drive. Hopefully you can do so without there being hangups around the bad blocks and keep at least most of your data intact. I'd recommend you try using Carbon Copy Cloner to do this, but you will need a secondary drive that is at least the size of the data on the problematic drive.

Can I put my library on an external hard drive and use it between two computers?

Can I put my library on an external hard drive and use it between two computers? I have two MBP; I will refer to one as computer A and to the other as computer B. I would like to be able to plug in my external hard drive, boot up iTunes, and if there were any changes made to the library previous to its last time accessed on this compluter, they show up on that computer, regardless of being imported on the other.
A hypothetical example: I import three albums called 1, 2, and 3 on computer A over a week or so. I take the external hard drive and plug it into computer B. The entire library which was visible on A, is visible on B, including albums 1, 2, and 3.
Is this possible? If so, what files need to be copied onto the external? I'm trying some different combinations, trial and error basically. Hopefully someone knows and can answer before I mess up my library. I also want to do this to free up space on my computer. All importing will be done from disc.

iTunes/Preferences/Advanced : point your iTunes to the new location of the Library.
Set "Share on local network" in the Sharing tab, and you or everyone on the local network can play your music.
You make a backup first of the Library.
Move the follwing to the new location:
/Users/your username/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music
have fun.

How do i format an external hard drive for use on both windows and mac book air?

how do i format an external hard drive for use on both windows pc and mac book air?

Use exFAT on the PC.
(71374)

How to transfer data from macbook pro to an external hard drive, im using (WD 1TB 3.0) ???. I cannot copy anything from my mac to it not a single file.

how to transfer data from macbook pro to an external hard drive, im using (WD 1TB 3.0) ???. I cannot copy anything from my mac to it not a single file.

ok - since you'll be sharing it with a PC - connect it to your windows pc - then format from there - instead of NTFS format - choose exFAT.
or, you can read the link below on how to do it in dos mode.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-files/how-can-i-forma t-external-drive-in-exfat-not-in/0f6bf19a-19d6-4470-ae05-53ddf26bb476?msgId=1860 eae3-3488-4eea-8326-f87b89d9851b
once you've formatted it - you can now use it in both your macbook and windows computer.

I need to move the iTunes library to an External Hard Drive to free up space on iMac. Need suggestions on type of External Hard Drive to use. A Multimedia Hard Drive like LaCie LaCinema Classic HD Multimedia Hard Drive OR a Large Desktop Hard Drive?

I need to move an iTunes library to an External Hard Drive to free up space on iMac. I Need suggestions on type of External Hard Drive to use. Should you use a Multimedia Hard Drive like LaCie LaCinema Classic HD Multimedia Hard Drive OR a standard Large Desktop Hard Drive like Western Digital/Seagate/LaCie?

There is no benefit to the multi-media feature on the first drive you mentioned. If you are going to look at differences between certain drives, I'd look at the differences in reliability first.

I have just bought an iMac, and when I had my PC I had all my mp3 music on external hard drive and used to stream using software called ps3 server and tveristy which used to pick up on my Roberts radio via network wi fi hiw do I get iMac to do it

I have just bought an iMac, and when I had my PC I had all my mp3 music on external hard drive and used to stream using software called ps3 server and tveristy which used to pick up on my Roberts radio via network wi fii and on my iPad via AirPlay. How can I do the same with iMac as this software isn't compatible

To install apps from developers Apple doesn't recognize go to Security and Privacy in the System Preferences and change Allow apps downloaded from anywhere

How do I move iTunes library to an external hard drive to use less space?

How do I move iTunes library to an external hard drive to use less space?

Our iTunes guru Terence Devlin advises the following:
1. Quit iTunes
2. Drag the iTunes folder from your internal hd - located in ~/Music folder - to your external hd. DO NOT delete the original one from your internal hd... yet!
3. When the transfer is complete, press and hold the Option(alt) key and fire up iTunes.
4. A "Choose iTunes Library" window will come up. Click on the "Choose Library" button.
5. Navigate to where the iTunes folder is located in the external hd.
6. Within the iTunes folder, select the iTunes Library file and click Choose...
That's it. iTunes will now display all your playlists, songs, movies, podcasts etc. At this point, should you wish, you can delete the iTunes folder from the internal hd to free up space.
More info:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1751
Or if you prefer a more complicated explanation:
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/moving-your-itunes-library-to -a-new-hard-drive

I have an 2tb time capsule 802.11n Wi-Fi base station can I use this as an external hard drive and use a new airport extreme 802.11ac Wi-Fi for my wifi?

I have an 2tb time capsule 802.11n Wi-Fi base station can I use this as an external hard drive and use a new airport extreme 802.11ac Wi-Fi for my wifi?

You can use the 2 TB Time Capsule as a network drive. That means that it must connect to one of the Ethernet LAN <--> ports on the new AirPort Extreme, or connect to the network using wireless.

Installing Windows to external hard drive or using parallels?

Will installing Windows on external hard drive protect mac from viruses better than parallels? Which option is more sound, installing windows on external hard drive or using parallels? My main concern is mac protection. Thanks

Hi,
Thank's for your reply.
Using Parallels and creating a virtual machine, I think it should be possible installing Windows to an external hard drive, shouldn't it?
Message was edited by: Oleguer Vilella

Recommendations please: external hard drive to use as Aiport Disc

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