External hard drive advice please

[Just Gillian]

I've been following Val's thread re the portable hard drive but the one Dave recommended is beyond my budget.

Primarily, I want to be able to back up all my FH stuff and my photos. Portability is not important, but I don't have a lot of space left on and around my desk.

Can someone tell me please if there are any reasons why I should not go for this one at £49.98 inc delivery -

Buffalo DriveStation 500GB External Hard Drive TurboUSB With Power Saving Mode - Retail - Ebuyer

[Just Gillian]

Thanks John, that's reassuring. What I know about hardware could be written on a pin head!

[James]

Hello Gillian I have an Maxtor 500GB Usb Fitting, Slightly dearer from PC World at £58.71 just pluged in and it was away.

[Just Gillian]

Hi James - we haven't "spoken" for ages! Thanks, I'll go and have a look at that one. Does it have a mains plug too?

[James]

Yes It has a step down transformer, it is amazing in a few years how quickly the capacity of the drives has risen and the price dropped I remember when they cost about a £1,000 each, the same with printers

[Just Gillian]

I have no idea what a step down transformer is James - but I shall go and find out!

I bought a couple of bargain 4GB Sony usb sticks the other day for £4.99 each, then came home and totted up all the gb in my family tree stuff and in my pictures and realised the time had come for something bigger. Just wish I'd realised in time to ask for the hard drive for Christmas or birthday :(

[James]

A step down transformer changes the current from 240v to 12 volts, the one I brought comes with transformer and USB cable.
The other week I pick up a couple of Belkin USB 64mb Flash drives for 99p each!!

[Just Gillian]

Thanks James. I'll check if that comes with that Buffalo one too.

Prices certainly have come down!

[Margaret N]

Gillian,

I have a WD Elements 160GB that is a portable hard drive (it is really small in size - will slot into your pocket) it cost about £49 in Curry's. The good thing about this one is that it plugs into the computer for the power and does not need a mains plug.

I have also used Buffalow flash pens and found them to be good - but they are for a slightly different reason. Just to carry a much smaller amount of information.

In Val's thread in the early day's I told her how I use my hard drive which you may find useful instructions are not suitable for a clever computer buff.

[Just Gillian]

Thanks Margaret.

I've just had a look at the WD Elements one and it does look very neat.

Not sure what to do now - initially, I had thought that I should go for the biggest I could afford but, considering the amount of stuff I want to save on it, 500GB may be overkill. I'm tempted by the small size of yours although I don't anticipate having to transport the drive anywhere. Being ignorant, I don't know whether the fact that my PC is an older one might mean the USB-only connection would be an issue in terms of power so will investigate.