Compare western digital and seagate hard drives

[berek_01]

Am interested in RELIABILITY, which to me means the ability to use the Hard Drive for a reasonable number of years without problems.

Am a Senior senior, have been a photographer (amateur) for 70 years; make slide shows gratis for non profit groups of world travels to use as fund raisers. When went digital, had to go into computers (Apple- never used any computer previously). Am not a geek, but absorb technology.
Shoot in RAW, so have enormous files (each image 15+Mb). Use Hard drives to store all data. After having a number of HD's fail ( WD & LaCie) and lost data, am wary of all HD's; in fact of much of this technology.
I have 50 year old kodachrome slides that are as sharp and brilliant as the day I took them and will last another 100 years ... will not continue comparison .... will eventually get lasting technology) .
Plan is to back up Data Drive with Backup 1 & Backup 2... and take a backup to Apple store when want help to do specific work w/o bringing computer (27"), Data Drive etc.
Questions: 1. Which more reliable .... WD or Seagate??
2. What is best way to keep Backup drives current ( half dozen options, including additional software)
3. Was informed there is a drive that can be added, similar to External, but acts almost as additional internal
HD ... and synchronizes .... but forgot name of system .... anybody???
Thank you all.

 

[pdxalex]

Hi,

Both Seagate and WD build great drives and I'd go with either one, really. That said, I've had drives from both manufacturers fail. Haven't had any problems with Samsungs but can't form any conclusions as I haven't purchased as many of those. I think much of the time it's just luck of the draw.

I run a pretty wide gamut on the external side as well with 5x 500GB Lacies, 2x 750GB Lacies, 2x 3TB Seagates and a bunch of smaller ones in various shapes and sizes, Seagate and WD. One of the 500GB Lacies failed on me last year but it was only the controller. I removed the drive and am using it elsewhere - a Seagate if I recall. Lacie doesn't manufacture drives themselves - they merely use Seagate and WD drives in their enclosures.

Being a photographer myself, I'm a little addicted to HDDs. I know there are a lot of software solutions out there but personally, in this case I go by the old adage of "trust is good, control is better". That said, I do it all manually using two internal 1TBs backed up to a 3TB external. Every now and then I copy new folders from one 3TB to another and remove older files from the internals to free up space as needed. Older work is spread out and backed up over the smaller 500/750 drives.

With regards to #3, perhaps you're referring to something like the Drobo?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822240035
I've looked into those and other similar solutions in the past but simply prefer to physically separate the drives.
Alternatively, the 3TB external Seagate drives I use also power on/off with the computer and essentially act as internal drives although I don't use them as such. They also come with synch software.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148847
USB3 certainly comes in handy though, something to look out for if your Mac supports it.

 

[berek_01]

pdxalex,
Thank for your reply and for remembering Drobo. In investigating, found many individuals unhappy with Seagate (specifically GoFlex Desk), WD (My Book Live), not WD (MyBook Studio or Pro); also given Drobo or new computer w/ tower as alternative solutions; Mac does not support USB3 at this point.... any knowledgeable comments appreciated.

 

[playing_hooky]

Hi whilst looking for info I came across this thread. I think the sort of thing you are looking for is a jbod raidbox. Startech make a 4 bay http://www.ebuyer.com/345159-startech-4-bay-external-hard-drive-array-raid-tower-sat3540u3er for around £150 plus Drives. ICYbox make larger 8 bay models but have had problems with reliability in the past with their Products.

Hope this is of some help.