USB Hard drive

G

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Is the USB port fast enough to use a USB HD for backing up large disks.
I want to clone a friends 40 gig MP3 drive, he wants me to buy an internal IDE instead of the USB, & use the IDE connectors in his box..
The portability of the USB is so useful that I would prefer to go the external route.
thanks in advance
Tim
 
USB is Slooooow, but it will work for what you want. If you need a portable HD consider Firewire instead. If you won't do a lot of traveling with your HD then just get an IDE.
 
I have a 20 GB Pockey portable USB drive that I bought at Comdex. Besides the fact that it doesn't require an AC adapter, the price wasn't bad either. The transfer rates aren't superfast but fast enough to save files and transfer mp3 music from my desktop at work to my desktop at home in a snap. Check them out at www.pockeydrives.com.
 
I agree on the slow transfer rates of USB, while it is faster than Parallel or Serial connections, nothing can beat a direct IDE connection. If you purpose is simply to play MP3's from this drive, look into the USB drive you want, the Hard Disk inside the USB unit may be a normal Hard Disk that could be removed and placed in your friends machine for speed reasons, and then re-install the drive in the USB box for you portable needs. The speed difference between USB and IDE is huge! We are talking hours of difference. A direct IDE connection could transfer 20Gb in about 15-45 minutes depending of the speed of the drives and bus speed, ATA-33, 66, 100. The USB transfer of 20Gb would probably take around 3-6 hours.
 
thanks, the ability to move the drive around is certainly a plus.
I plan on cloning a friends 40 gig drive full of MP3s.. the IDE is the way to go, just so as not to abuse my friend's offer of hospitality. If I tied up his computer for days he might kick my USB ass .. LOL ..
thanks
 
Would you not be better getting a zip or a jazz drive, they are more portable, and you can get 250mb ones in either usb or parallel
 
did you hear the man say

"40G"

OOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooo that's a lot of 250M Zip disks!



***Hey I run Intel... but let's get real***
 
Really the only reason to go with an external drive is if you have to have the portability. Otherwise the slowness of USB is just not worth it.

Now firewire would be a different story, but you'd have to buy a firewire card. Extra $$$.

I would go with IDE unless you need the portability.

"There's no such thing as gravity, the Earth just sucks"