Comments on: How to Backup Your Computer With an Old Hard Disk http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/ Cool Websites, Software and Internet Tips Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: 1fastbullet http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-420203 1fastbullet Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:42:21 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-420203 Go to Newegg.com and buy Item# :N82E16812119244. This USB device interfaces with either/or IDE & SATA drives. It's currently on sale for $35 and ships free. Go to Newegg.com and buy Item# :N82E16812119244. This USB device interfaces with either/or IDE & SATA drives. It’s currently on sale for $35 and ships free.

]]> By: benzo http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-413765 benzo Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:27:13 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-413765 this comment is hilarious and true. this comment is hilarious and true.

]]> By: 1fastbullet http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-410471 1fastbullet Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:56:36 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-410471 @bluecat57 The biggest problem you would have is your computer seeing the drives as one. The solution might be a Rosewill product, available from Newegg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182144) that houses multiple drives in an external case. One of the negatives of this approach is the price of this type of enclosure. At the moment, it is lslightly under $50, while a complete 1T external hard drive can be had for only a very little more. The second negative has been pointed out in previous posts: that of using an old drive to store important data. If the data is important enough to retain, I think I'd buy a new external hard drive and hope it lived long enough to justify the cost. Note that while an external hard drive enclosure imay wear a particular brand name, the hard drive itself will most likely be built by one of the major mfgrs. @bluecat57
The biggest problem you would have is your computer seeing the drives as one. The solution might be a Rosewill product, available from Newegg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182144) that houses multiple drives in an external case.

One of the negatives of this approach is the price of this type of enclosure. At the moment, it is lslightly under $50, while a complete 1T external hard drive can be had for only a very little more.
The second negative has been pointed out in previous posts: that of using an old drive to store important data. If the data is important enough to retain, I think I’d buy a new external hard drive and hope it lived long enough to justify the cost.

Note that while an external hard drive enclosure imay wear a particular brand name, the hard drive itself will most likely be built by one of the major mfgrs.

]]> By: BlueCat57 http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-407408 BlueCat57 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:32:32 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-407408 Since old hard drives are small maybe you could use an old tower PC case to put several in a rack configuration that would allow you to backup a larger new drive. If you have 4 or 5 older drives you might even be able to set them up in a RAID configuration. Maybe set the system up using Windows Home Server or Windows 7 or some flavor of LINUX. Eventhough I have a 320GB drive, I've only got 160GD of data and a lot of that doesn't really need to be backed up. Anyone have the technical expertise to comment on this concept? Since old hard drives are small maybe you could use an old tower PC case to put several in a rack configuration that would allow you to backup a larger new drive. If you have 4 or 5 older drives you might even be able to set them up in a RAID configuration. Maybe set the system up using Windows Home Server or Windows 7 or some flavor of LINUX.

Eventhough I have a 320GB drive, I’ve only got 160GD of data and a lot of that doesn’t really need to be backed up.

Anyone have the technical expertise to comment on this concept?

]]> By: d+b+t http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-407367 d+b+t Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:12:36 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-407367 thanx for the idea... i was wondering what i might be able to do with old desktop HDs besides dissect them for fun. thanx for the idea… i was wondering what i might be able to do with old desktop HDs besides dissect them for fun.

]]> By: Erich http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-406854 Erich Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:15:26 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-406854 Like the article. Good advice about avoiding static. One other thing that can help with that is to work, and preferably stand, on a wooden surface, since it doesn't conduct electricity. Like the article. Good advice about avoiding static. One other thing that can help with that is to work, and preferably stand, on a wooden surface, since it doesn’t conduct electricity.

]]> By: BlueCat57 http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-406427 BlueCat57 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:25:15 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-406427 By the time you buy a cable or enclosure you can buy a new drive with hundreds of GB of storage. So unless you are storing the old drives in another room or offsite there isn't any benefit. And USB thumb drives are so cheap that if you have less than 64GB to back up those are a pretty good deal. And online back up is $55 a year for unlimited offsite storage. By the time you buy a cable or enclosure you can buy a new drive with hundreds of GB of storage. So unless you are storing the old drives in another room or offsite there isn’t any benefit. And USB thumb drives are so cheap that if you have less than 64GB to back up those are a pretty good deal. And online back up is $55 a year for unlimited offsite storage.

]]> By: C.R. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-406404 C.R. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:56:14 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-406404 I agree, this isn't a great backup solution. I have several old drives I use to store things I don't want to lose, but don't access very often. And I've got one I keep several virtual machines on, just to save space on my regular drives. I agree, this isn’t a great backup solution. I have several old drives I use to store things I don’t want to lose, but don’t access very often. And I’ve got one I keep several virtual machines on, just to save space on my regular drives.

]]> By: FErArg http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-406389 FErArg Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:11:51 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-406389 I think that use old hard drives to make backups it's the same that put your balls in a hungry dog's mouth TOO DANGEROUS ----------------------- FErArg www.FErArg.com www.SerInformaticos.es I think that use old hard drives to make backups it’s the same that put your balls in a hungry dog’s mouth

TOO DANGEROUS

———————–
FErArg

http://www.FErArg.com
http://www.SerInformaticos.es

]]> By: John D http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-backup-your-computer-with-an-old-hard-disk/#comment-406387 John D Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:57:54 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25404#comment-406387 I agree with Martin here. I can't see the point of using an older HDD with a lower capacity, when at the moment I have tons of family photos, music and videos to backup including the OS. I agree with Martin here. I can’t see the point of using an older HDD with a lower capacity, when at the moment I have tons of family photos, music and videos to backup including the OS.

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