[tavilach]

I want to get my mom a reliable 80 GB external hard drive that comes with simple incremental backup software. I'm talking about a prepackaged enclosure + drive. I was about to go with a WD, but lots of reviews say that are unreliable. What is the most reliable brand? I'm looking at well known brands only.

[mduell]

Maxtor has some nice ones, but 80GB is rather small; at that point you're paying nearly as much for the enclosure as for the drive. 250-300GB is the current sweet spot in terms of space per dollar, so maybe aim a little below that (160-200GB) if you want something ceaper.
80GB is about $80, but 250GB is about $145; 80% more money for 275% more space.

That said, take a look at this page for some highly rated complete units (all with Firewire) spanning 80 to 500GB.

[tavilach]

I've heard bad stuff about Maxtor as well. I like Seagate, but they don't seem to make enclosures.

I'm aware that 80 GB is very small, but since she has literally *no* use for anything more than that (it's purely for backup, and her laptop is 80 GB), I have no reason to even pay a little more for more space. If it's the same price then of course, I don't care.

Newegg has nice things but all of those drives have very few reviews. I need some consensus.

[Tomchu]

Buy a Firewire enclosure with either a Prolific 3507 chipset (really reliable and high-performance with the latest firmware updates) or an Oxford 911 chipset (the "gold standard" for IDE --> Firewire chipsets). Slap in a 300 GB drive (sweet spot, as someone said), and you'll be good to go.

[Dark Helmet]

I had 5 maxtor drives, 4 of them failed. Some within days, others months. the only one that has survived is 5 years old now.

My seagate ones seems much more reliable and quite.

[tavilach]

Originally Posted by Tomchu

Buy a Firewire enclosure with either a Prolific 3507 chipset (really reliable and high-performance with the latest firmware updates) or an Oxford 911 chipset (the "gold standard" for IDE --> Firewire chipsets). Slap in a 300 GB drive (sweet spot, as someone said), and you'll be good to go.

I specifically said that I want a pre-packaged external HD that comes with backup software.

[Tomchu]

You'll get flexibility in terms of choice, and a better deal, if you go with the DIY-method.

But hey, not my business. Sorry for suggesting something I know works well. :-|

[Dark Helmet]

Originally Posted by tavilach

I specifically said that I want a pre-packaged external HD that comes with backup software.

I've used every backup software on the planet and they ALL stink. The only one I actually like came with my copy of Toast called Deja-vu.

[tavilach]

Originally Posted by Tomchu

You'll get flexibility in terms of choice, and a better deal, if you go with the DIY-method.

But hey, not my business. Sorry for suggesting something I know works well. :-|

And of course, I have an Oxford 911 FW/USB 2 enclosure with a 250 GB Seagate sitting right next to me. But this is for my mom, and she wants it prepackaged so that it will come with some stupid backup software.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by tavilach

I've heard bad stuff about Maxtor as well. I like Seagate, but they don't seem to make enclosures.

I'm aware that 80 GB is very small, but since she has literally *no* use for anything more than that (it's purely for backup, and her laptop is 80 GB), I have no reason to even pay a little more for more space. If it's the same price then of course, I don't care.

Newegg has nice things but all of those drives have very few reviews. I need some consensus.

Someone has heard bad things about, or had a bad experience, with every hard drive manufacturer.
You specified incremental backup in your first post, which generally implies more than one copy of the data set, but you would also usually have more than one set of media for an incremental backup scheme.
My parents have a Maxtor OneTouch, it works great, and the latest version includes support for a "bootable copy of your entire system with the push of a button on Mac OSX."

[Dark Helmet]

I agree the Maxtor OneTouch is the only all in one for Mac's that I know of. It looks pretty nice also.

[bbales]

OWC drives (Other World Computing) used to come with Retrospect Express (and may still -- I didn't check). But I used that software years ago (backing up to DVD-RAM disks, though, not an external) and I thought it was very non-intuitive. CMS drives (CMSproducts.com) -- I have one of those, too -- used to come with BounceBack software, which is what I use for backups. Very easy to use. I'm having trouble with the company's web site, so I can't tell you whether the software still comes with the drives or not. And I seem to remember that the drives carry a three-year warranty, which is good.

Is it vital that the software and drive come together? There are online options for software that might work better. I don't know if you're physically near by your mom, but if you are, maybe you could get everything set up (Super Duper, ChronoSync and Carbon Copy Cloner come to mind) and then show your mom how to do the incremental backups.

[tooki]

Uh, Seagate most certainly does make external drives, and they include BounceBack Express for Mac, and have a button on the front to launch backups (that isn't a Maxtor exclusive). I hacked my BB Express to make the button launch an AppleScript instead, though .

tooki

[F*ckDell]

I'd have to say, I got a 160gb Maxtor OneTouch when I ordered my Dell Laptop. I beat this thing senseless with transferring, editing, rendering and burning DVDs from the external. This still pumps out performance after 2 years of hell. *Knock on wood* it doesn't **** out on me now!

I prefer Maxtor, and yes, they do look cool.

[bbales]

Originally Posted by tooki

Uh, Seagate most certainly does make external drives, and they include BounceBack Express for Mac, and have a button on the front to launch backups (that isn't a Maxtor exclusive). I hacked my BB Express to make the button launch an AppleScript instead, though .

tooki

You are so right -- I was remembering my own experiences buying an internal, and flat out forgot the external Seagate line. And since I already had BounceBack (full version), I never tried to use the express version.

[Dark Helmet]

Retrospect is one of the worst Mac apps I have ever used.

[tavilach]

Thanks, tooki. I'm going with a 100 GB Seagate. It doesn't seem to come with software, but I'll find some Shareware for her. BTW, she uses a PC, so if anyone has any ideas...

[tooki]

Oh, the ones with backup software seem to be 200GB and up:

http://seagate.com/products/retail/external/usbfirewire

I'd suggest the one with FireWire. I have the 300GB version, which I got for $190 on sale six months ago.

tooki

[tooki]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

Retrospect is one of the worst Mac apps I have ever used.

Well, its bugs under OS X notwithstanding, I can't really agree. It's really complicated, but then again, it is a full-featured backup app, and there's no way to do that and have it not be complicated.

tooki

[neely]

Originally Posted by tooki

Uh, Seagate most certainly does make external drives, and they include BounceBack Express for Mac, and have a button on the front to launch backups (that isn't a Maxtor exclusive). I hacked my BB Express to make the button launch an AppleScript instead, though .

Tooki, is hacking BB Express a simple thing to do, or does it require what the kidz today are calling "mad skillz"? (Even though I don't really know what they are.)

[Dark Helmet]

Originally Posted by tooki

Well, its bugs under OS X notwithstanding, I can't really agree. It's really complicated, but then again, it is a full-featured backup app, and there's no way to do that and have it not be complicated.

tooki

The "really complicated" is my problem. Very un-Mac app.