22 replies to this topic

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

The hard drive on my MacBook needs to be replaced. No one can tell me why. It just started running really slowly one day, as if there was a huge drain on the memory. It quickly got to the point where even the simplest task, like clicking an icon, would cause the computer to "beach ball" and freeze up. I took it to Apple, and they initially told me the HD was fine and that it was a software problem. But after five days, and apparently running every test they are capable of running, they told me today that yes, indeed, the HD needs to be replaced. Which is where we came in.

I am really hoping that the data from the old HD can be recovered, because I haven't backed it up in, oh, ever. And pretty much my whole life is on there. Yeah, yeah, I know it's stupid. But I'm lazy. If I can put things off until later I will. Later finally came calling in this case.

At any rate, I am going to need an external HD, because I'm not going through this again. Plus I am accumulating more and more video footage from various projects that I would like to save, so I'm going to need the space. Any suggestions on what to get?

[He who posts]

MacBook

I haven't backed it up in, oh, ever. And pretty much my whole life is on there.

Edited by He who posts, 12 November 2016 - 05:47 PM.

[KiWi]

How much space?

I don't think brands matter so much.

And ninja edit, I was wondering to myself if the size of drives matter, but as long as you get something that's "common" enough, reliability should be the same across the board.

Just make sure you keep mindful if it's powered by the laptop or externally (9volt plug) and what ports it has (usb 3.0, C, firewire?).

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

Video adds up quickly, so space is important. I do have some stuff backed up in the cloud but in general I hate that. Portability is not an issue, I can stick it in a corner and forget it other than the few times a month I might need to use it. I didn't know if certain brands were superior, inferior, etc.

[KiWi]

True, but there's a world of difference between 1TB and 10.

So much video are we talking, and do you want a single drive, or would possibly want something more sophisticated? (I assume you want simple. If so I'd get a Western Digital or Samsung 2 or 3 TB external hdd and be done with it).

[King Biscuit]

I have a Toshiba external.

It's pretty good.

[Learz]

(Disclaimer: I'm not familiar with Mac devices, but apparently you can get Mac specific drives, so you should probably start from there.)
 
Size and cost are your main factors. If cost isn't an issue, get an SSD. If you want cheaper, get an HDD. I'm going to assume you want an HDD, since you'll be using it for backups, and you probably don't want to drop massive amounts of $$$ on it.
 
The main brands for HDDs out there are Seagate and Western Digital (WD). Both are good, I've used them and also Hitachi. WD is probably the main standard for HDDs.
 
What you are looking for:

• Drive RPM: this is how fast the disk spins. Faster is better. 5400rpm is fairly slow (about laptop speed). 7200rpm is standard (fast-ish). 9600rpm+ is very fast (and expensive), you probably don't need this. (NOTE: there has been in increase in hybrid drives, SSHD, SHDD, etc. These drives are HDDs without RPM speeds, and are very fast). 
• Storage capacity: 1 terabyte (1TB) is the minimum size. This is about 1000 GB. You mention video files, so you should be looking at larger (2-4TB+).
• Warranty: better drives cost more, and that's because they come with longer warranties. Cheap drives are 1 year. Better drives are 3-5 years. Premium drives are 10 years. Go for the 3-5 range, especially if you won't be using it much (it'll last forever).
• Drive design: some drives are specifically engineered for different tasks: gaming, active use, storage, backup, etc. If you can, look for a backup/storage type drive, they will be designed for infrequent use, efficient data transfer, and long life.

 
Two ways to buy a drive: a specific external drive (comes preset and ready to go), or you can buy an internal drive, an enclosure, and spend about 5 minutes building and configuring it. Second way's slightly cheaper and flexible. If you want to do this, let me know I can find some stuff for you, but I'm going to assume you want the preset/easy way.
 
Sample drives:
WD My Book HDD, 7200rpm, 3 year warranty. 3TB for $109, 4TB for $116.
WD My Password HDD, 5400rpm, 3 year warranty. 1TB $99, 2TB $113, 3TB for $119.
Seagate Backup Plus, 5400rpm, 2 year warranty. 1TB $58, 2TB $80, 4TB $120.
Silicon Power A85M, Shockproof, waterproof, 5400rpm, 3 year warranty. 1TB $76, 2TB $114, 4TB $172.
 
Amazon search with drives you can look at.

[KiWi]

Say, who knows how sensitive drives are to magnets, or dropping them, moving while in use.

Anything. I'm deathly curious and don't trust anyone.

Spoiler

I won't trust you. But I'll perhaps consider your advice when I lie to myself

[Redezra]

As a computer person:

 

• Get Western Digital. Do not get Seagate.

[Learz]

As a computer person:

 

• Get Western Digital. Do not get Seagate.

 

I thought it was just me. I had a Seagate drive go bad on me, but figured it was an anomaly.

[KiWi]

They have a bad rep.

I have a wd external and a seagate hdd, both of which I'm currently (SINCE THIS TOPIC CAME UP) am worried may fail on me.

Pretty creepy timing.

[Redezra]

 

As a computer person:

 

• Get Western Digital. Do not get Seagate.

 

I thought it was just me. I had a Seagate drive go bad on me, but figured it was an anomaly.

 

I've seen two seagates break randomly, and one literally catch fire while in operation.

[Learz]

 

 

As a computer person:

 

• Get Western Digital. Do not get Seagate.

 

I thought it was just me. I had a Seagate drive go bad on me, but figured it was an anomaly.

 

I've seen two seagates break randomly, and one literally catch fire while in operation.

Well that definitely beats my story

[KiWi]

Are HDD's like SSD's in your experience (knowledge?) in that you have to use them so often or they go bad?

Asking for a friend.

[He who posts]

Say, who knows how sensitive drives are to magnets, or dropping them, moving while in use.

Anything. I'm deathly curious and don't trust anyone.

Spoiler

I won't trust you. But I'll perhaps consider your advice when I lie to myself

It's a tiny piece of gold hovering on a thin layer of air. Laptop drives are glass (easy to shatter) while desktop ones are metal. When properly shut down the arm locks itself in a safe position.


Everytime I see people moving a pc or laptop I want to shank them.

Edited by He who posts, 13 November 2016 - 04:00 AM.

[Redezra]

Are HDD's like SSD's in your experience (knowledge?) in that you have to use them so often or they go bad?

Asking for a friend.

 

No. We use HDDs in cool raid configurations for long term storage in some cases.

 

SSD's are pretty okay too tbh.

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

Finally got my computer back last week. After spending a week with Apple they decided that the hard drive needed to be replaced, which they did. The upshot is that I got a bigger HD (1TB vs. 750GB) HD than the original; the downshot was that all my data was still on the old, malfunctioning HD. They never told me exactly what was wrong with it, but i was able to take it to a small computer shop nearby and they retrieved my data. Oddly, though, they didn't retrieve any of the software. Most of it is not a big deal because it came from Apple, and I can re-download apps I have already purchased. But some of it, like MS Office, was not through Apple and is irretrievably lost. So now I have to buy freaking Office again. PIA.

 

The moral of the story is back up your HD.

 

PS: It was a Toshiba HD, which a couple of people have told me are shit. Is that true? The new one is a Hitachi.

[Redezra]

They're both shit.

 

[He who posts]

Oddly, though, they didn't retrieve any of the software.

The amount of work needed for that it's just faster and cheaper for both to just have you reinstall it.

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

Oddly, though, they didn't retrieve any of the software.

The amount of work needed for that it's just faster and cheaper for both to just have you reinstall it.

 

Ah. So it is still on there, then. Oh well.

 

Unfortunately some of it can't be reinstalled. I no longer have the product key for my copy of MS Office, for example. So I'm going to have to buy it all over again.

 

Le sigh.