What's a good replacement for my external HD?
I recently had my external HD die, I need a new one, the case and power board are fine. Its an ezquest monsoon, so where can I get a replacement HD for it????
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
6 Answers
If it's not designed to be an "enclosure," (reusable shell for external hds), I think you're much better off simply buying a new external hd, especially if you want better reliability. Also, you could buy a new enclosure (these can be quite cheap) and then swap in and out drives freely, but I wouldn't recommend trying to force in a drive into a unit that wasn't meant for it. I've had good experience with Lacie external drives, but there are plenty of good models at low prices right now.
I've had 2 Lacie drives completely crap out on me in the past, so I would stay away.
I also know several with failed LaCie drives, most of my externals I've built using enclosures and hard drive bought seperately. I'm not sure how easy to dissemble the Ezquest enclosure is, but if you can any old IDE (possibly SATA, so check inside) drive should work, though you could buy exactly what's in there or another version from the same series. I wou
ld second Ben and add you might as well go ahead and build your own since the bulk of the cost is the drive anyway. Then you're sure you can swap in a new one when this new drive (inevitably) dies. In my experience laptop drives (though smaller and more expensive) are slightly sturdier if you travel with it frequently, but in either case choose the enclosure that matches your needs (2.5" vs 3.5" hd, sata vs. ide; protocols too: firewire vs. usb). Or just buy a new one. Have fun, and back up often!
Portability?
If you need it to be portable, and your storage needs are not that HUGE, then I recommend a 2.5” enclosure with a nice 2.5” notebook HD. It will be more lightweight and convenient to take along with you. I currently have a 120GB external that I bring on all travel. It fits in the back pocket of my jeans or the breast pocket of my blazer.
Big and Easy?
For larger storage needs, the Western Digital MyBook seems to be a crowd pleaser. I know 2 non-techie friends who love theirs.
Where to shop?
For either of the options above, check NewEgg.com. I like shopping there because of:
1) low prices
2) reliable reviews from geeks who know their stuff
3) quick shipping
4) excellent return policies
Good luck.
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
