Re: [ccp4bb]: External Harddrive (FireWire) problem

["David J. Schuller" <djs63@cornell.edu>]

***  For details on how to be removed from this list visit the  ***
***          CCP4 home page http://www.ccp4.ac.uk         ***

On Fri, 28 Feb 2003, Thayumanasamy Somasundaram wrote:

> We have been using Maxtor FireWire External Harddrive (80GB) to collect and
> transport data from synchrotrons. However, we have had two separate drives
> fail within a year of original purchase and with few trips to the
> synchrotron.
> Are we just unlucky in getting a bad batch of Maxtor drives? What has been
> the experience of other users? Is there are another manufacturer that is
> more reliable? I will appreciate your inputs. Thanks.

We have seen a couple drives fail for MacCHESS customers, I know at least 
one of them was a Maxtor. You may notice those drives are specifically 
sold as "external" drives, not "portable". We recommend to our customers 
that they can improve their chances by bringing two drives and by leaving 
their data on our disks until they are sure the data have made it home 
safely.

Some other models of USB2.0 & FireWire drives are specifically sold as 
"portable", and presumably have better protection from mechanical shock, 
but they tend to have lower capacities and higher cost/gigabyte.

Cheers,
=======================================================================
"Reductionism is one of those words that makes me want
    to reach for my revolver." - Richard Dawkins 
=======================================================================
                        David J. Schuller
                        modern man in a post-modern world
                        MacCHESS, Cornell University
                        djs63@cornell.edu