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



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Hi folks

I'd avoid LaCie portable drives like the plague - I bought one of their
nice, rubber covered Firewire + USB PocketDrives (CD-RW) in May last year -

(1) the first time I took it out of my office to use it on the road it broke;
(2) I sent it back, had it repaired (took several months...);
(3) worked okay for a month or so before it broke again;
(4) repeat (2) and (3)...
(5) sent it back - they will repair it "just this once as a favour"
(6) got it back after another month or so
(7) burned 3 CDs - broke again.

The actual drive in the unit is okay - in fact it's now replaced a CDR in
a desktop machine and has been 100% reliable so far - it just seems to be
the bits that LaCie build themselves and don't buy from
Panasonic/Matsushita. LaCie seem to go all deaf when the words "refund" or
"replace" are mentioned.

Based on this, I see no problem extending my warning to their portable
hard drives or other kit. I have a very reliable non-portable LaCie
60Gb HD on my desk.

> > Is there are another manufacturer that is
> > more reliable? I will appreciate your inputs. Thanks.
>
> 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.

Harry
-- 
Dr Harry Powell, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, MRC Centre, Hills
Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH