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Desktop vs Portable external drives
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Nov 16, 2021 15:20:33   #
mikedent Loc: Florida
 
Hello- is there any benefit one way or the other, in using an AC-powered external hard drive vs a portable usb-plug in drive? To be used at home for storage of new photo files since my C drive is almost full. Thanks!

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Nov 16, 2021 15:24:35   #
reverendray
 
the question is what you think the "lifetime" of storage of your photos should be. All hard drives, given time, will fail. So I would suggest you simply keep duplicate files on a portable hard drive and update regularly.

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Nov 16, 2021 15:42:47   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Beats me. I don't worry about it.
I have both an external USB pocket drive and a plug-in drive dock which uses old internal hard drives that I use for backups. I'd use either.
If it's a desktop, can you add another internal drive?

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Nov 16, 2021 15:43:46   #
mikedent Loc: Florida
 
Don't think I have an extra bay for an internal. The "portable" ones are a bit less expensive. Thanks!

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Nov 16, 2021 15:49:27   #
no12mo
 
You should consider Mikedent's question I do clones and have a couple of data drives. If you are still working and it's not a security problem, take one small data drive into work or if your safety box at the bank is big enough rotate a couple of ssd drives and keep your pics (docs) at another location

But do keep at least 3 clones so you don't have to reorganize your programs OS etc if you should have a HD SSD failure.

Al

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Nov 16, 2021 16:06:18   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
no12mo wrote:
You should consider Mikedent's question I do clones and have a couple of data drives. If you are still working and it's not a security problem, take one small data drive into work or if your safety box at the bank is big enough rotate a couple of ssd drives and keep your pics (docs) at another location

But do keep at least 3 clones so you don't have to reorganize your programs OS etc if you should have a HD SSD failure.

Al

I don't think he wants to clone "C:", C: is getting full, I think he wants additional storage, externally.

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Nov 16, 2021 16:11:47   #
no12mo
 
Longshadow wrote:
I don't think he wants to clone "C:", C: is getting full, he wants additional storage, externally.


Not knowing the particulars I can't get specific. I used to work as an "IT" guy and my solutions should work.

Wish him good luck. In parting -get SSD's and at least have two backups one to be located in another location

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Nov 16, 2021 16:19:05   #
Orphoto Loc: Oregon
 
You will get lots of advice. Fairly mainstream is that you should have main storage and 2 backups. One of the backups should be offsite.

I have a 6tb internal drive for picture storage and 2 portable 4 tb drives as backups. My backups are nearly full, so it will be time to get another set of them.

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Nov 16, 2021 16:25:09   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
no12mo wrote:
Not knowing the particulars I can't get specific. I used to work as an "IT" guy and my solutions should work.

Wish him good luck. In parting -get SSD's and at least have two backups one to be located in another location

Why SSDs, because you like them?
Either/or for me. I have no SSDs yet, and I've only been using/working with computers for 50 years.

C: drive getting full, need more storage seems kinda specific to me.

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Nov 16, 2021 16:29:14   #
mikedent Loc: Florida
 
I already have 2 smaller external backup drives in addition to the C drive. The new external drive will be for future photos once the current C drive is full. Thanks!

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Nov 16, 2021 16:31:31   #
no12mo
 
From my experience, SSD's are a more robust drive. Since you asked - just how big a drive (C) do you have and what kind of OS are you running?

If your C drive is getting that full, I'd be getting an external drive. If you are running some sort of Windows OS, and you are running <1 TB there is a way of resolving that problem

I see your comment about 50 years so it seems that I have offended you so I apologize and we can terminate this conversation ASAP

Regards, Al

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Nov 16, 2021 16:41:54   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
no12mo wrote:
From my experience, SSD's are a more robust drive. Since you asked - just how big a drive (C) do you have and what kind of OS are you running?

If your C drive is getting that full, I'd be getting an external drive. If you are running some sort of Windows OS, and you are running <1 TB there is a way of resolving that problem

I see your comment about 50 years so it seems that I have offended you so I apologize and we can terminate this conversation ASAP

Regards, Al

Not offended at all, just letting you know I'm not an armchair computer expert.

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Nov 16, 2021 21:02:50   #
TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC
 
How much additional storage do you need and what is your budget? Also, what speed USB port(s) do you have available?

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Nov 16, 2021 21:47:00   #
srt101fan
 
The OP asked about external drives for photo storage. Specifically, he wants to know if there is "any benefit one way or the other, in using an AC-powered external hard drive vs a portable usb-plug in drive".

Can somebody answer that question?

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Nov 16, 2021 21:49:07   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
srt101fan wrote:
The OP asked about external drives for photo storage. Specifically, he wants to know if there is "any benefit one way or the other, in using an AC-powered external hard drive vs a portable usb-plug in drive".

Can somebody answer that question?


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