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loli22
December 9th, 2010, 03:44 PM
due to my very bad experience with external hard drive (LaCie, WD) i decided to go with HDD and enclosure, so i decided to get myself Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB 7200rpm, now my probleme is the enclosure.
please guys, can you tell which is more reliable i can find in uk.

squaregoldfish
December 9th, 2010, 09:49 PM
Maplin stock some good ones. I've been using this:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=221180

without any issues. Drives are held in using only a couple of screws, so it's easy to swap drives around too.

Steve.

coffeecat
December 9th, 2010, 11:02 PM
Maplin stock some good ones. I've been using this:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=221180

I've got one of those. It's excellent - for 2.5" drives. But isn't the OP's drive a 3.5" one?

squaregoldfish
December 9th, 2010, 11:06 PM
Ah, you're right. I have the 3.5" version of the same product. It may be at this link:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=32139

but there's no picture so I can't be sure. If you've got a Maplin near you, go and have a look. Or phone up and ask for the 3.5" version.

Steve.

coffeecat
December 9th, 2010, 11:15 PM
It may be at this link:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=32139

but there's no picture so I can't be sure. If you've got a Maplin near you, go and have a look.

I'd agree with that. They've got a good selection. (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?MenuNo=12193) I have two of the ones at about 14 in that list - the A67FG - and I'm pleased with them. But if you click on that one, you go to here (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=48213), which seems to have the picture you were looking for. :) I think Maplin's webmaster is in a bit of a muddle.

@loli22, most Maplins staff are quite helpful, in my experience. Give them a try.

loli22
December 10th, 2010, 05:39 AM
what about this one?

http://qnap.expertsinstorage.com/switches/external-enclosure/esata-usb-easyswap.html

mips
December 10th, 2010, 09:57 AM
due to my very bad experience with external hard drive (LaCie, WD) i decided to go with HDD and enclosure, so i decided to get myself Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB 7200rpm, now my probleme is the enclosure.
please guys, can you tell which is more reliable i can find in uk.

7200rpm would be a waste of money if used in a USB enclosure, a 5400rpm green drive will work just as well. The USB2 interface is the bottleneck and you will never come close to using the drives full speed.

If you are using a eSATA interface/enclosure or intent using the drive inside your PC at times then go for 7200rpm.

Johnsie
December 10th, 2010, 12:22 PM
ah but having 7200 future proofs it a little. I personally have this drive and it works very, very well:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=261046&source=1

Evil-Ernie
December 10th, 2010, 12:39 PM
I agree Maplins are ace for PC bits, I got my laptop IDE to standard IDE converter there which I didnt expect them to have.

Also agreed 7200rpm is going to be held back noticably by the USB interface, really consider if you can hook it up internally rather than using USB.

coffeecat
December 10th, 2010, 12:51 PM
Well, since mips recommended an esata connection and since everyone else is rooting for Maplins, why not go for this?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=99264

You stick it in a spare optical drive bay. It gives you esata, usb, card-reader, firewire, knobs to twiddle, what looks like an LCD display that does goodness knows what, and much else. I'd say that would be £24.99 well spent. :wink:


I agree Maplins are ace for PC bits

It's amazing the weird and wonderful things you can get at Maplins. I even bought an electronic fly swatter there. :-k

Evil-Ernie
December 10th, 2010, 01:10 PM
It's amazing the weird and wonderful things you can get at Maplins. I even bought an electronic fly swatter there. :-k

If you are into building your own projects Maplins has things like basic electronic components and even full Velleman modules (so tempted on the Velleman USB development board, just need to find an excuse to buy one ;) )

philinux
December 10th, 2010, 01:25 PM
I got one of these. Very versatile. Does 2.5 and 3.5.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allcam-Docking-Station-Adapter-Bracket/dp/B001FEONM6