[olug] USB enclosure recommendations

[Obi-Wan]

>> I really don't want a prepackaged external drive, as I go through
>> drives pretty fast and would like this enclosure to last several
>> generations of drives.
> 
> I have had good luck with a couple of Western Digital My Book 3TB externals which are USB 2/3. You can pick these up at Costco for $129.99. Can you build one for less than that?

The MyBooks have been getting sketchy reviews lately on NewEgg.
I also bought one of those 6 months ago due to the price, but it
got better reviews then.  I wouldn't go there now, even if I didn't
have a thing against using the same device model for all of my
backups.  The data stored on this drive is worth *far* more than
the $40 you're saving vs buying high quality equipment.

> I have even replaced a drive in a 2TB Western Digital enclosure so I'm sure you could do the same with the 3TB models.

Perhaps, but I wouldn't swear to that.  This model was one of the
earlier 3TB models, and manufacturers tended at the time to be rolling
their own solutions to get past the 2.2TB limit.

Besides, the MyBooks use a funky, non-standard USB3 connector that
isn't compatible with the USB2 connector.  Most other manufacturers
allow me to hook up using a normal USB2 cable if my proprietary
cable disappears.

And the MyBook is annoyingly thick -- far more cube-shaped than
any other enclosure I've seen -- and it hence doesn't fit all that
great into the padded carrier that I've got.  Because of that, I
don't have room to store the proprietary cable in the same carrier.

So, thanks for the suggestion, but I'll pass.

-- 
Ben "Obi-Wan" Hollingsworth    obiwan at jedi.com    PrairieRimImages.com
   The stuff of earth competes for the allegiance I owe only to the
     Giver of all good things, so if I stand, let me stand on the
       promise that You will pull me through.  -- Rich Mullins