Is it worth getting an external hard drive with USB 1.0 ports?

free4440273

isofa wrote: »

Why not just add USB 2 to your laptop? Providing you have a free PC / PCMCIA / Cardbus card slot in your laptop (most have at least one of these slots), you can add USB to it that way, such as the Belkin USB 2.0 Notebook Card at Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000MFZ10C/

I had no idea one could do this! I thought a new laptop/motherboard would be needed!! LOL. I have a winxp pro machine, 2ghz, celeron (it's approx. five yrs old but running absolutely fine): would that card work with such a spec in your opinion? thanks:)

bazzlad

free4440273 wrote: »

I had no idea one could do this! I thought a new laptop/motherboard would be needed!! LOL. I have a winxp pro machine, 2ghz, celeron (it's approx. five yrs old but running absolutely fine): would that card work with such a spec in your opinion? thanks:)

Yeah, it'd fly mate. Make sure you've got spare slots on your motherboard, and you buy the right card for those slots!

isofa

free4440273 wrote: »

I had no idea one could do this! I thought a new laptop/motherboard would be needed!! LOL. I have a winxp pro machine, 2ghz, celeron (it's approx. five yrs old but running absolutely fine): would that card work with such a spec in your opinion? thanks:)

Yes no problem at all as long as you have a PC card/cardbus slot on the laptop If you search on Amazon, you'll find cheaper cards too, personally I'd go for a good branded one.

Also you can get combo cards with USB 2 and Firewire, which are excellent for external HDs and camcorders.

free4440273

^I have two PCMCIA adapter slots, so I'm assuming the card that isofa mentioned would be ok??

free4440273

isofa wrote: »

Yes no problem at all. If you search on Amazon, you'll find cheaper cards too, personally I'd go for a good branded one.

Also you can get combo cards with USB 2 and Firewire, which are excellent for external HDs and camcorders.

thanks isofa. the reason i enquired about your post is because i've just ordered a fujitsu external drive (usb 2.0) and only have usb 1.0 ports on my laptop (i need to check this): yes, it would work, but not as efficiently as 2.0, as you point out. thanks again; at £18, it ain't too pricey either

espresso

free4440273 wrote: »

thanks isofa. the reason i enquired about your post is because i've just ordered a fujitsu external drive (usb 2.0) and only have usb 1.0 ports on my laptop (i need to check this): yes, it would work, but not as efficiently as 2.0, as you point out. thanks again; at £18, it ain't too pricey either

I would not pay extra to get a Belkin label when they are available for half the price e.g. here You won't see any difference!

free4440273

espresso wrote: »

I would not pay extra to get a Belkin label when they are available for half the price e.g. here You won't see any difference!

thanks also. i have to admit, i do like amazon: they always answer my emails immediately, are prompt in their delivery and notify by email when goods are about to be dispatched (so at least u know they will arrive the next morning, for example). i have never used ebuyer? do they notify by email also; is it generally good service, and are the goods delivered as new? thanks:)

fas3robinj

Loaner, I'll support you m8 LOL. I used to run my backups over night with USB 1. As you said, once you have done it, you can do incremental backups there after. If all the OP has is a few Mb of data, it is viable.

Not the ideal option....but the most cost effective (and after all this is MFE forum). What's more important ... Money or Time ???? I'm retired so Money is definately!!!!!!:beer:

bazzlad

*bangs head off wall*

I'll be back in a minute - I'm pretty sure my Tape Drive for my C64 has finished backing up!

Come on now seriously, the OP wants a back up Hard drive - these retail at about £80 for a 500gb one (they're probably cheaper now).

The OP has the choice of spending an extra £10 and getting something usable and a lot more future proof in the USB 2 card option, or paying slightly over the odds, for an ethernet based nas, which can be used for a multitude of things - it can be a media hub, and accessed remotely and from other machines as opposed to a USB back up, which is only accessibly from one machine at a time.

It's not a good money saving option to buy older equipment for slightly less money. Value added is important - adding a USB 2 port will benefit the OP immensely, and a NAS, as stated earlier has a LOT of uses.

isofa

espresso wrote: »

I would not pay extra to get a Belkin label when they are available for half the price e.g. here You won't see any difference!

Although I agree you pay more for a brand, I had nothing but trouble from a cheapo Trust USB 2 card I purchased, it just wouldn't function correctly (driver/hardware issue), cost a tenna. Replaced it with a £20 Belkin card, which worked perfectly, and even when I needed new drivers, they were available on their support site.

Incidentally Amaon have plenty of other brands of these cards, many half the price of the Belkin one, just do a search.

Hence I always recommend these cards, if you look through the reviews on Amazon some people have had trouble with cheaper cards, some not.

You might also find bargains on eBay too!