Any USB HDs that dont need any driver at all?

[BoomAM]

Hi.
Ive been thinking of getting an external HD. For transfer large files between my main PC & my iBook. Cos i can`t get my iBook to access my main PCs HDs through my network.
I`d like to be able to get a 40Gb+ External HD. Preferably powered off the USB port.
And i`d like it to work without any sort of drivers on both my main PC, my iBook, and so i can plug it into a college machine and transfer all of my stuff over to it.
Price range is a maximum of £150. Preferably as cheap as possible.

Ideas?

 

[Budman]

If you're using Windows XP sp1 no drivers are needed,i have a external USB 2.0 hd & XP detects it & mounts it automatically.

i just bought a a cheap usb enclosure & put a hd in there & i was all set.

 

[jagec]

all hardware requires "drivers", but some are built into the OS already. You'll probably have good luck with winXP and 2k, I don't know if Mac support has gotten any better, but you might require drivers for the ibook.

 

[BoomAM]

Any ideas on commercial external HDs & an enclosure to recommend?

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: BoomAM
Any ideas on commercial external HDs & an enclosure to recommend?

IBM actually makes a SWEET and tiny external drive... I have one. It is USB powered. You can run it off one usb port, though you really want to run it off two if you want full speed USB2.0. It comes with both cables.

It's pricey... but comes with backup software.

 

[corkyg]

I have several - all external Firewire and USB cases that use extra drives I have replaced. I use them for data and data backup. If you use XP, no drivers are needed for any HDD - they are built in to the OS.

 

[Mark R]

The most important thing is that the drive is 100% compatible with the 'USB Mass Storage specification'. If it is fully compatible, then it will work without drivers, automatically, on WinME, Win2k and WinXP.

Most drives without advanced features are fully compatible. However, more advanced drives like Maxtor's One Touch series (with auto backup functions) are proprietary and will not work without drivers.

 

[BoomAM]

Are there any enclosures that can be powered from only the USB port?
Cos i have a IBM 20Gb 5400RPM that i dont use, and a semi-broken Maxtor 40Gb (semi, because it makes wierd sounds, but all of the maxtor diagnostic software says its ok!?)

 

[SickBeast]

Most, if not all of them are USB powered so long as it's a latop drive that you're using (2.5" I think). The desktop drive ones usually require an A/C adapter.

 

[BoomAM]

Can i buy laptop drives seperately?

 

[SickBeast]

Yes of course you can. I saw one the other day...40GB Toshiba for $140CDN IIRC. That's somewhere around $100US I think.

 

[BoomAM]

Whats that in £ ?

 

[Mark R]

Many enclosures can take laptop drives and attempt to power them from USB - however, even laptop drives are often too hungry for power for a single USB port.

Most enclosures therefore come with special leads that draw power from 2 or 3 USB ports, or from a PS/2 port. I've not got anything faster than a 4200 rpm laptop drive to work from a single USB port.

Buy your laptop drives here

 

[Lonyo]

£26, Mac and Windows support, runs off the PCI bus (no external power)
Mfrs spec
(Don't know how good it might be - Firewire version is ~£40~£50)

£65 40GB laptop drive (Hitachi
80GB for £120

Total price ~£80 + shipping.

 

[imported_Phil]

Belkin make an external enclosure (USB2) that'll take a CD drive or hard drive, might be worth looking into. At work, we plug hard disks into one to scan for viruses (so much easier if the PC is heavily infected) and plug the thing straight into our machine. Bam, it's in My Computer.

They go for about £40-£60 but from what I've seen so far, are pretty damned good.

 

[Mark R]

If you want best value (or need big capacity), then you are probably best off geting a 3.5" enclosure and a standard 3.5" IDE HDD.

I bought a fairly conventional 3.5" USB2.0 box - it cost about £35 I think, and stuck a 200 GB drive into it.

It uses an external power brick (rather than one of those pregnant plug things) and needs no drivers - just plug it in and it appears in 'my computer'.

I got my box from Direct USB store

 

[BoomAM]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
£26, Mac and Windows support, runs off the PCI bus (no external power)
Mfrs spec
(Don't know how good it might be - Firewire version is ~£40~£50)

£65 40GB laptop drive (Hitachi
80GB for £120

Total price ~£80 + shipping.

"That eMagic HD Case "Slim" 2.5" IDE Aluminum USB2.0" looks good.
Will that Hitachi 40Gb work with it? The eBuyer website doesnt list its power specs.
---------------
OR
---------------
The top case here;
http://www.direct-usb-store.co.uk/cnb/shop/directusbstore?listPos=&op=catalogue-products-null&prodCategoryID=22
Appears to be as good. USB powered (i think), and comes with a case.
Will this Samsung HD work with it, or the other case?
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Notebook_Hard_Drives.html
The 40Gb model.

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[Mark R]

I've managed to get a 40 Gb Hitachi deskstar 4200 rpm drive working on USB power. I just used some no-name 2.5" USB drive enclosure.

This is the lowest power 2.5" drive available, and it *just* works from a single USB port. It won't work on several of my hubs - it just makes funny noises (presumably because there isn't enough power). It also won't work if it's too cold (I get an USB power overload error in Windows)

 

[Eug]

Powered Firewire provides much more power than USB. You don't run into these power issues with 2.5" drives if your Firewire port is properly powered.

 

[SickBeast]

Yep, what Eug said. Plus firewire should give you faster transfer rates overall.