TOSHIBA 3TB Canvio Basics Portable HDD USB 3.0 $80 AP FS @ Newegg

[VirtualLarry]

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=1Z4-000B-000A8

ShellShocker, today only, don't forget the $15 off promo code.

 

[Muse]

Would this drive be seen by a Windows XP system? My Seagate Backup Plus 3TB USB 3.0 HDs are seen by my XP machines. However, I suspect this wouldn't be true for all 3TB USB drives on the market.

Edit: Amazon question for this reveals that it does work with XP

 

[VirtualLarry]

Tidbit: If a larger-than-2TB external HDD "works on XP", then it sucks, because it's doing a sector-size conversion to 4KB sectors, and thus, you won't be able to remove the HDD from the enclosure to perform recovery.

XP is long dead, it's high time that mfgs stop supporting it, and move to GPT for (larger than 2TB) external drives.

 

[Muse]

Well, I bought one. I won't use it for crucial data. Anything on it that I would rue losing will exist elsewhere on at least two other HDs.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Let us know how you like it, when you get it?

I didn't get in on this one, after you pointed out the XP compatibility.

I did get a number of those 500GB externals though.

 

[Muse]

Let us know how you like it, when you get it?

I didn't get in on this one, after you pointed out the XP compatibility.

I did get a number of those 500GB externals though.

My big concern with these big externals is longevity. I have had many HDs over the years, but IIRC the only outright failures have been with my WD Elements 2TB externals. They have been misery. So far, my cheap Seagate Backup Plus 3TB externals (yes, they are seen by XP) haven't failed or AFAIK shown Cautions in crystaldiskinfo. They haven't been used a whole lot but one of them has had HDTV recording/playback use, which seems to be what did in the WDs.

 

[Elixer]

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=1Z4-000B-000A8

ShellShocker, today only, don't forget the $15 off promo code.

Which promo code you mean?
*edit.. oh, it was a Shellshocker. Not anymore.

Also, the Toshiba ones are one of the few without hardware encryption, (which is a good thing).

 

[Muse]

Just received mine. I was shocked how small it is. Reviews at Amazon mentioned that it was compact, but I wasn't ready for this. It's about 3" x 4.5" x0.75", Just tiny. This is not your 3.5" HD in a case. And there's no power supply. Just a very very short USB cable (~18") and the drive and a couple pieces of paper.

I hooked it up to a Win10 laptop and opened Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostics (I have a WD 3TB drive attached, so that will work on the Toshiba). I ran the quick test and it failed! I ran it again and it passed. Don't know why it failed first time. I was handling the drive a little bit, but still...

I'm running the extended test right now.

The drive comes preformatted in NTFS. I has a couple files on it, both PDFs. I'm wondering if I should copy those two files off of it and full format it.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Just received mine. I was shocked how small it is. Reviews at Amazon mentioned that it was compact, but I wasn't ready for this. It's about 3" x 4.5" x0.75", Just tiny. This is not your 3.5" HD in a case. And there's no power supply. Just a very very short USB cable (~18") and the drive and a couple pieces of paper.

I did say "portable" in the title.

In case you're not up to speed on the marketing code-words for external HDDs:
"External" == "Desktop External", aka 3.5" HDD inside
"Portable External" == laptop-sized, powered by USB, aka 2.5" HDD inside.

 

[Muse]

Wow, I didn't know that they had 2.5" HDs that were that big! I have a 640GB HD in this laptop and at the time it was about as big as they got. Well, that was a few years ago.

Anyway, as long as it lasts I don't care what size it is. I suppose I should be careful what I use it for. I may just use it for off-site backups of my NAS. Slip it into a safe deposit box. I think my externals will fit but for sure this one will!

 

[Muse]

Tidbit: If a larger-than-2TB external HDD "works on XP", then it sucks, because it's doing a sector-size conversion to 4KB sectors, and thus, you won't be able to remove the HDD from the enclosure to perform recovery.

XP is long dead, it's high time that mfgs stop supporting it, and move to GPT for (larger than 2TB) external drives.

Well, IIRC some reviews at Amazon stated that it works in XP but I didn't see it in Explorer on either of my XP machines. When plugged in, both machines said they detected New Hardware, and at least one said it was "ready to use," but it wasn't in Explorer and didn't show up in Disk Management. The drive came preformatted in NTFS. Don't know how to tell if it was MBR or GPT partitioning. I suppose it must be GPT or it would show up in Disk Management on an XP machine, I think. Well, maybe, depends on the controller.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I'm really surprised that it isn't showing up in Disk Management at all. At the very least, I would think they would ask to initialize, or show up as "raw" or "unknown".

 

[Muse]

I'm debating how to use this thing. Like the Seagate Backup Plus 3TB 3.5" USB HDs I have (3 of them), the box says it's great for "Storage." Storage. Hmm. Read between the lines and that might imply that it can't be expected to last long if hammered much. My WD ELEMENTS 2TB HDs have shown little long term stamina when used as write/read drive for my HDTV programming (DVR stuff, including FF/REW), many deletions, etc. So far, my Seagates haven't died or demonstrated problems, but I haven't been paying much attention. Mostly I use them for "storage" so far.

I'm wondering if the Toshiba can be used for my HDTV activities. I may just use it for off-site backup of my data, like I was planning to do with all 3 Seagates.

 

[john3850]

I have been using a 1TB Toshiba Canvio 3.0 for a few years for system backup.
When used on usb 3 it works fine.
This Canvio does not seem to get enough power or current to spin up on a USB 2 only boards.

 

[Muse]

I have been using a 1TB Toshiba Canvio 3.0 for a few years for system backup.
When used on usb 3 it works fine.
This Canvio does not seem to get enough power or current to spin up on a USB 2 only boards.

Well, it seems to function OK with my Lenovo T60 USB 2.0 only laptop that's running Win10. On another Lenovo T60 laptop (similar USB capabilities but running XP) it doesn't show up in Disk Management. I'm thinking it isn't the current but the OS. However, customers at Amazon are saying it works with XP, so I just don't know what the issue(s) is/are.

 

[john3850]

I believe on the newer stuff the USB 2.0 is taken from the USB 3.0.
I read something that windows 10 loads usb drivers differently on boot.
I had to switch a port on a spare pc to correct that Canvio USB 2 problem odd.

 

[Muse]

I believe on the newer stuff the USB 2.0 is taken from the USB 3.0.

Could you demystify that statement? It doesn't work with my maybe too-primitive paradigm of what's going on with USB.