Best way to protect external portable hard drive?

hathehariken:

In regards to your comment:
#1) hardwar guys usually carry around an external drive with these types of files.  Can you please explain the issue with it.  But I do find your comment very enlightening.

I was hoping to find a way to start using my PC (I have an ACER Aspire 5610, 140 GB with 2GB RAM) like I used to for Skype, so I wanted to make it perform better, without having to go and fork money for a brand new laptop.

Never tinkered with the external drive and thought it could be the way to go.

Can you provide me any suggestions.

Thanks,
JP

i am a hardware guy too!
i find carrying HDDs easier as compared to a case chock-full of CDs and DVDs.

to combat infection on the drive, have a robust AV on your computer.
i have yet to learn of a robust PORTABLE antivirus system. those that i have tried, fail miserably.

i have a batch script to delete known malware on my externals whenever they are connected to my workstation.

if you dedicate a external HDD for a single PC/laptop, then there is absolutely no problem whatsoever.

the issue starts when you start plugging them in many computers.
USB keys, also help spread infection this way.
disabling the auto insert notification (AIN) helps to prevent a large group of malware from hijacking your drive - but that is not always possible on client computers, so you do it on your own systems.

in response to your question:
the malware groups that depend on AIN generally targets executable and archive files.

if you have a specific set of target customers for hardware support, i would recommend DVDs to carry your data to work.
1 2000 CD
1 XP CD
1 Vista DVD
1 driver CD/DVD
2 bootable CD/DVD
2 update DVD
a few dedicated discs
a few applications DVDs
and you are mostly done - all in a slim carrying case too!
so what is the need for carrying a HDD to work??

hathehariken.

hathehariken:

I am not a hardware guy.  I am a financial analyst.  I use all day: excel, outlook and skype to connect with the people through out the world via VOIP and other remote solutions (logmein, webex, etc).

I am constantly downloading new programs to try and wanted to have them all in an external drive.  Perhaps I got carried away with the idea of been able to plug this External drive anywhere and work on any computer.  I have come to realize that is not really a need.  But the previous paragraph is.  If I can load my stuff on the external drive, then I will only use it to work on my PC.  

This should take some of the load from my PC.  I just want to have my programs open a good speed and be able to have good quality VOIP calls again.  See I find that VOIP really depends on the PC perfomance, if it gets slow then the call deteriorates immediately.

So, can I or not install the programs in the external drive and only use with my laptop and work all day with it, everyday.

Thanks,
JP

hathehariken:

Ok. So I am more at ease.  I was actually looking at new laptops before you sent me this last text.  I am really torn apart on what to buy.  External drive or new laptop.  

but I am more calm about the drive situation as it does seem like a viable way again.  

The idrive.com info looks really good.  12GB should most definitely back of the data.  

Thanks,
JP

you are most welcome!

go for a really large external drive

a 3.5 inch 1000 GB SATA drive (i would recommend the Seagate Barracuda 7200 ST31000333AS - i have 12 of them!)
and a matching case with SATA to USB conversion.

make sure you have a fan on the case, else the drive will get hot.
you will have to buy them separately and assemble them - not very difficult - plug a few jacks and tighten a few screws.

with this you will be mostly futureproof for the next few years.

i am glad i could help!
hathehariken.

hathehariken

I have been recommended to go with eSATA what is your take on that.

I only have USB 2.0 and perhaps a PC Card slot?

JP

eSATA is good - provided you have a eSATA connector in your backplane..

i understand that your main computer is a laptop.....
if so, then eSATA is out, and you have to stick with a USB case.

but if you work on a desktop, i would recommend buying a eSATA card and going in for a eSATA case.

but it would be all-around better, if you went in for a USB eSATA combo case

things like this not very reliable:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=opera&rls=en&q=eSATA+card&sourceid=opera&oe=utf-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=13122392214859385914&ei=pH-lStCgD4z66gPq4JzuCw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=1#ps-sellers

okay for desktops:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=opera&rls=en&q=eSATA+card&sourceid=opera&oe=utf-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=9056732572957109619&ei=pH-lStCgD4z66gPq4JzuCw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=2#ps-sellers

i have two of these, MOST RECOMMENDED!!
http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/thermaltake-max4-active-cooling-esata-and-usb-combo-35-external-hard-drive-enclosure/
bought them a fortnight ago....very nice performance!

i am off to sleep it 3 in the morning here.
if you have nay more questions, do post, and i will reply about 10 hours later.
hathehariken.

hathehariken.

Breath taking info. Thanks for it all.  

That last enclosure looks really nice.  

Midnight here.

JP