Question

Is there a 1 TB External USB 2.0 Hard Drive without a Power Supply?

Asked by: mayankeagle

Hi,

I am looking forward to buying a 1 TB external hard disk. I'm located in the USA right now but will be flying back to India soon. I don't want to carry a US power cable and then use it in India with an electrical adapter/ converter. I'd prefer if the hard-disk was one without an external power supply, which just powers itself through the USB.

Are there any such hard-disks available for 1 TB? I searched on Google, Deals2Buy.com, Buy.com, BestBuy.com and several others but all the hard-disks which I found from Western Digitial, Seagate, Lacie or any others require an external power supply. There were other smaller capacity ones like 500 GB which were available without external power supply, but I'm interested in buying a 1 TB one while I'm at it.

If somebody could direct me to an external 1 TB hard disk which comes without an external power supply and is available for < $ 150, I'd be really grateful.

Thanks,
Mayank.

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Asked On
2009-03-31 at 08:36:11ID24281539
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External Hard Drive 1TB USB 2.0

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Removable Backup Media

,

Storage Technology

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Answers

 

by: KrazyRhinoPosted on 2009-03-31 at 09:58:17ID: 24030993

The hard drives that use USB power work with laptop hard drives. Unfortunately the biggest laptop hard drive is 500GB.

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-03-31 at 10:36:42ID: 24031428

How is Iomega as a brand? Does it compare to WD, Seagate, Toshiba, etc?

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-03-31 at 10:44:15ID: 24031529

Oh realized that Iomega is not a core manufacturer but a packager like Lacie. The original hard drive inside is Prestige. How's that as a brand?

 

by: ComputerTechiePosted on 2009-03-31 at 10:46:09ID: 24031557

My understanding Prestige are WD drive repackage.

CT

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-03-31 at 10:58:29ID: 24031691

It does mention USB power supply. KrazyRhino, isn't this contradictory to what you mentioned about the largest laptop hard drive being only 500 GB? Or am I missing something here?

 

by: ComputerTechiePosted on 2009-03-31 at 11:57:32ID: 24032299


I pretty sure it is a desktop hard drive and it uses one USB for power and second USB for data.
CT

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-03-31 at 12:06:27ID: 24032398

The Iomega drive is a typo.  See the photo below.


You can get this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817348023 and set up two 500GB drives in a RAID0

That's what I did. :)

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-03-31 at 12:14:03ID: 24032473

Iomega drive is a typo meaning?

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-03-31 at 12:18:43ID: 24032526

Meaning the link that was provided showed that it was USB Powered.  This drive is not.

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-03-31 at 12:33:13ID: 24032678

Ah, I see. So you're saying Amazon did not put complete information on their site and the product actually requires an external power supply.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-03-31 at 12:55:08ID: 24032907

Exactly.  See the photo I posted earlier.  This is all that you will get with it, aside from an Install CD that is of no use.

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-03-31 at 12:58:27ID: 24032946

But that also needs an external power supply, doesn't it? So I guess the best bet for me is to buy a 500 GB drive with no power supply as per what KrazyRhino said?

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-03-31 at 13:24:46ID: 24033252

I confused you.  The photo I provided is the Iomega.

The LINK I provided is the solution I suggested.  The reason I support my idea with the eSATA to PCMCIA RAID0 is simply for extreme speed on a laptop.

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-03-31 at 13:35:04ID: 24033355

I understand that the pic is the Iomega. When I looked up the link you posted, I saw an input for Power Connector at the back of the product, so I was wondering what to do about that. How do I set up a RAID0?

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-03-31 at 14:03:10ID: 24033640

Oh, the power input for that drive uses 2 USB ports.  It's very cool.  As for the RAID0-  That is a different question. :)

It is very fast for me, though.  I love it.  I use it on an HP Mobile Workstation with a Quadro video card.  It is extremely impressive if I do say so myself.

I'm tempted to purchase two SSD to put in there and test it out.  I'd probably cry after witnessing a 10 second boot up!

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-03-31 at 14:20:15ID: 24033811

All right, I'll consider that as an option and leave this open for a while in case somebody else comes up with more options.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-03-31 at 14:27:35ID: 24033861

Yes.  I am eager to see if a 1TB drive exists.  You know, I could build this with a SATA input from an old NAS of mine and actually use the USB power adapters from the eSATA controller to power the two.  It would be nice to put all of the components together in a little enclosure the size of an actual 3.5 drive and require 4 open USB ports.  Then again, that's no small footprint, by any stretch.

 

by: KrazyRhinoPosted on 2009-04-01 at 08:31:52ID: 24040234

I still stick to my comment.

ALL "USB-Powered" External Drives as of this moment are Laptop Drives. Again, the biggest laptop Hard Drive is 500GB.

Also if the original person suggesting the iomega drive had even looked at the first comment it states it has a power "brick".

The reason they use laptop drives is they are designed to NEED less power therefore are ideal for that situation. So while people may dispute my comment, it is currently fact and until the next major hard drive innovation it will stand. I wouldn't expect TB laptop drives for some time as they would go to 640 or 750GB next (though with only two platters 750 seems a bit stupid).

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-01 at 08:41:07ID: 24040349

KrazyRhino,

Did you check out the whacky idea I had?  I say you and I patent it and sell it!  Innovators of the 1TB external!  Bonus-  Comes in Raid0 on eSATA!

 

by: Michael-BestPosted on 2009-04-01 at 10:27:12ID: 24041525

Buy a 1TB 2.5 inch IDE HDD (internal HDD=no case)
& a 2.5 inch IDE HDD USB cable.
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=208927819&listingid=28190773&dcaid=17902
Cheaper & more versitile
Happy Computing

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-01 at 10:32:59ID: 24041586

@Michael

I bought 3.  Very nice looking product.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-01 at 10:35:08ID: 24041609

 

by: KrazyRhinoPosted on 2009-04-02 at 09:21:42ID: 24051615

I think people are missing the part that he wants it POWERED by USB not just have a USB connection.

That product just makes any drive usb, but still needs external power. Try finding a AC to USB converter (not USB to AC as all the results on google turn up). Find something that can turn an AC power cord into something that can get power from USB and you will satisfy his goal.

UNFORTUNATELY I do not know if that exists.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:05:01ID: 24052102

Rhino, I understood that.  I didn't mean to seem that I was agreeing with that as the solution.  I simply found the multi input hub to b e very useful.  I have multiple adapters, but not an all-in-one.

I think that the only solution I've found so far was the eSATA RAID controller that I suggested earlier.  Some laptops come with two hard disk bays.  Dell has a pretty nice one, but that's probably not at all what you had in mind, Mayank.

I still have nothing but had news on the subject.  You could perhaps modify the laptop to house 2 hard disks by using an external optical disk and then putting a new hard disk in the optical bay, but I don't  know how you would do this without making it look hideous. :S

The answer to his question is NO, but I smell it coming very soon.  Why there isn't a battery powered external drive is beyond me..... wait....

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:05:11ID: 24052103

 

by: KrazyRhinoPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:10:33ID: 24052161

"* Addonics has successfully tested this drive enclosure with two 80G 2.5" SATA hard drives using direct power from USB ports on various brands of Notebook and Desktop computers. However, Addonics does not guarantee that this enclosure can be powered by all systems this way as the power from the USB port varies from different system manufacturers. "

 

by: KrazyRhinoPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:11:33ID: 24052170

Before using that product check the power requirements for the drives you want and see how it compares to the power draw of 80 GB drives. If it is 2-3x as much, I would expect it wouldn't work.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:18:31ID: 24052246

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:21:13ID: 24052278

I will look more into the power consumption.  I know that the 500GB WD Passports use a very low low power input.  I will check.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:23:06ID: 24052294

http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=11087

^                       How did we miss this, Rhino?                    ^

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:24:46ID: 24052314

It's firewire, but oh, well.

 

by: KrazyRhinoPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:28:11ID: 24052348

According to WD you might be pretty safe. The power draw from every drive is the same.
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?DriveID=200
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=506

Though according to the article from wikipedia;
"The USB specification provides a 5 V supply on a single wire from which connected USB devices may draw power. The specification provides for no more than 5.25 V and no less than 4.75 V (5 V±5%) between the positive and negative bus power lines.[17]

A unit load is defined as 100 mA in USB 2.0, and was raised to 150 mA in USB 3.0. A maximum of 5 unit loads can be drawn from a port in USB 2.0, which was raised to 6 in USB 3.0. There are two types of devices: low-power and high-power. Low-power devices draw at most 1 unit load, with minimum operating voltage of 4.4 V in USB 2.0, and 4 V in USB 3.0. High-power devices draw the maximum number of unit loads supported by the standard. All devices default as low-power but the device's software may request high-power as long as the power is available on the providing bus."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#Powered_USB
It seems it might not have the ability to power 2? 5x100mA = power draw of 1 drive. USB 3 ups it to 5x150mA but that still isn't enough for 2x500mA (the draw from 2 laptop WD drives).

MrMintanet, did you not look at the bottom? "AC power adapter kit (needed for eSATA & USB users only)" ..... Or the big picture of the power cord?

 

by: KrazyRhinoPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:29:46ID: 24052366

This is a fun thing to track down but it seems USB power is limiting.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:47:32ID: 24052548

Battery powered hard drive is where I am hunting.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 10:56:02ID: 24052637

I can't believe there isn't a market for this.

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-04-02 at 11:08:59ID: 24052789

Thanks for all the research, guys. I'm now inclined to believe that I should either just buy a 500 GB one which is USB powered or buy a 1 TB one "with" a power supply because carrying it back to my country along with an electric adapter would probably still be less bulky and less expensive than buying 2 500 GB drives and combining them together.

 

by: KrazyRhinoPosted on 2009-04-02 at 11:11:05ID: 24052811

Well the thing is most people don't want to power everything from USB. I am perfectly willing to use 2 AC plug ins. The other problem is the price range, even if there is some magical way to get a 2 HD solution through USB a 500GB drive is 100 bucks? x2 and then adding the case? unless the case is -40 bucks and is free shipping we are busted.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 11:15:42ID: 24052873

I feel like I'm wasting my time, but now this is a challenge.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 11:20:31ID: 24052915

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fusionf2.html

There it is.  I'm done now.  This is USB and it is 1TB.  It is very slim and ultra compact as well.  

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-04-02 at 11:21:55ID: 24052929

MrMintanet, I'd implore you not to waste any more time on this.

KrazyRhino, thanks. I think I'll go with a 1 TB with 'power supply' as that would work out cheaper and less bulky than having 2 500 GB drives with a case.

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-04-02 at 11:23:29ID: 24052945

Wow MrMintanet, looks like you found something neat. I'll check on the prices for that one as well.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 11:28:46ID: 24052998

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=45055&&source=14&doy=search

Claims to not support 750GB drives, but It's worth looking at considering the price.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 11:53:38ID: 24053241

Why I earned the "assist" is beyond me.... meh.  Whatever.  It was a fun hunt :)

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-04-02 at 12:03:44ID: 24053332

You gave quite a lot of valuable information worth being considered and which indirectly led me to my final decision even though it was not exactly what I bought.

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 12:19:44ID: 24053486

Yes.  I was an assist and not accept.  I cry for such things. :-0

 

by: mayankeaglePosted on 2009-04-02 at 12:31:27ID: 24053603

The accept solution was the right one because there isn't an off the shelf 1 TB hard drive available with just USB power within the price range that I was looking for :-)

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 12:51:43ID: 24053787

On, no worries.  I 'm happy with half.  Thanks.

 

by: Michael-BestPosted on 2009-04-02 at 14:48:21ID: 24054950

All 2.5 inch IDE HDD are USB powered

 

by: Michael-BestPosted on 2009-04-02 at 15:06:34ID: 24055097

All 2.5 inch IDE HDD are USB powered
If you plug it into a 2.5 inch IDE HDD USB cable.
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=208927819&listingid=28190773&dcaid=17902
The power AC adapter is only needed for 3.5 inch HDD
But, mabey I am wrong, being an expert in HDD technology.
(Regards from Michael Best: a Kiwi in Tokyo: I troubleshoot: both, English OS & Japanese OS)
 

 

by: MrMintanetPosted on 2009-04-02 at 15:07:38ID: 24055108

>>All 2.5 inch IDE HDD are USB powered

Orly?

 

by: mi1400Posted on 2009-08-30 at 01:08:58ID: 25216734


now possible
http://www.ecost.com/Detail/External+Storage/Western+Digital/WDE1UBK15000N/50188742.aspx?navid=155441533
http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=691
http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=675
USB powered - These drives require no power adapter; they are powered directly through the USB cable.*
* An optional cable is available for the few computers that limit power from the USB port.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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