LaCie 301827U d2 Quadra 1 TB eSATA/FireWire800/FireWire400/USB 2.0 External Hard Disk Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm in shock.

Having just moved from Windows to Mac (OS X 10.5.2) I'm used to long, involved nightmare hardware installations.Between OS X and the utilities supplied by LaCie on this drive, the whole business was up and running in about ten minutes.It took me longer to figure out which was the FireWare 800 cable than it did to finish the rest of the installation!

I have a new iMac with both FireWire 400 and 800 ports, and I'm using the LaCie as my Time Machine drive, so I opted to use the fastest interface available, the FireWire 800.The installation had four steps:

1.Physically attach the footplate to the drive so it could sit on its thin side, as in the photo with this review.Tools:included Allen wrench.Time: 60 sec

2.Attach the FW800 cable and the power supply.Plug in same.Tools: none.Time:60 sec.

3.Turn on the drive.Tools:finger.Time: 15 sec.

4.Click through the installation program that pops up on the screen.The last click is to inform OS X that this will be my TimeMachine drive.Tools:mouse, finger.Time:5 min.

Total time:7.25 min.(It took me about 2.5 minutes to figure out which cable to use.)

The FireWire interface is so fast, it did the initial TimeMachine 30GB backup in about 30 minutes.

The drive is quiet, it's fast, and it has a cool blue light on the front.It also has an auto power switch that detects when the iMac is seeking from the drive and switches on drive power.

What's not to like?

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Product Description:
With a unique ridged exterior that enhances the enclosure's cooling performance, and a quadruple interface for full Mac and PC compatibility, the LaCie 301827U d2 Quadra External Hard Drive is an all-in-one drive that's built with the professional in mind. Designed by internationally acclaimed designer Neil Poulton, this versatile drive offers extreme performance and an aesthetic touch that will enhance any work space.
The LaCie d2 Quadra Hard Disk offers:

eSATA 3Gbits, FireWire 400/800, and USB 2.0 for universal compatibility and extreme speed
1 TB of disk space.
7200 rpm spin speed and 16 MB cache.
Fanless ridged design for cool, quiet operation.

Unique ridged heat sink aluminum design increases surface area by 60% for cooler operation. (Show here with the Little Big Disk Quadra and the 2big Network.) View larger.

The minimalist space-saving design will enhance the aesthetics of any work space. View larger. View back.

The d2 can be racked horizontally and set up in a RAID configuration. View larger. Quadruple Interface for Unmatched Performance and Compatibility
The LaCie 301827U d2 Quadra External Hard Drive features one eSATA 3 Gbit port, two FireWire 800 ports (9-pin), one FireWire 400 port (6-pin), and one hi-speed USB 2.0 port that is USB 1.1-compatible. (Cables for each connection are conveniently included with the drive.) This quadruple interface makes the d2 Quadra ideal for demanding multi-media applications that require extreme speed as well as universal connectivity. The USB and FireWire connections ensure that you can transfer or back up your data from your laptop or other computers, while the eSATA interface offers a transfer rate of up to 300 MB per second (3Gbits/sec).
The LaCie d2 is compatible with Windows, including Vista, and Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard, including Time Machine, making it an ideal partner for your Mac. Time Machine automatically backs up your Mac's system files, applications, accounts, preferences, music, photos, movies, and documents to an external hard drive and lets you easily go back in time to recover anything.
Superior Drive Performance for Power Users
Built for power users such as video editors, the d2 Quadra features a rotational speed of 7200 rpm and a cache of at least 8 MB. Perfect for digital content creation, audio/video editing, DVD authoring, web animation, and more, the d2 Quadra can handle multiple demanding professional tasks. It can also be daisy-chained via FireWire or connected to your DV camera and is even bootable in FireWire for Mac and in eSATA for Mac/PC.
With a capacity of 1 TB (1,000 GB), the d2 Quadra can hold up to 1,000,000 photos, 350,000 songs, or 70 hours of DV video. If you purchase multiple drives, they can be daisy-chained and set to RAID 1 for data redundancy and protection, or RAID 0 for even greater speed.
The d2 Quadra also offers three power management options: "Auto" for energy efficiency; "On" for instant access; and "Off" for data protection. The drive also lets you back up files or launch any application with a simple push of the front blue button. This "shortcut button" can be configured to launch any document or application, or initiate the included EMC Retrospect Express software that offers automated backups.
Smart, Elegant Design and Loaded with Software
With the d2 Quadra, Neil Poulton has fashioned a unique, attractive and functional drive that offers excellent heat dissipation features and space-saving options for stacking. The fanless aluminum heat sink design features exterior ridges that provide 60 percent more surface area for heat dissipation, keeping the drive quiet and as safe as possible at all times. The d2 Quadra will sit nicely in an upright position alongside your PC or Mac machines, or it can be stacked horizontally with other drives or rack mounted to save desktop space.
Set-up and use is quick and easy, thanks to LaCie's preloaded Setup Assistant that helps format the hard disk according to your needs. For instance, the d2 Quadra lets you easily create a FAT32 partition for use with Macs. With the LaCie 1-Click Backup, you can backup any file into the location of your choice with a simple "click"--either via the desktop icon, or CTRL-S on your keyboard. And LaCie's Shortcut Button lets you easily launch any application with one push.
Also included with the d2 is EMC Retrospect professional backup software for PC and Mac users. This award-winning software offers several back-up options, including fast backups and scheduled back-up of either a single file or your complete system. With EMC Retrospect Express, you'll never have to worry about losing your data again.
The drive measures a slim 1.7 x 6.3 x 6.8 inches (WxHxD), weighs 3.31 pounds, and is backed by a 3-year limited warranty.
About LaCie
Established in France in 1989, LaCie is a leading manufacturer of computer peripherals for Windows, Apple and Linux users. With offices and plants in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, LaCie develops and manufactures external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday people easily manage their digital lives. LaCie has differentiated its products through original designs and leading-edge technology.

What's in the Box
LaCie d2 Quadra Hard Disk; eSATA-to-eSATA cable; FireWire 800 (9-to-9 pin) cable; FireWire 400 (6-to-6 pin) cable; USB 2.0 cable (USB 1.1 compatible); external power supply; drive stand for upright desktop use; LaCie Utilities (preloaded): LaCie '1-Click' Backup Software for PC or Mac; SilverKeeper Software for automatic backup and file verification (Mac); EMC Retrospect Express 6.1 (Mac); and EMC Retrospect Express HD 2.0 (Windows).

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Iomega eGo 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 34269 (Jet Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)***Jan. 24th - Just a comment on how "hot" it gets. I would say about 10 degrees more than room temperature. It is "warm" to the touch even after transferring files for several hours straight - (backing up 600gb)***

Unit Size: For those who can't visualize the measurements, if we compare the size to your standard keyboard its width spans the ~ to CTRL keys, its length spans the ~ to the 0 keys

Format: NTFS - which is not compatible with X-box. Approximately 110mb is used for system information.

Performance: Transfers better than 1 GB/minute if it connects properly.

Problems: It "locks up" during my windows boot process if turned on. If you turn the drive off during a lock up, windows will continue to boot properly. This has occurred on both my XP and Vista Basic machines.
I have not tested it with my Vista Premium system.

Furthermore, on my XP machine (which is "old" about 4 years) I sometimes receive notification that it is not hooked up to a USB2.0 port (even though it is).
When this occurs, the transfer rate is horrible. 1 GB/10 minutes. To resolve, I simply disconnect and reconnect the drive.

Testing Procedure: directly connected to a USB port - not through a hub.

Usage: I am using these drives (now I have 3 TB and one 0.5 TB externals from IoMega) to convert my videos to digital. They are connected to
my Acer laptop running vista basic using a 7port hispeed USB HUB by Belkin. Playback of video is fine. Transfer rate between drives using the hub is also better than 1GB/minute.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Iomega eGo 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 34269 (Jet Black)

Product Description:
With the Iomega eGo Desktop USB 2.0 1 TB Hard Drive, you'll have plenty of space to back up all your digital media, with a stylish design to match. Featuring a sleek jet black design and plug-and-play functionality, the eGo Desktop is compatible with both PCs and Macs.
The eGo Desktop drive provides a good balance between disk space and physical size. View larger. Stylish Looks Complements Your Home and Office
With its jet black color and sleek, rounded case, the eGo Desktop brings great style to your desk. It provides the ideal balance between storage space and physical size. At a compact 5.0 x 1.6 x 8.1 inches (WxHxD), the eGo won't take up too much space and is still small enough for easy portability, letting you bring your files with you when you need them.
Play Your Digital Media Anywhere
With an impressive terabyte of storage capacity, the eGo Desktop holds up to 4,000,000 photos, over 18,500 hours of music, or 1500 hours of video. The drive features a USB 2.0 connection for up to 480 Mbps transfer rates and virtually guaranteed compatibility no matter what computer you connect it to, be it a PC or a Mac.
The drive includes a license for the award-winning EMC Retrospect Express software, which provides fast backups and added protection for your data. The software features a powerful interface that allows you to schedule either a single or complete system backup, personalize your backup schedule and location, back up open files, back up without logging in, encrypt files, and obtain backup verification. With EMC Retrospect Express, you'll never have to worry about losing your data again. And, with the built in integration of Mozy Home Online Back up software you're always safe against theft or destruction of your data.MozyHome offers a simple, secure online backup service to store your critical data offsite.
The Iomega eGo Portable USB 2.0 1 TB Hard Drive is backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box
Iomega eGo hard drive, USB cable, power supply, EMC Retrospect Express backup software, and quick install guide.


The eGo adds a functional and stylish touch to your desk.

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Fantom GreenDrive 2 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive GD2000EUS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a Samsung Eco drive in the enclosure.The 2TB model does not come with eSata cable.This is a 5400 RPM drive and is slow.

On my system (Win 7) I had to make this drive discoverable by doing a Search in the Device Manager then assigning it in Disk Management...it did not install immediately nor automatically.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fantom GreenDrive 2 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive GD2000EUS

Product Description:
The GreenDrive line of external USB and eSATA disk drives is a great storage solution for protecting all your photos, music, videos, and documents in one safe, convenient place. The GreenDrive features the latest advances in power saving technology and ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) compliant materials and process. The GreenDrive gives the consumer the ability to minimize his or her carbon footprint without sacrificing performance. Fantom Drives GreenDrive USB 2.0 Hard Drives are a power conscious step forward to provide maximum capacity and performance while reducing power consumption by up to 40%. The GreenDrive USB 2.0 Hard Drive family feature sturdy aluminum casing to provide maximum durability, fan-free design for silent operation, and could be placed horizontally or stand vertically to allow maximum deskspace. Fantom Drives GreenDrives yield average drive power savings of 4-5 watts over competitors' drives while maintaining solid performance. That power savings equates to reducing CO2 emission by up to 60 kilograms per drive per year - the equivalent of taking your car off the road for 14 days each year. NTI Shadow 4 with Ninja provides automatic backup and sharing of files to most any computer or attached storage device on your network. You may choose to schedule backups in various intervals and even select a specific file type with file filtering. Additionally, NTI Shadow 4 features include Ninja encryption software so you can protect your valuable data through loss or theft.

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Fantom GreenDrive 2 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive GD2000EUS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a Samsung Eco drive in the enclosure.The 2TB model does not come with eSata cable.This is a 5400 RPM drive and is slow.

On my system (Win 7) I had to make this drive discoverable by doing a Search in the Device Manager then assigning it in Disk Management...it did not install immediately nor automatically.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fantom GreenDrive 2 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive GD2000EUS

Product Description:
The GreenDrive line of external USB and eSATA disk drives is a great storage solution for protecting all your photos, music, videos, and documents in one safe, convenient place. The GreenDrive features the latest advances in power saving technology and ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) compliant materials and process. The GreenDrive gives the consumer the ability to minimize his or her carbon footprint without sacrificing performance. Fantom Drives GreenDrive USB 2.0 Hard Drives are a power conscious step forward to provide maximum capacity and performance while reducing power consumption by up to 40%. The GreenDrive USB 2.0 Hard Drive family feature sturdy aluminum casing to provide maximum durability, fan-free design for silent operation, and could be placed horizontally or stand vertically to allow maximum deskspace. Fantom Drives GreenDrives yield average drive power savings of 4-5 watts over competitors' drives while maintaining solid performance. That power savings equates to reducing CO2 emission by up to 60 kilograms per drive per year - the equivalent of taking your car off the road for 14 days each year. NTI Shadow 4 with Ninja provides automatic backup and sharing of files to most any computer or attached storage device on your network. You may choose to schedule backups in various intervals and even select a specific file type with file filtering. Additionally, NTI Shadow 4 features include Ninja encryption software so you can protect your valuable data through loss or theft.

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AcomData PureDrive 2 TB USB 2.0/FireWire 400/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive PDHD2000UFSE Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)i boght the 1T drive and it failed the first day.I even tried to reformating it and nothing could get it to work.I sent and e-mail on their website two times for tech support and no reply.I count this as an expensive lesson to stick to a tried and true known brands and bought a working beautiful 1T drive from Apple. More $ but no headache and hours of frustration of dealing with a nonfunctioning product.

Click Here to see more reviews about: AcomData PureDrive 2 TB USB 2.0/FireWire 400/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive PDHD2000UFSE

Product Description:
Acomdata PDHD2000UFSE 2TB Pure Drive USB 2.0/eSATA/Firewire 400 high speed 7200 rpm triple interface external hard disk drive

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Verbatim 2 TB USB 1.1 or 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 96865 (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I recently purchased this drive for use as photographic image back-up storage, as well as a data back-up for my start-up drive.I removed the supplied "BounceBack Express" backup software since I already have the excellent "SuperDuper" application running on my Mac.The Verbatim 1 TB drive I received (Jan. 2009) actually contains a WDC WD-10EA 7200 rpm drive.I was able to easily partition it into 700GB and 232 GB partitions.

The drive is enclosed in a nice aluminum box with a polished black plastic front panel.The case does have a small fan that is inaudible in operation. There is only the one green LED pilot lamp and no "disk activity indicator".I like to know when my drives are working so I deducted (1) star for the lack of any kind of a activity indicator.There is one USB 2.0 port and the drive comes with a short (24 inch) USB cable.There is a rear panel on-off push-button switch which is flush with the back panel so is hard to spot if it's dark. A small "wall-wart" power supply is provided.

The drive is very quiet with only a little disk "head-seek" rattle when transferring large files.

The drive is rated at "up-to" 480 Mb/sec. transfer rates.I was able to achieve a write transfer rate of about 91 to 97 Mb/sec reading from my iMac's internal 230GB drive which was probably the limiting factor. As a fast, basic USB 1TB external drive, this seems to be a pretty good deal.It comes with everything you need, but nothing you don't need and has a 3-year warrantee.

Works for me!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Verbatim 2 TB USB 1.1 or 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 96865 (Black)

Product Description:
The Verbatim external desktop hard drive delivers outstanding quality, performance, and reliability for both professional and home users. Available with USB 2.0 connectivity, the drive can store your music, photos, video, and data files on your PC or MAC. Blazing through the most demanding audio/video applications allowing you to work more and wait less. The external hard drive includes Nero BackItUp Essentials software that allows you to automatically back up your personal content. Nero BackItUp incorporates scheduling, backup sets and encryption of your files with password control.

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HP Personal Media Drive 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive HD10000S Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In theory, this product is a suitable backup solution for users that already own an HP Pavilion desktop.On my particular computer, the Media Drive slid right in to the chassis, booted right up, and all of my important files were backed up within the hour.

That should have been the end of the story.

Unfortunately, within a month the internal cooling fan has started making noise and the entire drive will need to be replaced under warranty.The WD external drive that this HP was supposed to replace lasted 4 years.Just sayin...

9/27/09 Update:When all was said and done, the drive was finally returned and the full purchase amount was refunded.However, the journey to reach that resolution was far longer than I could have ever imagined.Simply put, HP's Technical Support system is atrocious.To finally resolve this problem required no fewer than 5 separate calls to Tech Support.We did a disk scan.We reinstalled drivers.All the while, it was still the cooling fan screeching away.Each call was so stupefyingly bad that I'd provide you with a transcript but you'd never believe it and frankly, I'm trying to block it out of my memory anyway.I'm generally an agreeable sort, but by call #5 I was very nearly at my wit's end.If you decide to purchase this item, I sincerely hope you get a sample that works right out of the box.If not, best of luck.You've been warned...

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Personal Media Drive 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive HD10000S

Product Description:
Store loads of photos, home videos, and music on one handy, highly spacious 1TB (1000 GB), compact and portable external drive! Use it alone, connected via USB cable with any PC, or in the chassis slot of select HP PC products.Warranty -hardware, one year; software, 90 days

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AcomData PureDrive 2 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive PDHD2000USE Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It's a cool looking quiet drive + it is priced reasonably. Also, while it was working with our Direct TV HD receiver, I was a happy customer. Then, after just 1 month, it died taking all our recorded shows & movies to the zone of "no return". The lights are still on, they even go from red to violet and then blue - yes, very entertaining and pretty ;), but the drive is unrecognizable. I bought a new eSATA cable, I rebooted my HD receiver numerous times, (not suspecting that a drive can possibly fail just after 1 month), I tested it on 2 different computers w XP OS & Vista + I used 2 different types of connections: USB and eSATA, but both computers failed to see the drive.

The worst part about this experience, (besides wasting money, energy & time) is non-existent AcomData's customer support.
Try calling (909) 786-4280. You have to press 1 for a technical support. Then every minute you will be prompted to press 1 again in order to continue to wait for the next agent, otherwise they automatically redirect you to their mailbox. You can't even turn on a speakerphone and do something else while waiting for somebody to show any signs of life at that company, because they want you to act as a monkey by pressing 1 as soon as you hear that their agents are busy helping other customers. Also, 2 times, after I had presses 1 ~ 5-6 times, while waiting for that mysterious customer support, I got disconnected. How more obvious can they be with this system? They could have put *do not disturb* banner on their web page & prerecorded a message, which would say: *we will try to make it very difficult for you to reach us, so hang up right now & thank you for understanding*. Email this company & see how long it will take them to respond, especially if you're requesting RMA number.

Very poor customer support, so you're taking a huge risk by buying any drives from them... If your drive breaks, it will take too much time & energy to get a replacement. I still haven't heard back from them & something tells me that it will take forever to receive a working product from them.

I would wait before buying anything else from this CA based company. I will stand by my 1-star review for now. I understand that sometimes things break, but when your product is under a warranty, I expect to have it replaced in a prompt manner.

If you decide to go forward with this purchase anyway, please back up everything you will be storing on this device.

Click Here to see more reviews about: AcomData PureDrive 2 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive PDHD2000USE

Product Description:
Acomdata PDHD2000USE 2TB Pure Drive USB 2.0/eSATAhigh speed 7200 rpm double interface external hard disk drive

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Toshiba 2 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Dive PH3200U-1EXB Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Over all the device is great, but there are a few things to point out about the device.

The hard drive is formatted in FAT32 instead of NTFS which limits the size of files to a mere 4 GB. So I advise reformatting the device to NTFS as soon as you finish the installation process. This will allow you to have files larger than 4 GB on the hard drive.

One complaint against Amazon is that they fail to mention that the hard drive has only a 5400 RPM and 8 MB of cache. They need to update the product description to include this information. Other external hard drives have 7200 RPM and up to 32 MB of cache. This is important information to know when purchasing an external hard drive.

The device is pleasantly quiet and only make a brief noise when turned on. As a plus, rather than an annoying blinking bright light, the device has a soft dimming in and out light telling you it is doing something.

This device does not have a fan, so it is advisable to keep it in a cool environment.

I have not tested the eSATA conection yet as it does not come with a cord and the one I ordered hasn't arrived yet.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba 2 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Dive PH3200U-1EXB

Product Description:
Toshiba's Desktop External Hard Drive offers you both extra storage space, and a comprehensive yet easy-to-use data backup and sync solution. The Toshiba 2.0 TB Drive can handle even the largest digital libraries - it can store up to 400,000 photos, or 500,000 music files, or 770 hours of video. With just a few clicks you can create a digital safety net to help protect files on your computer or other storage devices. Our dual connectivity design lets you choose between the USB interface or the faster eSATA interface for your data transfer needs. A built-in On/Off switch allows you to power down your drive when not in use to save energy. The slim design and small footprint help save your desktop space both at work and at home. The Backup software lets you back up your entire system (including attached storage devices) or specific file types (e.g. music files) on any internal or external drive attached to your system. The powerful Restore feature allows you to quickly restore files from any point in the backup history. You can even restore files based on selected criteria, such as name, date, and file extension. Bi-directional synchronization helps keep files on two sync targets up-to-date, no matter which target has been modified. For added convenience, you can schedule your backup and sync tasks to automatically run at your desired day and time. The Drive Monitor will monitor your Toshiba drive and let you know when it is getting full. These software features are preloaded in your Toshiba drive and run directly from the drive without requiring installation on your computer.

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LaCie Starck 2 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 301889KUA Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've got a macbook running OSX 10.6 and with Windows XP on a boot camp partition, so I was able to test the drive's software under both mac and Windows.

Physically this is a nice drive. The casing is solid metal and the drive is pretty heavy. I think it should work well as a "heat sink" but unfortunately there is no fan to reduce internal temperatures. The drive looks nice, but has a funky looking faceplate. The LED is a small orange light on the bottom left of the front panel. It isn't too bright, but is also easy to see.

The drive comes formatted into a small partition and is not usable without running the mac or windows setup utility on the drive itself. There is no software CD. You can bypass the built-in utility and partition/format it manually using the mac or windows utilities, but will need to download and install the software manually from the Lacie website.

I figured most users would test the drive under Windows, so I ran the setup utility under OSX. The utility allows you to setup the drive as a single mac partition or as a split mac/windows partition. Unfortunately, it only allows you to setup the windows partition as a 32 mb FAT32 partition. This is unusual in that most other external drives can be setup as a single FAt32 partition to use their full size. In fact, most drives come pre-formatted as a single FAT32 partition.

I setup the drive with the split partitions and it did a fine job of partitioning and formatting the drive with OSX and FAT32 partitions. It installs the manuals and software on the FAT32 partition, so they can be accessed from both OSX and Windows.

I ran the drive manager under OSX and, after installing all the required software, it reported that no compatible Lacie drive could be found. This means I cannot use the gimmicky "touch sensitive" front panel to start programs under OSX. So, while the drive is very functional as an external drive for a mac, it doesn't perform the gimmick function that separates it from other drives. Since the drive is more expensive than other 1TB drives, mac users would be better off going with a cheaper drive, unless they are enamored of the funky front-panel appearance.

I rebooted into Windows and ran the disk manager utility. This time it recognized the existence of the Lacie drive and allowed me to setup the programs to be run when I touch the front panel. There are two functions available, one by a short press of the front panel and the other by a long press. To run a particular program, you can simply drag the icon into the disk manager utility. I dragged Windows Explorer into the short-press functionality and it seems to work properly. However, I don't really see the value of this functionality. I usually keep my external drives out of reach, so touching the front panel is a pain. I can more quickly locate the programs I want to run on my desktop and can click the icon to run them quicker than I can reach down and touch the front panel, even with the drive located within easy reach. Also, the ability to assign only two functions limits the value of the "touch panel" capability.

So, while it works with Windows, it is still a gimmicky function that has a very limited usefulness. Since the drive is more expensive than other 1TB drives (such as the Western Digital Elements drive) most Windows users would also be better off going with a cheaper drive option. This isn't a bad drive, it just isn't anything special.

Additional notes:

1. The drive has a mini USB connector on the back so you cannot use standard USB cables.

2. I did finally get the disk manager software to work on the mac, but again, it is pretty useless for my purposes.

3. While I was able to uninstall the software on the Windows side, I cannot find out how to get rid of the parts it installed on the mac, except the main utility program in the Applications folder.

Click Here to see more reviews about: LaCie Starck 2 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 301889KUA

Product Description:
Encased in sturdy aluminum, the LaCie Starck Desktop Hard Drive offer the most robust choices for consumer hard drives on the market. The durable exterior protects the hard drives from shock and overheating, making them thoroughly dependable. The LaCie Starck Desktop Hard Drive features a status LED in the form of Starck's signature symbol. The symbol glows orange or green to indicate different activity. The LaCie Starck Mobile Hard Drive offers a built-in USB cable, uniquely placed for convenient storing and data accessibility. Complementing Starck's design philosophy is a touch-sensitive surface to open any application with the touch of a finger. The LaCie Starck Hard Drives come standard with the versatile USB 2.0 interface. In addition, the range comes with one of the most comprehensive software bundles on the market including LaCie Backup Assistant and LaCie Desktop Manager for formatting, back up and customization.

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Seagate Expansion 2.0 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive ST320005EXA101-RK Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I can't speak to the issues that some of the other reviewers have had, but I have to say I've been very impressed by this drive.You've got to plug it in so it's not really an "on-the-go" kind of drive, but that's not what I needed.I have a couple of FreeAgent Go drives for that (and the reason I went with Seagate this time is because I've been so impressed with the other Seagates).This time, I wanted a big drive that I could use as a Time Machine backup for my MacBook Pro, and as a backup for all of the video files I've shot over the years.So far I've been very happy with this drive.One thing I noted right away is that it actually has slightly more than 1TB of space!With every other external drive I've ever used the actual amount of usable memory has been a bit less than advertised, even after I've reformatted them.With this one you get what is advertised.It's a USB 2.0 data connection, and from what I've seen manages to move files more quickly than my older Western Digital 500GB desktop firewire drive.

For comparison, I tried moving a 2.15 GB video file back and forth between my laptop's hard drive and a few of my external drives.This one was fastest at both downloads and uploads - it would download the 2.15 GB file in one minute, 17 s. as opposed to 1 min., 40 for the portable FreeAgent Go and 1 min., 37 for the Western Digital.Uploading results were similar: it would upload the same 2.15 GB video file in 1 minute, 10 s. while the other drives uploaded in about 1 minute, 20 s.So, it's pretty fast and does exactly what I need - I've got no complaints and am very happy about the price (which turns out to be almost exactly what I paid a year or so ago for my 320GB portable drive and much less than what I paid about 3 years ago for my 500 GB desktop drive).What's not to like?

One more thing, for Mac users.While this drive is set up out of the factory to plug and play on Windows it can easily be converted to a handy Mac drive.Here's how:

1. plug it in to your Mac, using the USB 2.0 cable provided with the drive

2. open up your applications folder, search for the utilities folder and then run "disk utility" (or, just search for "disk utility" in finder or spotlight and click on it).

3. you should see an icon for your "1 TB Seagate Desktop Media" drive in the left column of "disk utility" and also a drive partition (as I recall it was called "desktop" but I changed the name) underneath that.

4. click on the icon labelled "1 TB Seagate Desktop Media" and you'll see a few options in the window; click "partition"

5. after this steps will vary depending on what you want to do with this.For what I wanted, I decided to create two partitions on my hard drive.So, under "volume scheme" I selected "2 partitions" then clicked on the top one and set it to 250 GB and that left 750.10 GB on the other one.For the "format" I selected "Mac OS X Extended" but you'd want to select the journaled option if you want to use either of these drives as a "boot disk".I didn't.Then hit "apply" and it will erase everything on the disk and break it into two sections.

Now when you plug in the hard drive two icons will appear on your desktop, as if there were two separate external drives.I use the smaller one for regular backups and the larger one for storing all of my old video files.I'm sure there are lots of other ways to get an excellent value from this sleek and handy little drive.Enjoy!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Seagate Expansion 2.0 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive ST320005EXA101-RK

Product Description:
Seagate external desktop drives provide extra storage for your ever-growing collection of files. Instantly add space for more files, consolidate all of your files to a single location, or free-up space on your computer's internal drive for improved performance. Set-up is straightforward, simply plug in the included power supply and USB cable and you are ready to go. It is automatically recognized by Windows operating system, so there is no software to install and nothing to configure. Saving files is easy too, just drag-and-drop.It's not just easy to use, but it's fast and energy efficient too. Built-in power management ensures energy-efficient operation.

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Seagate Expansion 2.0 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive ST320005EXA101-RK Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I can't speak to the issues that some of the other reviewers have had, but I have to say I've been very impressed by this drive.You've got to plug it in so it's not really an "on-the-go" kind of drive, but that's not what I needed.I have a couple of FreeAgent Go drives for that (and the reason I went with Seagate this time is because I've been so impressed with the other Seagates).This time, I wanted a big drive that I could use as a Time Machine backup for my MacBook Pro, and as a backup for all of the video files I've shot over the years.So far I've been very happy with this drive.One thing I noted right away is that it actually has slightly more than 1TB of space!With every other external drive I've ever used the actual amount of usable memory has been a bit less than advertised, even after I've reformatted them.With this one you get what is advertised.It's a USB 2.0 data connection, and from what I've seen manages to move files more quickly than my older Western Digital 500GB desktop firewire drive.

For comparison, I tried moving a 2.15 GB video file back and forth between my laptop's hard drive and a few of my external drives.This one was fastest at both downloads and uploads - it would download the 2.15 GB file in one minute, 17 s. as opposed to 1 min., 40 for the portable FreeAgent Go and 1 min., 37 for the Western Digital.Uploading results were similar: it would upload the same 2.15 GB video file in 1 minute, 10 s. while the other drives uploaded in about 1 minute, 20 s.So, it's pretty fast and does exactly what I need - I've got no complaints and am very happy about the price (which turns out to be almost exactly what I paid a year or so ago for my 320GB portable drive and much less than what I paid about 3 years ago for my 500 GB desktop drive).What's not to like?

One more thing, for Mac users.While this drive is set up out of the factory to plug and play on Windows it can easily be converted to a handy Mac drive.Here's how:

1. plug it in to your Mac, using the USB 2.0 cable provided with the drive

2. open up your applications folder, search for the utilities folder and then run "disk utility" (or, just search for "disk utility" in finder or spotlight and click on it).

3. you should see an icon for your "1 TB Seagate Desktop Media" drive in the left column of "disk utility" and also a drive partition (as I recall it was called "desktop" but I changed the name) underneath that.

4. click on the icon labelled "1 TB Seagate Desktop Media" and you'll see a few options in the window; click "partition"

5. after this steps will vary depending on what you want to do with this.For what I wanted, I decided to create two partitions on my hard drive.So, under "volume scheme" I selected "2 partitions" then clicked on the top one and set it to 250 GB and that left 750.10 GB on the other one.For the "format" I selected "Mac OS X Extended" but you'd want to select the journaled option if you want to use either of these drives as a "boot disk".I didn't.Then hit "apply" and it will erase everything on the disk and break it into two sections.

Now when you plug in the hard drive two icons will appear on your desktop, as if there were two separate external drives.I use the smaller one for regular backups and the larger one for storing all of my old video files.I'm sure there are lots of other ways to get an excellent value from this sleek and handy little drive.Enjoy!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Seagate Expansion 2.0 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive ST320005EXA101-RK

Product Description:
Seagate external desktop drives provide extra storage for your ever-growing collection of files. Instantly add space for more files, consolidate all of your files to a single location, or free-up space on your computer's internal drive for improved performance. Set-up is straightforward, simply plug in the included power supply and USB cable and you are ready to go. It is automatically recognized by Windows operating system, so there is no software to install and nothing to configure. Saving files is easy too, just drag-and-drop.It's not just easy to use, but it's fast and energy efficient too. Built-in power management ensures energy-efficient operation.

Get 29% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Seagate Expansion 2.0 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive ST320005EXA101-RK now ?