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External Hard Drive Search Frustration. Help

Finally i am set up with a Mac Mini and am in the end days of a trial with Pure Music. I am really enjoying Pure Music and since realizing how much it brings sonically to the table i decided i better get an external hard drive and start burning discs so i can take advantage of this. Well my oh my, just when i think i have found a drive that it seems it may be suitable i end up finding reviews that keep me from pulling the trigger on it. Think i am going to pull what's left of my hair out as well.... ; O

I am looking for a 1TB drive that is Firewire 800 compatible. Also in searching through searches i had read that perhaps 5400 drives are quieter than 7200's? Also that it may not be necessary to have the higher speed of the 7200 drive's for audio, which is what i am primarily wanting this drive for. Want to pick up two drives and have the other for a back up.

Any suggestions and help are greatly appreciated!
seekburk

Showing 3 responses by almarg

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almarg
9,670 posts
 
I already did that with a my Windows file platform and now can no longer use them for my Mac so i must start from scratch.....ugh!
Could you clarify why you "can no longer use them for my Mac." Perhaps there is a way of getting around the issue.

Regards,
-- Al
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
I would think that you could temporarily connect the USB drive and the new firewire drive to the Mac simultaneously, copy the files from one drive to the other, and set up the copied files on the firewire drive in the iTunes library.

What might be behind your understanding that "there is no way to use those files in iTunes" (on the Mac) is that if the USB drive is formatted with the NTFS file system (as opposed to FAT32), Mac's wouldn't be able to write to that drive (without using certain third party software programs). However, as I understand it Mac's are completely able to read files from NTFS-formatted drives, which would allow you to copy them to the new drive using your Mac.

Regards,
-- Al
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
I read that 5400 drives spin slower so produce less noise?
In general, yes, although I would expect that there will be exceptions. The design of the enclosure can also significantly affect noise levels. Hopefully one of the others who may be using an OWC enclosure similar to the one you are considering will comment further.
Also this drive is "Raid" capable and since i have no prior knowledge of how to set a Raid system up should i be using the "mirror" setting for this drive?
Yes, you would want to use the RAID 1 "mirror" configuration.

Keep in mind, though, that although a RAID mirror protects against the possibility of data loss due to drive failure, a small but non-zero chance remains that something can happen that would cause the data on both drives to be lost simultaneously. For example, the controller circuitry in the enclosure or the operating system in the Mac going berserk, undiscovered design anomalies in the controller circuitry or its programming, the power supply going into an overvoltage condition, electrical surges, virus infections, etc. For anything really important it is desirable to have a second backup, IMO, which can be updated whenever it is convenient to do so.

Regards,
-- Al
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