USB Flash Drive vs Portable External Hard drive for everyday use?

Caledon Ken said:

Not sure if they still make green. Don't use so don't look for.
I don't know what to make of some of these colours. One for NAS, one for surveillance. Would have to google and really read about true differences.
I really don't think people use a NAS like an company enterprise. Sure they would be burst of activities, maybe some very intense but reading and writing 7/24, I doubt it.
I have a friend who runs an old HP media server. He backs up his computers to it regularly, streams videos and just uses it. It just has a hard drive in it. Nothing special.
My two DVR's are another classic example. They are blacks and they have been spinning for years. The only time they are shut down is when I manually boot boxes. For sure they are used, writing, several hours a day as they record the programs you are currently watching.

Thank you for the clarification! Now, you and some others I have been hearing about using server stuff. Is it better to have a server like what you say and back a computer too?

Caledon Ken said:

When you said you bent pins on your HDD which pins are we talking about.

Attachment 201960

jimbo45 said:

Hi folks

for typical home use all of those coloured HDD's are OK - NAS systems for home users usually serve things like multi-media files / sharing music / data -- not exactly the most tasking items an HDD has to take care of - especially as a home NAS doesn't have a whole slew of concurrent users acessing it incessantly.

These companies are in business to sell you stuff and make a profit -- so don't buy the most expensive HDD just because it says it's specifically designed for a NAS.

Just go for the cheapest functional HDD that works --- for the OS etc an SSD will always pay dividends but just for simple file share don't be baffooned into paying over the odds for expensive hardware that cheaper stuff will do just as reliably.

cheers
jimbo

Thank you @jimbo45 for your input and clarification! That is helpful. That is good to know as a home user that I can use any color WD HDD for any purpose. Now, but if I were to go with the cheapest functional HDD will I run into quality issues? Because there times I bought things that were cheap and it didn't last long. The only thing in my case which stinks is that I have a 10 year old build and the SSD's are sata 3, but my question is are these SSD's backwards compatible? Would I need to by an adapter to install on my motherboard?

Also, I am starting the process of learning about raid and NAS for my future strategy. Can you point me into the right direction to get started?

Thank you again!

Caledon Ken said:

Server are nice but home user really don't need a server in the true sense. Would be nice to have NAS.
That said, if you recall I asked way back in thread, does a Linux based NAS protect against ransomware. And again using my definitions this would be a copy, it is still in the same building.
Read about what happens when lightning enters yours house. Happen often, no, but can it happen, yes.
A backup in my definition is disconnected and preferably not onsite.

I will look back at when you discussed about that. Thank you for the clarification!

Caledon Ken said:

How did you bend those pins.

That either got dropped or ......

I don't remember. I have had this for 10 years,but I think when I was dusting the computer out and taking the parts out I might of bent them when putting the plug in. I am taking a guess on this.

If I were to take a pliers and straighten them out, do you think it will work?