Backups: Psuedo-external Hard Drive vs. Obsolete Interface?

Options.

Psuedo-external Hard Drive would have the cheapest purchase cost. Leave
the backup drive in the case sitting in a bay adapter. I think I'd
rather disconnect this drive between backups, so I guess I'd have to set
jumpers for cable select? I don't imagine CMOS would "wear out" from
frequent changes? Otoh, the cables might withstand frequent
plug/unplugging. Also I'd have to snap off side of the case fast if I
wanted to grab the drive fast.... this all just seems too inflexible.


Or I can purchase what's commonly sold now.
I guess USB is currently the favorite interface for external hard
drives, priced at approx 2x $/GB prices for internal drives. I've seen
empty cases for approx $30- 60. And I've noticed ads for removable
('shark'?) drives.

The backup drive itself will be passed along when the rest of the
computer goes obsolete. Also, hardware and software seem to develop
incompatibilities when there are more than 2 or 3 years difference
amongst them. That's why I suspect that the backup drive's
"externalizing" paraphernalia will also be obsolete in a few years. And
I don't feel like paying for those parts if they'll be gone in a few
years. (I realize that IDE/ATA/SATA cables also keep changing every few
years, so cable cost must be included in the obsolescence cost
comparison)

So, I assume external or removable drives have been made for a long
time. I assume the first ones connected via serial port? Historically,
how soon have their removable/external hard drive interfaces become
obsolete?

Related questions:
Are the hard drive max-readable-size, LBA, etc. problems still a
problem when using USB drive? Does partitioning the drive fix this
problem?


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After reading some Usenet messages, I'm leaning toward USB 2, either
separate case plus HD, or external drive (in one package). In the
latter, USB 2 will still be backwards compatible in a few years. And
hopefully I can replace the HD inside with a current HD.

wrote in message . ..
"CWatters" in
:

There is talk of
people using SATA for external drives but I don't think the interface
is designed for that (or is it?).

External SATA connectors are available (they fit in an expansion card
knockout so they take a slot. You'll have to power the drive some
other way though. There are probably SATA external enclosures by now,
but probably with USB 2.0 interfaces.

AJ

"AJ" wrote in message
m...

wrote in message
. ..
"CWatters" in
:

There is talk of
people using SATA for external drives but I don't think the interface
is designed for that (or is it?).

External SATA connectors are available (they fit in an expansion card
knockout so they take a slot. You'll have to power the drive some
other way though. There are probably SATA external enclosures by now,
but probably with USB 2.0 interfaces.

I just discovered that my favorite case is now available with an SATA
interface cable between PC and external box. It only accepts SATA drives
internally so I guess the internal electronics is simple. See this table:

http://www.stardom.com.tw/U7-03.htm

Model Nos. ( SATA to SATA ) U7-1-S1 U7-2-S1 U7-4-S1