BUSlink external hard drive expert ?

Per chance is there anyone else out there that uses the BUSlink external hard drive (or I am the only one left…)?

I have an "old" (maybe two+ years old) external USB hard drive made by BUSlink for Win 98. It has been on the sidelines for the last year or so, as it took that long for me to get around to getting it working on XP, and I am now trying to get it set up as a backup for my hard drive. I have been having some intermittent problems trying to just get an initial complete backup.

Major two problems are:

1) that it just hangs with the "access" light on after attempting to copy a file that is "in use" (even tho doing the backup in safe mode…), and I have to shut it off to clear it...

2) that it is occasionally spitting out "I/O device errors ", apparently trying to write to the drive…

My bottom line questions are "

1) if anyone else is still actually using one of these contraptions, does anyone have any kind of success with them or is this typical of the device after a couple of years?

2) if this is atypical problematic behavior, has anyone every used the backup to do a complete, or partial, restore, and was the process smooth or embroiled with problems ???

3) what tactic was used to do the backup/restore? "autosave "? xcopy? explorer copy? NTbackup? GHOST? or any one of an endless array of backup components?

4) do you notice that the drive seems to get what would seem to be way too hot, and do you do anything about that? (I tried setting a cold beer on it, but it just made the beer get warm too fast, so I had to drink it quickly and replace it with another cold beer, etc., belch, etc.... )

 

Can't speak to the drive itself but a Single Malt Scotch on the Rocks should keep it considerably cooler than that Genesee.

 

Now you can take two aspirin and put on the coffee pot.

My guess is that your external is USB which means you are going to have trouble making a complete backup that includes running processes in your OS. I'm not aware af anything that will permit a complete backup run from Windows. Ghost or Drive Image aren't going to recognize that USB drive, so you are out of luck there too. You can copy just about everything else with no problem, but I'd love to hear any solution that will copy your "files in use ". while running Windows. That makes your "hangs with the access light on" quite understandable.

I make small exteranals using 9.5mm, 2.5" laptop drives in a case about the size a flattened, elongated pack of cigarettes - work great for incremental backups and moving big amount of data between non-networked machines. Also great for travelling, however there are limitations re: full system backup to USB devices. The way around it is to pull the actual drive and run it from an IDE header in the machine, then put it back into the external case.

Any hangover?

 

I ended up taking the hdd out of the case and mounting it in the computer. I think the overheating was what caused the hanging up while trying to run autosave which come with it.

 

Hey Rock;

Tried your suggestion on an ICED beverage for the overheating drive, and hey it did seem to keep it a little bit cooler, but with the stronger beverage, after a while I just didn't care if the drive was hot or not. No, no hangover -- these days, after just a couple of cold ones, I just get sleepy and lay down on the floor (or the boardwalk, or the beach) and go to sleep, before I can do serious enough damage to inflict a hangover…

Seriously. On your observation on copying the "files in use ", I am wondering about the NTBackup that comes with NT and XP, as I have done what they term "system state" backups with that component, which I am under the impression that it backs up all "critical system files" and I would think that would include the ones that would normally be "in use" (it is an M$ product and if anyone could get around it, they should be able to…). But, I am just speculating -- does anyone else out there know about NTBackup? If no response, I will check into it.

Rock and Train:

Hmmm… On your suggestions to extricate the whatever from the external and mount it internally -- I am not much for messing with hardware, but would give that consideration if I had any idea where to abscond a flight plan for such a maneuver...

I am also reluctantly considering using the old hard drive that I saved when my PC was rebuilt about a year ago, as a second hard drive for mirror backups, but I am concerned about the "old" drive eventually going south (like, when I actually need it for a restore…). Also considering a brand new hard drive for same approach, but I would prefer some type of external device that I could power down when not in use so it would not sit there and spin itself into eventual oblivion...

And, since I am now a little leary of BUSlink external drives, wondering if there is something better out there for full image backups, or I am wondering if the new BUSlink drives are improved to the extent that they are relatively safe from being problematic and maybe have a better procedure to perform the backups. And if NOT USB, is "firewire ", or whatever, any better? ANYBODY out there have any opinions on that ???

Hic, getting groggy, hic, gotta get some sleep now, I/O error...

 

OK ..... got the picture now. What i would suggest you do is inexpensive and works like a champ - I put em in most everything I build. Buy one or two removable HDD bays- they fit in any open 5 1/4 bay and you can run any formatted drive in there, pull it out, change drives, switch between computers - send it to your best buddy loaded with MP3's - you name it. Link for good pricing and more info is here - note that you can also buy extra trays for a buck or so less.
http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=GN210