This is probably the least expensive external drive I could find. I bought it specifically for Ghosting/Imaging laptops, and for large file workspace to use between computers. Inside is a Western Digital Hard drive. The case is aluminum and works well to dissipate heat. It does get warm (some might consider hot) during heavy use, but it does not seem dangerous. I checked it with an IR thermometer - it hits about 105 degrees Fahrenheit and doesn't get any hotter. I consider heavy use writing more than 10 GB of data at once. It has an indicator light that changes color to show reading or writing. The included cable is a standard mini-B to Male A. The cable that comes with it is interesting. It has the small connector on one end for the drive, and on the other a double headed usb connector. You will only need the second connector plugged in if you are using usb 1.0 and it is not able to supply enough power. I also had one laptop (could have been a machine problem) that needed the second plug to power up the drive. So...if you only have one usb port this may be a problem for you. But any newer computer or laptop should be able to supply enough power through the one port to power the drive. The cable is about three feet long, so it's not annoying to pack in any bags. It seems to be just the right length for use with a laptop. It has worked perfectly fine with my Macs, Windows, and Linux boxes - no drivers are needed for anything newer than win98, os 9.2.2, ubuntu 6. I use Fat32 format for it's universal acceptance. For the price - you cannot beat this thing - and it's probably better quality than anything close to it's price point. Cirago 80 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive CST1080
I was a little apprehensive about purchasing this item since I saw a couple of bad reviews from previous customers including a DOA which understandably would piss anybody off after anticipating the arrival of your package for over a week, but ultimately I took a chance and to be perfectly honest so far I am very happy with my purchase.
The drive is not loud and does not overheat little other name brands, its an easy plug and play device that has helped me store work documents, music, movies and pics which were slowing down my Mac Mini at home. It's cheap and efficient, exactly was I was looking for.
Well, like a few others who have posted reviews, mine arrived and did not work. Despite having Windows XP (which supposedly makes this a "plug and play" device), my computer would not recognize the drive, no matter what I did. (Yelling and cussing at the thing didn't help, either...but it made me feel better.) The magic box just sat there blinking red-green-red-green-red-green as my computer displayed a "Sorry, Charlie" message.
I should have known better. I used to own a similar drive from another manufacturer, and that one worked for all of 6 weeks or so (conveniently past the return/refund deadline) and then suddenly decided it was going to go incognito and not be recognized. At least this time I have the opportunity to return it.
From chatting with others, it seems like these types of drives are notoriously lacking in quality control in whatever third-world sweatshop they come from. They either work great or not at all -- that's why you see the reviews weighted at the two extremes (1 star or 5 stars) and very little in-between.
So, don't gamble like I did. Avoid these tiny drives like the plague. Spend a little more and get real HDD from a known and reputable manufacturer. If you've never heard of the name (Cirago?), that's the first clue that the odds are against you.
I bought this because I wanted to clean out my computer. Wow, am I glad I did. This little drive is awesome and easy to use, plus it looks nice. I got the one with 120gig which was more than sufficient as my computer is only a 60gig, so I have plenty of room to spare! Handy item that appears to be good quality, especially for the price.
I got this thing, plugged it in, and it installed itself quickly. I just sat back and smiled. It opens easily and fast. Slip whatever you want into it. It doesn't talk back. It doesn't give you a headache. It doesn't make you cuss. It disconnects quickly and easily. Piece of cake, all of it. A fantastic price. Comes with a nice faux-leather case. I love it.
You do need their special cable with 2 USB plugs and the laptop that has 2 USB connectors next to one another, otherwise it seems not to get enough juice (this maybe a general problem for larger disks)
Although the price is fantastic and it looks and feels nice, I still have to give it a bad review. The thing just decides to stop work after a little less than two weeks!
It has an indicator light that shows, Red, Green or Amber.
Red - means it's not ready
Amber - I'm not sure what this means.
Green - It's ready for use (connected).
One day after connecting it to my PC, the red light stayed on a little longer than usual. When the green light finally came on, I was able to browse the contents, but I couldn't open the files or write to the drive.
I tried it on other computers, it came up on some with the same symptoms, on the others... it wasn't even recognised.
It returned it to Amazon for a refund (I definitely DO NOT want a replacement).
In short... You get what you pay for. - External Harddrive - Usb Hard Drive - Flash Drive - Portable Hard Drive'
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