318555✽
Cuties a comment about external hard drives...don't get too comfortable with an external hard drive backing up your designs...I had all of my USB sticks backed up on my external hard drive (1TB hard drive) and I updated it every quarter...transferring each USB sticks to the hard drive and deleting the old files...September 1, I plugged it into my computer and when it was booting up the contents something happened and I got an error message...and then I discovered that there was now nothing on the external hard drive...I tried it on another computer and same thing...whatever happened when it booted up caused havoc and now the hard drive is useless. It is not even recognized by the computer...Anyone had this happen to them before? Anyone got any suggestions? The hard drive was only a year old and only been used about five times...Fortunately, my USB stitcks are all fine...and I have backed them up on CD's...I'm afraid to get another external hard drive and try again...Any thoughts? Thanks...
Comments (15)
111390✽
mine has been working fine... Sorry to hear about yours. I also back up on several different things. Can't be too careful...Suzanne
3562✽
by
thecraftycritter
03 Oct 2012
+6✽
I've been using a Western Digital external hard drive for four years backing up all my designs, documents, pictures, etc on average of once a week. Never had a problem. Knowing that s--t happens, I recently purchased another by the same manufacturer with larger storage capacity, and will back up to both. I prefer to use the free Microsoft SyncToy to back up to these since I can just tell it to backup and walk away to do other things. Tried one of the cloud storage outfits, but was never satisfied with what backed up. It always was missing some of the files. Think I would file a complaint with the manufacturer for a one year old device.
1 comment
What does this Microsoft SyncToy do and is it complicated to work with. Can you give a URL for it please.
2516✽
by
annatjievdw
03 Oct 2012
+4✽
I am using a Seagate hard drive more than a year now with no problems but after reading what happened to you I think that I must buy another one to backup everything. Sorry to hear what happened to you.
1 comment
The one I have that failed is also a Segate....
3562✽
by
thecraftycritter
03 Oct 2012
+5✽
Couldn't answer and add the link in the comment where requested, so here it is. There is so much it does, but there is a full description at the site. Very easy to use!!!
1 links:
[1]
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=15155
www.microsoft.com
35675✽
My Western Digital is working fine..,.however, I was told it CAN get a virus, fail, etc like any hard drive. I, too, back up on USB sticks (which can also fail as I had one do so & lost everything on it after having several computer gurus try to retrieve the files) So I check the sticks, the external, & if one goes belly up, I back up on another thing. BUT I would think yours would still be under warrenty? If it's over 1 yr, I sorta double it, however. Good luck on getting a new one from the company! Glad you had another backup!
11220✽
by
bonnetgirl
03 Oct 2012
+3✽
I also backup all on external hard drive at least once a month but mine are on a rewrightable disk so I can just use one disk. I always check the disk after I am done to make sure it has saved all the new ones as well as the old. I have been doing this for years since my son in law lost all of my daughter's pictures he kept on a USB stick. I have paid to much money and time on these designs to lose them. Also if you can put your designs on 2 disk and store one in another place like a safty deposit box or a friends house. That way if God forbids your house catches on fire you will still have your designs. I also think you should store a picture of all your sewing machines with them so that the insurance company can see it.
Hugs Joann
Hugs Joann
1 comment
Very good tip - thank you Joann.
318555✽
by
dragonflyer
03 Oct 2012
+3✽
One thing want to just make clear with the back up of my designs...I not keep them on my computer hard drive...they take up too much room...so I transfer copy and paste the files from the USB stick to the external hard drive...it takes a long time for each one...I have about twelve of them from 4GB to 8GB each...even to copy to a DVD takes a long time and many DVD's...I thought the external hard drive would be the answer, but I guess I was wrong.
7293✽
I had this happen to me a few years ago. The power source to the drive went bad. I was a planned failure by the manufacturer. Fortunately I did my homework and found out about the problem then took the drive to an independent computer repair shop to have the drive put in a new power "case." I did not lose a bit of information. The new case was from a different manufacturer and I haven't had any trouble with it since. The repair person said hard drives themselves rarely fail it is usually the power chip. I suggest you take the drive to a reputable independent repair person. A chain store repair center or a manufacturer's repair rep will likely rip you off.
2 comments
Just as info...about how much should this type of repair cost? I may be better to just bite the big one and buy another new one...???
It was about $60. My point is the information is probably not lost. My drive is a Maxtor which is made by Western Digital. They would have replaced the unit but wanted $3,000 to retrieve the data from the drive. What a rip-off.
985✽
by
nancygiroir
04 Oct 2012
+5✽
We've had two Western Digital external hard drives for four years now and one of them just went out. Going to buy another one this weekend; my husband thinks Western Digital is the best. We always back everything up on both hard drives to have double protection, luckily we did or we might have everything. I would definitely get another one to replace yours; from what I've been told, they only seem to last a few years unfortunately.
360671✽
My son had this happen and he took it somewhere and they fixed it :):)All his wedding pictures were on it lol
8431✽
Yup - got one of those sitting on my desk with two computers backed up on it and can't access anything... Haven't yet found out if it can be 'resurrected'
255054✽
I have been using an EHD for ages now and have had no problems. I think after all the comments I am also going to transfer all my embroidery designs to disc - just in case. Sarah.
12500✽
The very same thing happened to me a few years back, when the external hard drives were becoming so popular. I only had it a couple of months, had all my designs, plus some personal info on it It just froze up; would not do anything. I was told by Best Buy they would have to send it back to the manufacturer to see if my designs could be retrieved. Since it had my personal info, I did not want to do that. Luckily, I had the majority of my designs already on CDs. As I was so afraid of losing the zillion of family photos by a computer crash, I recently purchased a "Passport" (stores photos, etc.) at Best Buy. It has an enormous storage capacity, so I stored my designs on it, too.
2 comments
Hummm, have to check out a "Passport" as an option...Thanks.
"Passport" is made by Western Digital, and they are the ones I use.
24276✽
I have had CD's fail many times, not my hard drive though I too back up my files onto CD's but I do it twice so I have double the CD's but I hate to loose all those files and pictures... :)
20475✽
I've had several hard drives die like that and it makes you want to cry. One time Western Digital extracted the data for free because a lady heard me talking about it and her daughter happened to be a high ranking executive there. Another drive has bad sectors. Another thumb drive broke. CD's can scratch. The moral of the story here is to have several back ups on whatever media you choose.