Durability of moblie hard drives?

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Ragss

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I'm going to europe for 2-3 months this summer and I plan to take many pictures with my digi cam. One of two options I'm currently considering as to how I'm going to store all the photos is to get a mobile hard drive like the fotochute . My concern here is just what risk am I running by storing every photo I have on this little drive for 3 months straight stuffed in my backpack? I'm sure I can keep it dry, my concern is bumps and knocks. I assume that 2.5 inch laptop hard drive is fairly sturdy against such things, right?

By the way, my other option is to take about 8 Secure Digital cards in a waterproof, crush proof case. The problem is that I pay twice as much, for less than half the total memory...but it is far more secure.
 
I would go with the flash memory myself. You don't want to lose data. Harddrive are mechanical and can break realitively easy with just the right hit.
 
Flash memory is always the safer route, regardless of what type of hard drive you're using. With that said, newer portable drives are quite a bit safer than what they used to be. Seagate's laptop HDs can withstand 900 Gs of non-operational shock, which is a LOT. As long as the HD isn't powered up it can withstand a lot of punishment.
 
I did the same route (bought a 200GB drive and a all in one memory card reader, it transfer the images from the reader into the hdd.) for when I did a road trip all over Florida. When I went to fly home, U.S. customs said that the drive maybe effected by the X-Ray scanners (news to me). I ended up just going to Walgreens and using a 512mb flash card, I dumped all my 20K (not fun...) pics to a kodak photo center pc and paid the $30 for a cd version.
That took forever but US Airways lost my carryon (I think it was stolen), I kissed goodbye a good 200GB HDD and the all-in-one memory card reader :(
 
The subject of X-Ray scanners at airports was brought up in another recent thread. I believe U_Mage stated that the strength of the x-ray isn't powerful enough to ruin HDs, but there is a very small chance that it could happen. You can also get them to hand-check it at some airports.
 
Whatever you choose, make sure you always have 2 copies. How much data do you actually expect to keep at maximum?
 
Its hard to say how much data I'll be storing. And there is always the possibility to send whatever I have home over the internet or burn it to CD and send it in the mail. It could be as little as 5 or 6 gigs, or as much as 20. It would suck to be stuck short where I'd have to go back and prune my photos based on the little LCD screen.

As for the xrays, don't laptops go through those all the damn time with businessmen? I've never heard of problems before.
 
Ragss said:
Its hard to say how much data I'll be storing. And there is always the possibility to send whatever I have home over the internet or burn it to CD and send it in the mail. It could be as little as 5 or 6 gigs, or as much as 20. It would suck to be stuck short where I'd have to go back and prune my photos based on the little LCD screen.

As for the xrays, don't laptops go through those all the damn time with businessmen? I've never heard of problems before.
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Okay i'm quoting this but apparently it depends on time under the xray machine.
 
I've seen laptops take some serious drops. I've put a few old IBMs through unintentional drop tests - One from at LEAST 5 feet, while running - Some 450mhz Mobile P2 one, that kept running! Always survived! The one I intentionally was trying to destroy seemed invincible! (486) I ended up having to shoot it (damn thing was posessed by demons) to really break it. Even after being thrown around and the screen being destroyed, the thing was still booting, viewable on the VGA output. I presume the new ones are even better!

I can say, however, I've yet to find a laptop hard drive that holds up to .357 magnum. I'd love to give one of those Panasonic Toughbooks my version of a torture test, if anyone would like to supply one. I'd be throwing a variety of small arms fire at it while it benches. Anyone care to volunteer a test unit? No? Hello?

Re: X-Rays. I've never known X-rays to cause a problem with laptops. Metal detectors, on the other hand, can screw up your hard drive. So if they're going at it with a wand, request a hand check. If you don't want to hold up the line put it on suspend while you're at the bar in the airport. (Look for the international sign for cocktails.) Just make sure you've got some juice in the battery! :D
 
TheAcorn said:
I've seen laptops take some serious drops. I've put a few old IBMs through unintentional drop tests - One from at LEAST 5 feet, while running - Some 450mhz Mobile P2 one, that kept running! Always survived! The one I intentionally was trying to destroy seemed invincible! (486) I ended up having to shoot it (damn thing was posessed by demons) to really break it. Even after being thrown around and the screen being destroyed, the thing was still booting, viewable on the VGA output. I presume the new ones are even better!
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You'd be sorely mistaken. Current laptops are made of Kleenex and hard candy. Some go *snap* with a decent twisting force (like when you pick it up one-handed on a corner).

I can say, however, I've yet to find a laptop hard drive that holds up to .357 magnum.
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The hard drive contains at least one spinning metallic or glass disc with a 2.5" diameter - which means it spans 2/3 the length and 90% the width of the drive casing. Put a bullet anywhere in the vicinity and it's toast, regardless of manufacturer. No mystery there.

Re: X-Rays. I've never known X-rays to cause a problem with laptops. Metal detectors, on the other hand, can screw up your hard drive. So if they're going at it with a wand, request a hand check. If you don't want to hold up the line put it on suspend while you're at the bar in the airport. (Look for the international sign for cocktails.) Just make sure you've got some juice in the battery! :D
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I've been help desk, sys admin, and data recovery specialist (in that order) and not once seen evidence of an X-ray machine or metal detector causing conflict with a wristwatch, a video camera, a digital camera, an iPod, a laptop computer, or a hard drive. Though your method for requesting a hand-check doesn't sound like a terrible idea.
 
Taradino said:
That took forever but US Airways lost my carryon (I think it was stolen), I kissed goodbye a good 200GB HDD and the all-in-one memory card reader :(
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How can they lose your carryon? That goes with you in the plane.
 
davidlem said:
have you considered an iPod Photo with the card reader attachment?
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I have indeed, but I just can't justify such a steep price.

You guys aren't making the HDD option sound too bad. I could probably keep certain great photos on both the SD and the HDD...hmm...
 
Probably? You absolutely must have at *least* duplicates, this is what they call redundancy. I mean how much are you spending on this trip? Are you willing to lose irreplacable photos over a couple hundred bucks? Chump change.
 
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