Is USB backup hard drive reliable? what's the different from usb flash drive?

Question

I'm planning to get an 80g usb hard disk for my convenient, but I have serious doubt about it, may be just like the usb flash drive it is also susceptible to frozen and will not work with out warning, if just in case my usb backup drive will not function, is theres away of repairing it?

Thanks...

Answer 1

Buying a USB HD is the same as upgrading your desktop to addin a new HD to your IDE or SATA connector.
So, whatever, the danger is of losign data on a Harddrive will be also be there. The thing is that, now you have a back-up drive to back-up your primary harddrive. So, the odds of both HD failing are close to Zero.
USB Flash drive would also be susceptible to Soft-errors (bit conversions) due to cosmic rays, and others that could damage the data integrity on the drive. And, also, they don't come cheap. They are more expensive than the HD in terms of bytes/$. :)
There is no way to fix a broken HD.
USB Flashdrive uses non-static parts, and so it is better at mobility and, it is shock proof compared to the HD which has moving parts.
USB Flash drive uses flash memory, a kind of NAND memory type used in the IPOD.
USB Flash drive is definitely more reliable than HD

Answer 2

So long as you use a backup drive properly it should work fine. Of course having a backup implies you have a copy of the data in another location. Saving original files to an external drive does not constitute a backup! Keep copies on more than one drive. Flash usb drives are only meant for temporary storage and are much more susceptible to damage. External hard drives cannot be repaired but data can be recovered from them in most situation.
http://www.cbltech.com/blog/data-recovery/attention-students-dont-put-your-data-at-risk

Answer 3

the main important distinction between a flashpersistent and an HD is that an HD has shifting aspects which makes it greater vulnurable to falling down and usually getting pounded on. A flashpersistent can usually take greater of a beating. by potential of flashpersistent do you propose a USB key style? in case you do, their skill does not pass plenty greater than 4 gigs and that they are frequently low value. in case you're finding for something greater huge (as much as a tera supply or take) you may choose for a typical 3.5" HD (ATA/SATA) with an IDE--USB adapter althou i could genrally propose taking a 2.5" that's how they sometimes cause them to. in case you like the lightest, coolest and terrific, grab a a million.8" (it incredibly is what they put in the transportable video gamers) their skill is going as much as 100gigs final time I checked. different than that, flashpersistent are frequently greater value-effective (no longer in keeping with Gig yet their skill is smaller) desire that replaced into useful P.S: the guy interior the 1st reaction, isn't the splendid term for it fairly is EEPROM? (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM)?

Answer 4

USB flash drive is more handy but has less capacity. External hard drive is more bulky and susceptible to damage from rough handling but it has much greater capacity.
I prefer to use both and I back up important files on CD or DVD. Many people take backing up files for granted, until a disaster occurs.
ALWAYS BACK UP FILES SO WILL NOT PANIC LATER!