[ale] Linux alternative recommendation ?

[Ron Frazier]

Courtney

In regard to a fast small (mechanical) hard drive, the Seagate Momentus 
XT SSD Hybrid drive is nice.  (See my next reply regarding HDD vs 
Flash.)  The part number I'm going to mention is a 2.5" model, has a 4 
GB SSD cache, has a 7200 RPM spindle, will fit nicely into a compact USB 
enclosure, carries a 5 year warranty, has a SATA interface, and 500 GB 
capacity.  I literally use this as the main drive on two of my laptops, 
and dual boot between Windows and Linux.  Note that, at some point, your 
speed limit is going to be the  USB connection, not the drive.  Running 
your PC from an external USB drive, not matter what the technology, will 
not be as fast as running the drive internally.  The part number for the 
drive is ST95005620AS.  Note that this number is NOT on the retail box.  
I don't know why.  If you save the boxes, like I do, you may wish to 
write the number on the box once you get it.  This number is the one 
that the operating system will report for the drive once it's 
installed.  If your computer has USB v3, you'll need a USB v3 SATA 
enclosure and cable to get maximum speed.  The internal interface for 
the enclosure (ie SATA) must match the interface for the drive.  All but 
the newest computers have USB v2, which is slower.  In this case, you 
can get a USB v2 enclosure, which will probably just say USB on the 
label.  I really like the Vantec line of enclosures, although there are 
other good ones as well.  The enclosure box should say USB and SATA (if 
you get a SATA HDD) and 2.5".  The nicer enclosures come with a pouch to 
keep the drive in.  Be aware that an external USB drive usually requires 
the use of TWO USB ports on your PC, because it has to draw extra 
power.  The enclosures generally come with a cable where one end has two 
plugs for this purpose.  If your PC has only one USB port, or if it has 
two but they are spaced far apart, you may not be able to run an 
external mechanical HDD, or you may have to run a smaller, low power drive.

Sincerely,

Ron


On 10/24/2011 3:24 AM, Courtney Thomas wrote:
> Thanks for replying.
>
> Probably small size, fast and flexibility...are the most desirable
> qualities. I'd like to be able to expand it's capabilities later as
> drives keep dropping in price and size.
>
> What would be the fastest small drive ? I don't plan on it initially
> being a main repository of data but don't want to so confine myself that
> I wind up soon replacing.
>
> This seems a bit nebulous but quite so  :-)   That's why I'm asking.
>
> Appreciatively,
>
> C.Thomas
>
>
> On 10/23/2011 9:39 AM, Richard Faulkner wrote:
>    
>> What is the most important feature of the OS? Security? Media support?
>> Something basic or something w/everything not nailed down?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> *From*: Richard Bronosky<Richard at Bronosky.com
>> <mailto:Richard%20Bronosky%20%3cRichard at Bronosky.com%3e>>
>> *Reply-to*: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts<ale at ale.org>
>> *To*: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts<ale at ale.org
>> <mailto:Atlanta%20Linux%20Enthusiasts%20%3cale at ale.org%3e>>
>> *Subject*: Re: [ale] Linux alternative recommendation ?
>> *Date*: Sun, 23 Oct 2011 09:02:53 -0400
>>
>>
>>
>> How much storage do you need? Could a flash drive work? 32G or 64G?
>>
>> On Oct 23, 2011 8:27 AM, "Courtney Thomas"
>> <courtneycthomas at bellsouth.net<mailto:courtneycthomas at bellsouth.net>>
>> wrote:
>>
>>      I'd like to carry a portable Linux USB HD installation for traveling
>>      with my laptop and would appreciate suggestions, not only for which
>>      Linux flavor but also which drive.
>>
>>      Thanks,
>>      C.Thomas
>>
>>
>>      --
>>      "Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the
>>      right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new
>>      one that suits them better.This is a most valuable - a most sacred right
>>      - a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world."
>>      Abraham Lincoln
>>      "Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire,
>>      it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
>>      George Washington
>>
>>      

-- 

(PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new messages very quickly.)

Ron Frazier

770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
linuxdude AT c3energy.com