Guide | How To Online Storage VS External Hard Disk (advantages and disadvantages)

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win7holic

New Member
Thread author
Apr 20, 2011
2,079
Online storage for Advantage:

1. More simple, practical without the need to bring tools such as external hard disks, flash drives, or anything like that.
2. Can share with family, friends, anyone who is also using the internet.
3. Secure from data theft in the real world - Because thieves may not get us in the online data storage with fast (it took some time)
4. Suitable for small documents - Task school, stories, anything with small files.
5. Price - depending on your connection plan (internet speed)

Online storage for Disadvantages:

1. Online storage company closed - we can not access the data we store there, if we can confirm from them, they will close their company, that no problem. if not, the file we will be lost.
2. Must use Internet connection - if we're not there is an internet connection, we can not access our data
3. Not safe, because the hacker - hackers will break our passwords and IDs in online storage.
4. We can not backup a huge data in there - not everyone has high upload speed.
5. We can not store large files, limited. we need to pay for adding storage capacity.

External Hard disk for Advantage:

1. We can access the data, whenever and wherever we are.
2. Fast data transfer, we can do anything with it (in particular: data backup and system image)
3. Currently affordable prices External Hard disk (this for example)
4. External good to store the data you want to share with the people, Sharing with ease. - Just like a USB flash drive, external hard disk but larger capacity.
5. We can store a large file - depending on how much capacity hard disk you buy.

External Hard disk for Disadvantages:

1. They also can cause problems when trying to transport them and connect them to other people's computers (spread of viruses), even though in general it is possible to do so.
2. Hard disk is damaged because of falling - perhaps due to our carelessness, it allows the hard disk ability decreased (even though not drastically)
3. Easily stolen - stolen from the real world, if we do not guard it (in fact: we are sometimes careless)
 

Dieselman

Level 1
Mar 26, 2011
762
You are missing a huge subject. Storage space. 90% of online storage has only 5GB. You must pay month for more storage. An external HDD cost you $80 or less for 1TB of lifetime storage. Would you rather pay $20/month for only 100GB of online storage from Dropbox or would you rather buy a 1TB external hard drive with no monthly fee. External HDD are not meant to swapped and carried around so the subject of plugging it into another pc and getting a virus is false. I have never ever heard of malware jumping into an external HDD. If your external HDD is stolen is another false complaint. Thats like saying "What if your laptop is stolen?". Just about every disk imaging program allows you to encrypt your data. An external HDD just sits on a desk waiting for backup.

Best advice + Use both.
 

McLovin

Level 76
Verified
Honorary Member
Malware Hunter
Apr 17, 2011
9,224
There is some online storage that has more then 5GB like Skydrive.
 

Dieselman

Level 1
Mar 26, 2011
762
McLovin said:
There is some online storage that has more then 5GB like Skydrive.

Exactly. But it still is not 500GB or 1TB is it? SkyDrive is only 25GB and I have way more then that to backup.
 

McLovin

Level 76
Verified
Honorary Member
Malware Hunter
Apr 17, 2011
9,224
Maximus said:
Exactly. But it still is not 500GB or 1TB is it? SkyDrive is only 25GB and I have way more then that to backup.

Very true. I didn't think of that. Better to have a external hard drive.
 

win7holic

New Member
Thread author
Apr 20, 2011
2,079
However, the spread a virus from the internal hard disk (PC) go to an external hard disk. everything may happen, maximus. BUT, there are ways to avoid it (NOT all people can do it)
read this http://www.ehow.com/facts_6008660_can-virus-transferred-external-drives_.html


If your external HDD is stolen is another false complaint. Thats like saying "What if your laptop is stolen?"
everything may happen, maximus :)
 

MrXidus

Super Moderator (Leave of absence)
Apr 17, 2011
2,503
I have 10GB on Dropbox for earning referrals that I don't even use, Not with my slow upload speed.
Instead I have 2 external hard drives that I use. Never looked back.
 

win7holic

New Member
Thread author
Apr 20, 2011
2,079
Yes. External hard disks are much better. if we look at the advantages and disadvantages both to online storage and external hard disk.
 

jamescv7

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Mar 15, 2011
13,070
External Hard Disk is a must since most have large capacity and you can stored more files you want and in case of problem then it may rescue all the time.

Well since I use Dropbox because just use for stored important files only since 2GB is enough for me still if I have a money then EHD would be a better choice.
 

Dieselman

Level 1
Mar 26, 2011
762
There is no debate when you look into longevity. Lets look over the course of 5 years.
Purchase price of an external 500GB HDD = $50
5 years later = $0
Dropbox for ONLY 100GB = $19/month
5 years later = $1200

You do the math.

Online/Cloud storage was designed to share documents,picture, exe. amongst family,friends,co-workers or other devices. Cloud storage/online main purpose is not to keep a safe heaven for everything.An external HDD was.
 

Dieselman

Level 1
Mar 26, 2011
762
And show me where you talked about price over time or elaborated on the actual design intent? Saying its suitable is not explaining to other forum members of what the main purpose of online/cloud storage is.
 

win7holic

New Member
Thread author
Apr 20, 2011
2,079
4. Suitable for small documents - Task school, stories, anything with small files...?
that's it?
 

Dieselman

Level 1
Mar 26, 2011
762
What is a task school? I have no idea what a task school is so how can I understand it? I do know what a school task is though. Also where did you talk about price over time? Where did you discuss what the main purpose of it is? Saying its good for small files,etc means both. If you want to make a point about something stop speaking in generalizations and elaborate your topics.
 

win7holic

New Member
Thread author
Apr 20, 2011
2,079
school is same task like homework.
Currently affordable prices External Hard disk
I told about this time, NOT the future. and, one can think about it too.
a few years ago, an external hard disk is very expensive from now, then the price is getting cheaper.
so, what about the next few years? will be more and more expensive than now.
the theory of the business.
 

Dieselman

Level 1
Mar 26, 2011
762
Have had a Seagate Free Agent for 4 years now and no trouble. Computers fail. Hard drivers fail. People die. Its part of life.
 
D

Deleted member 178

it was a seagate free agent... 1st time it fell, flatly from 30cm high..., dead, i must wait to be back in France for sending it to repair.
 

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