External or internal drive?

I've been using an external 750 GB Seagate (USB 2) as the data drive with my laptop for recording. For my new DAW desktop, I have ordered the same drive to be the #2 HD, internal usually being better than external. Then I thought: I wonder if there is any reason to keep that drive external? I can't think of one, but I thought I'd run it past you recording types just in case there is something which escapes me.

Thanks
 
The benefit of an external drive is that you can take it with you on vacation. lol

Seriously tho, that is a good reason.

There is no benefit to having an external drive other than safe keeping. Like if your house caught fire, grabbing the external drive would be easier than taking the tower.

Having an external backup drive is another topic worthy of discussing.
 
I keep everything on external drivers these days. It makes sense for me when going from computer to computer. Its portability is an asset. Its vulnerability not so much. I also like that when it is full, I put it aside as an archive drive and get a new one to take its place.

I also have two external backup drives that work in tandem.
 
Thanks for both of those.

Are your external drives USB 2, or what? And whatever they are, I assume they're fast enough or you wouldn't use them.
 
I'm using USB 2 and it is fine for recording onto (and I can use a lot of tracks).

Hard drives are mechanical devices and don't like shocks (knocked over, spilled coffee). Really, the safest place is inside a tower.

But I'm happy to accept the risk of having them outside the tower.
 
I'm using USB 2 and it is fine for recording onto (and I can use a lot of tracks).

Hard drives are mechanical devices and don't like shocks (knocked over, spilled coffee). Really, the safest place is inside a tower.

But I'm happy to accept the risk of having them outside the tower.



Good. Thanks.
 
It may not be an issue....but the data transfer of internal drive, like a SATA II is going to be a lot faster(like may be 6 times) than an external USB 2.

I'm not sure exactly how many tracks an external USB drive can simultaneously record and playback....just making a note about the speed differences.

Anyway...I like use internal drives for my recording/playback, and external drive to copy backups to....that way I can have the safety and the portability.
 
You know what, I have a NAS box with 4 drives in it, it is parked under the stairs out of the way of prying eyes and thieves. Great backup tool, if you can afford it go for it.

Cheers
Alan.
 
Nice....but not as much as I need for my stuff.

I run a pair of audio drives in the DAW, one Work the other Backup (plus a sys drive and a sample library drive).
So every session I just copy the day's audio work files over to the backup drive.
I'll also make a second copy over to a Lacie portable, which pretty much goes with me when I leave the studio...that way I have that second backup seperate from the studio backup.
 
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