External Harddrive

JohnDoH! · 12-06-2006, 02:45 AM

This is a really stupid question but a simpleton such as myself just has to ask... I took an interest in the Western Digital My Book Essential 320GB 2.0 usb and I was wondering, I know you can store/backup data onto the external harddrive but can you transfer data between computers? for instance can I store data onto the external harddrive and then hook it up to another computer through the usb and transfer whats inside.

jjsevdt · 12-06-2006, 03:16 AM

Definitely. You can also keep it hooked up to a computer and share over a network, if you have one.

JohnDoH! · 12-06-2006, 03:26 AM

thanks for the reply ^^

JohnDoH! · 12-06-2006, 04:01 AM

I was just wondering, theres the usb 2.0 connection, the IEEE 1394a, and IEEE 1394b. I guess first question is which is faster, usb or ieee 1394a. also I know what an ieee1394a is but whats a ieee1394b?

jeff1234 · 08-08-2008, 04:17 AM

USB 2.0 is UP to 480 MB speed , ieee1394 are up to 800MB

The Firewire IEEE 1394a Cable
A duo of two twisted pair conductors form an IEEE1394 cable. These cables are similar to those used for 10BaseT Ethernet. The cable is a 6-wire shielded twisted-pair type, where 2 pairs are used for communicating and the remaining pair is used to carry power up to 1.5 Amps at up to 40 Volt. Cable lengths are limited to 4.5 meters (15 feet), but can be boosted to 72 meters (235 feet) if a repeater is used. Using "fairness" arbitration to ensure that all devices obtain access to the pipe, IEEE1394 also multiplexes different types of digital signals like video, digitized audio, MIDI, as well as device control commands.

The Firewire IEEE 1394b Cable
Fireeire 800 cables promise a much higher total data speed, 800Mpbs, twice that of the original FireWire standard. They use a special 9-pin connector, compliant with the IEEE 1394b standard, and in addition to speed increases have some new features that improve reliability of data. You will use these cables with new, faster 800Mbps products. There are versions of this cable that may have 4 or 6 pin standard IEEE1394a connectors, that are able to connect in a backward compatible fashion with older firewire devices.

12-06-2006, 02:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
JohnDoH! Silver Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 225	External Harddrive This is a really stupid question but a simpleton such as myself just has to ask... I took an interest in the Western Digital My Book Essential 320GB 2.0 usb and I was wondering, I know you can store/backup data onto the external harddrive but can you transfer data between computers? for instance can I store data onto the external harddrive and then hook it up to another computer through the usb and transfer whats inside. __________________ P4 3.2gb Cpu + CNPS9500 H&F / ASUS P5PE-VM Mobo / 320(in)+320(out) Hdd's / 1 Gig Ddr Ram / XFX FX5200 Gpu / 19" Lcd Widescreen / 140mm Psu / Apollo Case

12-06-2006, 03:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
jjsevdt Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Antonio, TX Age: 25 Posts: 1,021	Definitely. You can also keep it hooked up to a computer and share over a network, if you have one. __________________ C2D E6420 @ 2.13GHz on AsRock 4CoreDual-VSTA 2GB DDR2 533 1 - 80GB \| 1 - 60GB BFG Nvidia 7600GS Soundblaster Audigy PSN: JjSeVdT XBOX Live: JjSeVdT

12-06-2006, 03:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
JohnDoH! Silver Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 225	thanks for the reply ^^ __________________ P4 3.2gb Cpu + CNPS9500 H&F / ASUS P5PE-VM Mobo / 320(in)+320(out) Hdd's / 1 Gig Ddr Ram / XFX FX5200 Gpu / 19" Lcd Widescreen / 140mm Psu / Apollo Case

12-06-2006, 04:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
JohnDoH! Silver Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 225	I was just wondering, theres the usb 2.0 connection, the IEEE 1394a, and IEEE 1394b. I guess first question is which is faster, usb or ieee 1394a. also I know what an ieee1394a is but whats a ieee1394b? __________________ P4 3.2gb Cpu + CNPS9500 H&F / ASUS P5PE-VM Mobo / 320(in)+320(out) Hdd's / 1 Gig Ddr Ram / XFX FX5200 Gpu / 19" Lcd Widescreen / 140mm Psu / Apollo Case

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08-08-2008, 04:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
jeff1234 New Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 6	USB 2.0 is UP to 480 MB speed , ieee1394 are up to 800MB The Firewire IEEE 1394a Cable A duo of two twisted pair conductors form an IEEE1394 cable. These cables are similar to those used for 10BaseT Ethernet. The cable is a 6-wire shielded twisted-pair type, where 2 pairs are used for communicating and the remaining pair is used to carry power up to 1.5 Amps at up to 40 Volt. Cable lengths are limited to 4.5 meters (15 feet), but can be boosted to 72 meters (235 feet) if a repeater is used. Using "fairness" arbitration to ensure that all devices obtain access to the pipe, IEEE1394 also multiplexes different types of digital signals like video, digitized audio, MIDI, as well as device control commands. The Firewire IEEE 1394b Cable Fireeire 800 cables promise a much higher total data speed, 800Mpbs, twice that of the original FireWire standard. They use a special 9-pin connector, compliant with the IEEE 1394b standard, and in addition to speed increases have some new features that improve reliability of data. You will use these cables with new, faster 800Mbps products. There are versions of this cable that may have 4 or 6 pin standard IEEE1394a connectors, that are able to connect in a backward compatible fashion with older firewire devices.

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