Seagate FreeAgent Pro 750 GB 3.5" USB 2.0/eSATA External Hard Drive
by Seagate
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List Price: Our Price: $223.00 You Save: $176.99 (44%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $70.00 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Seagate FreeAgent Pro 750 GB 3.5" USB 2.0/eSATA External Hard Drive
Customer Review: What happens to your data?
Summary: 2 Stars
I really like this HDD (Seagate FreeAgent Pro 500 GB USB / eSATA External Hard Drive ST305004FPA1E2-RK). I agonized over this or the WD equivalent and buying a pre-made external HDD (as opposed to just a case and internal HDD combo). In the end, I was won over by the 5-year warranty. I like being able to fix things myself but why not have someone else do it. I put all my data from a 300 Gb and cleaned off the old drive. The new drive even installed special system back-up software. A few days later I turned it back on and got a "driver request" from Win XP. After going through all the checks and options I realized that the internal power connect was bad.
Now for the big question. If I turn it in for a new drive, I get a brand new drive, no questions asked. On the other hand, I lose all my pictures, music, movies, etc... The recovery of the data from a bad HDD is a minimum of $1400 on Seagate's site.
In the end, I cracked the case and pulled out the drive. The HDD was fine but now the warranty is void. I'm out $160 but I can use this 500Gb in another case.
Bottom line: Just buy an internal and stick it in your choice of separate case.
Update Mar 2009: I have since purchased the Western Digital 750 GB My Book Home Edition and have had no problems. Same features for $150. I'll buy a larger of the same when I need it.
Customer Review: Good external Hard Drive
Summary: 4 Stars
My first impressions were horrible. It comes enclosed in a 2' square piece of hard plastic to hold a 5" square box. Then I cut myself trying to cut into the package. ( #$%^ Why are things packaged like that)
But once I managed to access the product, it was extremely easy to setup and within minutes was running on my laptop with a USB connection. Very quietly.
I was pleased and disappointed both by the included software which is preloaded on the drive. The "autobackup" installed easily but did require a reboot. I set it up to backup my current project to the drive and it seems to be doing it but I haven't yet tried to restore anything. I am also using it to backup my entire hard drive via Acronis TrueImage and that seems to be running fine.
That is what I needed the big 750G hard drive for.
I was disappointed with the "internet drive" They don't tell you until you try to use it that it costs you to use it. There is so little info on the package that I thought that this was a way to store data on the FreeAgent disk and access it remotely via the internet. That would be a great thing but this is not what it is. it is just another web server where you can store stuff.
I recommend it if you need a big quiet external drive for backup and you have a good pair of scissors.
John
Customer Review: Super Product
Summary: 5 Stars
I am mystified as to why reviewers would downgrade the product over Amazon's in-stock or not in-stock problem. I had the same glitch but it was easily fixed and this shipping problem has no bearing on the drive whatsoever. That was just silly.
OK, on to the drive. This kind of product you really want to wait a year to see if it fails, so barring that aspect, I will absolutely give it a full 5 stars in all regards.
Though 25% smaller than the terabyte RAID 0 boxes out there, this Seagate unit is silent as can be, runs cool with no fan of any kind (the case IS a heat-sink) and is eSATA, and could be installed by any child.
The designers really did a fine job of thinking through every aspect of use. You could find a justifiable quibble about the absence of an access LED, but I think they left that off for aesthetic reasons. The thing looks great, dims when in sleep mode, is not obnoxious in any way and is fast.
From first-hand experience, the WD 1000 is fan-noisy, andthe Maxtor 1000 is a disaster: I have gone through 2 of them now and almost never had them on. I wish we could all class-action sue them. Horrible.
This is the first external drive that I really like!
Cannot wait to get my eSATA cable and get off the USB!
Customer Review: Fast & reliable data thruput, runs and looks cool -- Editor's Choice
Summary: 5 Stars
PCWorld's Editors Choice rating persuaded me to plunge into this all-too-often disappointing market. Foremost, the FreeAgent runs cool (just hand warm), it has an external powersupply (critical, as any mechanical device draws lots of juice from USB port - shortening battery life, etc). There is an on-off switch (surprisingly many units lack it); the modular design not only looks good, but provides connectivity options to select USB, USB/eSATA or firewire connection. Nice touch, the drive comes pre-formatted for the NTFS file system. Even after 3+ hours of continuous use (surface scan), the unit became warmer but not hot - a credit to sound engineering design. If you like freebies, there's a trial version of backup software, an offer to store your data via internet, and some other utilities -- personally, I just wipe them out.
The one hitch (not Seagate's problem) is the external eSATA controller; I purchased a Highpoint RR1522A which has 2 external ports and allows for RAID control of two drives. The controller works fine when the machine is awake, but seems to have problems reinitializing after a wakeup call, causing endless pulsating access to the HDD (??boot attempt) and sufficiently heavy power drain to activate the UPS alarm. Maybe have to return to the (slower) USB data link.
Customer Review: I do not usually rate but I had to warn you.
Summary: 1 Stars
I had the drive for 7 months. The drive seized and stopped. I could hear the ballbearing trying to start spinning but would stop and the drive would emit the seize beep from the controller. After reading online of the 1,000 + reviews of this cheap drive I soon came to the realization that all my photos and data were gone. I couldnt believe that I trusted this company with my personal memories. Being a hardware tech for a reputable semiconductor company I decieded to open up the drive and see exactly what was wrong with the drive. The enclosure is made very sturdy and is hard to open, almost as if seagate does not want you to find the horribly engineered parts within. Many of the harddrive parts that are typically aluminum are actually plastic. When I opened the actual harddrive I found that the arms were locking the discs down and holding them from turning. After I bent the arms out of the way I was able to spin up the disc though this is pointless with dead arms.
Pros: It is low in price.
Cons: It is cheaply made.
You will end up losing everything on the drive.
Seagate doesnt care if they ruin all the pictures on your drive because they cut costs.
Hey.... Dont say I didnt warn you.