Info-Mac 1992 August/info-mac-1992.iso/Report/100MB Hard Drives.txt

Internet Message Format | 1992-08-28 | 6KB

Date: Thursday, 23 Jul 1992 11:26:51 EDT
From: "Jeffrey N. Fritz" <[e-mail]>
Subject: 100 MB Hard Drive Responses

Last week I posted a message asking the netters for opinions on 100 MB
hard drives.  The response was great and I appreciate all who took time
to respond to me.  Since I posted my request, I've seen others asking
much the same question.  So here is a summary of the responses that I
received:  (Note: The editing is mine).

Thanks to all who responded.

Jeffrey Fritz
[e-mail]
West Virginia University

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From: [e-mail]01

We go by the recommendation of our dealer. Last time we got a Microtech
N150 which works fine. We are about to get a new disk, and I think that
it will be a Quisk (I don't know whose mechanism is inside it).

===================================================================
From: Scott E Maxwell

I will tell you that I am very satisfied with my GCC drive.  I bought it
about two years ago and it still works fantastic.  It is a very silent
and fast drive.  I hope that my new APS drive works out as well in the
long run.

While I cannot attest to the performance of your listed choices, let me
add one.  The APS 105 with the 105 mb Quatum LPS105S mechanism.  This is
the same mech that is in the drives you listed. APS in my opinion is a
fairly good company.  I have recently (about 2 months ago) purchased a
240 mb Quantum drive and a tape backup unit to back it up.  I was
originally considering buying from LaCie, but ended up buying from APS
because of the price.  My drive was greatly cheaper than its LaCie
counter part.  I also own an old UltraDrive 40s (40 mb Quantum mech).  I
really like GCC as a company, but don't like their prices.  The drive is
really put together very well.  I consider the whole drive to be of
slightly better quality than the APS drive I own, but other than that
there is very little I can complain about with either company or drive.
The APS has the advantage of two additional power plugs on the rear.
Also, the APS case is slightly smaller.

One last suggestion: Thisis a personnal opinion but make sure you get a
Quantum mechanism.

=============================================================
From: Wade Williams

Go with a Quantum 105 (low profile model) from APS.  You'll love it.

=============================================================
From: Greg Hinson

I have had an APS Q105 for a couple of years now and have been completely
surprised and happy at the service I get. Nothing has gone wrong with the
drive at all.

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From: Louis_Bergeron

I bought a Tsunami 105 MB last year at Boston Macworld Expo. It's a very
fine product specially with the Silverlining Package which permits
partionning and formatting, not even of the Tsunami itself, but of many
other HD. The Tsunami model can be operated either on the side or flat.
Both options are convenient. It's also easy to hook up another HD at the
back of the Tsunami. It's very quiet as compared to my Jasmine 80 hooked
to it and used as a backup only.

IMHO buy the Tsunami specially because it comes with a Quantum.

=============================================================
From: Scott Allen Gruby

I asked this question just a few weeks ago and got many responses saying
that APS drives work real well. I think that I am going to buy the Maxtor
120 external. People have had very good experiences with APS.

=============================================================
From: Chris Heilman

I've had a Mirror 105 for about a year now, and I have no complaints,it's
fast and quiet, the two most important qualities a HD can have. I don't
know about their service, since it has worked without flaw from day one.
I also have a Hard Drives International 80 MB. It is loud andslow,
however their service has been quick and trouble free. I recommend the
Mirror Drive.

=============================================================
From: Timothy Dwight Dixon

I have mixed feelings on Mirror.  I have a 40MB Portable from them, which
I bought used with my Plus.  They included a cable to connect from the
floppy port to the drive, but nowhere in my documentation (to be fair, I
may not have gotten everything, though the prof who sold it to me is sure
I did), did it warn me that connecting the hard drive to the floppy port
for power will overuse the power supply.  A $200 power supply later, I
had to give Mirror an extra $50 for an external power supply for the HD.
It came without a standard power cable.  I happened to have one sitting
around, so I don't know for sure how much more they would have wanted me
to send them for that.

That whole experience left me just a little peeved at them.  I felt like
they were hiding costs to snag me.  Later, the power supply developed an
intermitent problem, and it took several calls to customer service to get
an R/A #. They kept telling me not to worry if the problem went away.
However, they DID honor the warranty, just transferring it to me, despite
the fact that I had
no proof of purchase.

=============================================================
From: Steve Ebstein

We just bought an external 100MB Quantum drive from ClubMac. The Quantum
drives are fast, reliable, and we paid „$400 + shipping. ClubMac packages
the drive with an external SCSI ID switch, internal termination, and SCSI
Director formatting software which seems fine. No complaints.

=============================================================
From: Jim Niemann

I have been using two Mirror M105 LPS drives (one for 18 months and the
other for 13 months). I have had no problems with either drive since they
arrived. I have been pleased with Mirror support. I only once had to
call. They had sent me the wrong SCSI cable. The representative
apoligized and sent overnight a replacement. It included a return mailing
authorization to return the unneeded cable.

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