[Techtalk] Really firewire and laptop backup, honest!

[Akkana Peck]

Kim's original query got diverted into a top-posting debate, but
the firewire and laptop backup query really is an interesting one!
Trying to restart it ...

kim dang writes:
> Background:
> The Toshiba Satellite 1905-S301 comes with a "4-pin"
> firewire port. I want to connect an external Firewire
> hard drive to it for back-ups. 

I want that, too!

I've been somewhat frustrated so far, though.  I've bought four Firewire
enclosures, and had to return three because they didn't work with Linux,
or worked but required a kernel patch that for some reason isn't going
to be checked in, or worked with some controllers but not with my
laptop.  (The keeper, an ADS, works fine but is a heavy 5" size, not a
light 2.5" portable.  Haven't seen a definite review on the 2.5" ADS.)
I'm getting tired of returning stuff.

I may just get a USB enclosure.  It's slow, but it has the advantage
that it's plug-n-play everywhere: in addition to using it as a backup
device I can also use it to transfer software to my mom's computer when
I visit, etc.  And they're cheap, about half the price of firewire
enclosures.  And some day, when usb2 is better supported, maybe I can
get a usb2 cardbus card and enjoy the higher speed.

> I would prefer not to
> get a hard-drive where I also need to carry an
> external power supply. 

Most of the enclosures come with a PS/2 power cable, if your laptop
has a PS/2 plug.  If it doesn't, like mine, try a PS/2-USB adaptor.
It's marginal -- the power spec on my laptop drive (not counting
anything used by the enclosure logic) is exactly the same as the power
spec for the whole USB bus -- so it might not be 100% reliable.
Probably best to spin up the drive first before hotplugging the
firewire cable.

	...Akkana