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2TB+ disks, backing up and known issues...

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  • External Hard Drive
  • Storage
Last response: in Storage
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April 7, 2013 1:28:57 PM

I want to implement a back up solution into my set up, preferably using an external hard drive. The total amount I want to back up is approx 1.5TB, but I'd like room for expansion in the future, so have decided on a 3TB drive.

Having asked for recommendations on drives elsewhere, I've been told that any hard drive over 1TB capacity, is prone to failure, defects and/or performance issues. The advice given to me, has been to buy 1TB drives to back up to. This seems very irregular, if 2TB+ drives are on the market and freely available - yet it seems they will not be 'fit for purpose'.

Note - In addition this, i am aware of the following:

- MBR partition style doesn't support disks over 2.2TB, GPT has to be used (due to 32bit addressing / 512KB sector limit)

- Windows 7 CAN read and write to disks over 2.2TB, but only 64bit versions can boot from them (in GPT partitions and EFI firmware)

- The built in Windows backup program won't recognise / work with disks bigger than 2TB

Given this, I had planned to buy a USB3 3TB external drive (http://www.ebuyer.com/434461-toshiba-3tb-stor-e-canvio-...), and Acronis True Image 2013, which support disks over 2TB.

Assuming the above is correct and it WILL work - are there issues backing up from an MBR partition to GPT, and restoring back from GPT to MBR?

I'd like a second opinion on these so called issues with 2TB+ disks?

Hope someone can help.

More about : 2tb disks backing issues

a b G Storage
April 8, 2013 10:28:16 AM

If you are going to stick with Win 7 then I would recommend that you stay with 2 TB drives for ease of access and exchange.

My experience with a 3 TB drive (Hitachi) 2 X 2 TB drives (Samsung), 2 X 1.5 TB drives (Seagate) and a new NAS with 2 X 2TB (Seagate) drives is that there are far fewer headaches and less administrative issues if you are working with 2 TB drives (and under) in Win 7. If you are working in Win 8 there is no issue with 2+ TB drives.

Now, if you go for a NAS, the issue of 2 + TB drives evaporates if the NAS has software that reads and writes to those drives (i.e. a mini-OS for storage/backup). The NAS I have is the Seagate's and it comes with Blackarmor software that bypasses the Win 7 OS.

What you plan is OK, but you will need to put up with the headaches of administration if you go with 3 TB drives.

Ther is no difficulty from backing MBR to GPT (and vice versa) as long as the OS can read both formats simiultaneously.
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April 9, 2013 5:33:44 AM

chesteracorgi said:
If you are going to stick with Win 7 then I would recommend that you stay with 2 TB drives for ease of access and exchange.

My experience with a 3 TB drive (Hitachi) 2 X 2 TB drives (Samsung), 2 X 1.5 TB drives (Seagate) and a new NAS with 2 X 2TB (Seagate) drives is that there are far fewer headaches and less administrative issues if you are working with 2 TB drives (and under) in Win 7. If you are working in Win 8 there is no issue with 2+ TB drives.

Now, if you go for a NAS, the issue of 2 + TB drives evaporates if the NAS has software that reads and writes to those drives (i.e. a mini-OS for storage/backup). The NAS I have is the Seagate's and it comes with Blackarmor software that bypasses the Win 7 OS.

What you plan is OK, but you will need to put up with the headaches of administration if you go with 3 TB drives.

Ther is no difficulty from backing MBR to GPT (and vice versa) as long as the OS can read both formats simiultaneously.


Excellent, thanks for your reply and for clarifying things. It sounds like NAS is going to be the best solution - albeit a bit expensive. So is the rubbish about disks over 2.2TB failing etc just that?
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a b G Storage
April 9, 2013 5:51:00 AM

In my experience the problems with HDDs over 1 TB are spotty. I have not had a problem with any drive in any new builds since 2011.
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