USB hub question

eSata is the simplest solution... 5x faster than USB.

I've got one of these enclosures, works with eSata and USB link

Takes about 10 seconds to change the HDD over, the tray at the
front just slides forward and you lift the HDD out and put another
one in.

Well made and the quite bright LED changes blue to red
in use. Switches itself about 5 secs after the PC shuts
down.

eSATA is 300MB/s and USB is 1,5MB/s so don't know how you come with the number 5
USB3 is faster than eSATA, USB3 is rated at 400MB/s but the protocols might bring that down quite a bit...

Come on guys, the lady asked for :-

Bernard

If you've already got a router at home this might be useful. No worries about speed, or power. You can add as many as you like too.

Apple's new thunderdolt smokes 'em all.... I know... it's thunderbolt... lol!

I believe it's already said...

HUB is good for low data devices, phones, mp3 players, mouse, keyboard and other controllers and maybe your printer or scanner.
For harddisk and there faster USB drives you will probably get into trouble so you're better off looking for another solution.

Adding an extra controller might be an idea, you simply push them into a empty PCI slot in your PC and that's pretty murphy proof so don't be scared doing it yourself.
You can get an USB3 or eSATA controller for around 20 to 30 € and those feature two slots most of the time.

Other options is a NAS drive, that is a harddisk that connected to a network.
Some harddisk have the connection for that but also some network hubs have an USB connection where you can plug in the harddisk.
There are also dictated solution but they're around the €100 which are basicly small PCs where you can fit in internal harddrives.
If you want a drive which can be access by multiple devices in the house then this probably the best option.

sometimes the question is easier asked than answered... I don't even know what she's running for a system......
saying esata is easy enough... but that would be on a system that supports it! same with fire wire! but if she got gigbit ethernet and it is mostly for backup then yes there are nas solutions that can be set up as raids and that is the easiest, non techiest answer you can offer... she doesn't need to understand HOW it works so much as she needs to convey what she's looking for to somebody that can sell her and help her set up what she needs.

makes me wonder how an airport control tower operator would feel if a radio transmission comes in from an airbourne 747 saying "I don't know how to fly this thing, the pilot's unconcious. Just give me the quick, non techie instructions......" not like skydiving.... where the whole skydiving course is irrelevant... two short statements on a business card would suffice just fine...
"Jump out of plane"
"Pull that little cord on your lapel"
Good luck, have a nice day!

Thank you for your responses, even if some did go way over my head .

It turns out the In House Geek has been applying some grey matter to the problem, whilst working away from home.

He has decided to buy me a new, bigger, better, shinier, faster computer and best of all to set it up for me, and then use my old one as a network server.

The new one will probably sit in it's box for several weeks until he gets around to it, but hey I'm getting a new computer, just as soon as he decides how much to spend on it. He is studying the Dell website even as I type. We both have Dells and are happy with them so I don't mind a new Dell.

Great news - I've had a Dell (the same one) for over 10 years.

I would rather hope in a situation like that he would respond with simple plain language rather than "watch the do-hicky meter"; "pull the flappen-squeezer lever" or whatever Aliengrove is used to in his daily life.

To be honest I was starting to lose the gist of the replies

regards
Bernard

WOW - that's a nice wee pressie to get

haha that's one problem solved it seems

Were talking about stuff to go one OLD hardware here Stefan. Plus it can be moved about and used on other computers which probably won't have the latest and greatest

Good luck with the new system Gwyn

You can quite easy expand your computer with USB3 or an eSATA connection for 20 pounds or so.
I would go for USB3 though for a movable solution because an USB3 harddisk will also run on a USB2 port which almost any computer will have, eSATA is still pretty rare sadly.

I already have a lot of eSata 3Gb/s HDD's and they are cheap and
fast enough for anything I do so I'm staying with them for now.

To put eSata on a PC doesn't even need a card as long as it's
supported by th MB. Just needs one of these link

Esata 6Gb/s is out now, but I prefer to keep everything the same
for now.

I have one of those laying around but never used it since i don't have a device for it.

The difference between SATA 3Gb/s and 6Gb/s is the controller, they use precisely the same cable lucky.