External Drive Frustration

[hatari]

I've been using a mac mini, with an external "G-drive". The external unit requires that it is powered up and then ejected, else it starts acting strange. After light use and a few of these "improperly dismounted" errors, the thing has just crashed. Once in a while it works, but then cuts out and freezes with a "a peripheral has been removed improperly..." message. My system is a headless mac mini (but need a storage drive for my files which won't fit on the internal), Weiss DAC2 etc. I've had these issues with external drives in the past, so I conclude that I fundamentally don't like drives that I need to power up, and eject - especially when the point is to minimize the computer interaction while listening etc in a headless format.

 

Assuming I can restore my files, is there a solution to this? If mini's came with 1TB drives, I wouldn't bother and only have an external for backup. If cost is not a major factor, but I want to keep the mini, rather than add a new box, what solutions exist? Does the Drobo unit essentially mount and dismount automatically? I don't intend to ever move it, it will simply sit there behind my system.

 

Any thoughts welcome to ease the frustration.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Audio_ELF]

How about a NAS. Something like MyBook World edition should suit your requirements. Not that I've personally ever had any trouble with USB conencted disks (Western Digital, Maxtor and iOmega all used).

 

Eloise

 

[hatari]

My mini is stand alone (has wireless network connection, but not wired) and I use it's Firewire port for the Weiss DAC2. If I use the MyBook World edition, would I be using the ethernet port and effectively using it as a single computer external hard-drive (i suppose it could become a NAS drive if I wire my system)? I don't want to go wireless (used to do that, am looking now to go wired).

 

If that's the case, would I need to power it up and down every time I use it? That is my biggest issue (as per my post). If I can add it to a single computer, not have to power it up and down (ie it's recognized at all times by the computer, can stay on and is active when it needs to be), store all my itunes files there and access them to play through my mini... then perhaps it works.

 

thanks

 

[Audio_ELF]

You should be able to set up a small wired network between the MacMini and My Book World - either usind a small hub or crossover cable. In either case you'll need to set IP addresses, etc. But you won need to shut down the NAS when not in use - just leave it powered. The NAS is completely idependent from the MacMini and there is no reason why this won't work.

 

Eloise

 

[hatari]

So I connect the mac mini to the NAS (MyBook World) though a standard Ethernet cable (not sure what a hub or crossover cable is)? I'm sure setting it up requires a protocol to be setup to identify it as part of this small wired network. So a few questions Eloise:

 

1. Is it as above, using simply an ethernet cable?

2. In this setup, i can store all my music files (uncompressed) on the NAS and access them while playing

3. When playing, the computer then extracts the data from the NAS via the ethernet (ie my small wired network) and transmits it out the firewire to my firewire DAC... Am I getting it?

 

 

 

I did some digging, the Thecus N2200 (apparently made for home use - which gives me hope) also looks good. I'm very interested in a device that stays on all the time, does not have to be ejected, powers down with a switch (safely without being ejected), with large capacity and redundancy. In this configuration, wireless might not be a bad thing (ie vs streaming itunes wireless to a little airport thingy - which wasn't good), as the data is being transferred to the mini which is then feeding it (hopefully after ensuring it's perfect) through firewire to the Weiss DAC.

 

 

Best wishes