# external hard drives



## waterborne (Jul 2, 2005)

if i want multiple external hard drives connected to a computer through one usb or firewire port what would be the easiest method of connecting all of them? sorry if the question is not clear


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Just to be sure, you meant this post under mac?

I would think with USB drives, a hub would be the easiest.


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## VegasACF (May 27, 2005)

AcaCandy said:


> Just to be sure, you meant this post under mac?
> 
> I would think with USB drives, a hub would be the easiest.


Either a hub (for USB) or daisy-chaining them (FireWire). That goes for _either_ platform.


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## Saxon (Jul 2, 2005)

I strongly recommend you go for Firewire and daisychain the drives. Firewire has an advantage over USB in that it is not processor dependent, in other words it is a more reliable form of data transfer and because of this reliability is why it is the primary method used for video recording.


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## waterborne (Jul 2, 2005)

what do youmean by daisy chaining them?


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

"chaining" 
The first drive connects to the computer,
the second drive connects to the first drive .... etc ...


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## waterborne (Jul 2, 2005)

thanks, thats kind of what i was thinking but wasnt sure


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

You can also do this with some USB externals - but they have to have the extra USB connector.

I just use USB externals and hook them to an extra USB / PCI card when I run out of USB ports. An external hub will also work.

I think this is the "easiest" since the USB externals are more common or cheaper.


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## waterborne (Jul 2, 2005)

so when i do this will the drives pop up as one drive (if i daisy chain them) and to get to the next drive i have to go through the first one or would they all pop up as seperate drives


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

You'll have separate drive letters.


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## ChrisF` (Aug 5, 2005)

What is daisy chain? how does it work?

I currently have 1 combo enclosure (2 FW & 1 USB ports) that I use for my LG DVD Writer, I recently bought an 3.5" HDD (160GB), so now thinking to get another external enclosure for this new HDD. Since there're 2 FW ports on my combo enclosure, can I use one of them as a connection point instead of a FW hub? My TiBook has only 1 FW port.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Hi and welcome. Usually it's best to start your own thread, as sometimes you get overlooked tagging onto an exisiting one.

http://www.answers.com/topic/daisy-chain

That may assist you a bit.


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