I have purchased three large drives in the past two weeks. I then find a cheap USB enclosure for about $20. Voila, for about $65 (including shipping), I've got a gigantic backup device. I use dealnews.com to find the deals.

The last drive I purchased, two days ago is still on sale. 160 GB fo4 $30, after rebates. Not quite 200 GB, to be sure, but it is just about the cheapest 100+ GB drive I've seen. Here's the link:

160GB CompUSA Hitachi Drive

Dang!!!! I got ripped off. I spent $34.95 for a Western Digital 120GB, 7200RPM HD at Best Buy. (well, er, uh, plus the $60. in rebates I have to wait for.)
Another question if anyone cares to answer. If I buy an External drive, and I'm still using WIndows ME, can I go above the 137GB limit without hacks? Or do I have to try to figure out this DOS stuff too?
PS: A site that comes in handy for local USA sales:
www.salescircular.com

I would recommend you get either Windows 2000 (Upgrade(d) to Service Pack 3 at least), or Windows XP (With at least Service Pack 1).
But if you stubbornly ;-) want to keep on using ME (which I have always considered the most junky version of Windows), here is the site for your eyes ;-) :
http://www.48bitlba.com/win98.htm

As for cheap drives, here are the lowest prices I ever saw (all at Fry's):
- 80GB Western Digital for ~$17
- 120GB Western Digital for ~$20
- 160GB Seagate for ~$25
- 200GB Seagate for ~$40
All of the prices are after rebates (DUH! ;-).
Someone beat those, heh, heh!

I got the same WD.. but mine died. :( The GOOD news? WD shipped me a FREE replacement via 2d-UPS (the fubar'ed & it took 3 days.. as usual!). All I gotta do is send back the old one.

Hey, as long as they work, and I don't pay anything for them after buying them! That's why I started using Seagate drives instead of Hitachi/IBM drives. 5-year warranty versus 3-year warranty. Who wouldn't, especially when they are among the cheapest, if not the cheapest, drives around.

Can anyone recommend a good enclosure for the seagate drives?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=31389

this one is $50. AR, but it got some so-so reviews

thanks

Jeff

I got Adaptec ACS-100 USB 2.0 hard drive enclosure, and I have used both Hitachi and Seagate drives (200GB Hitachi, 300GB Seagate), and I had no problems with it at all. The only little issue I had was that sometimes Windows XP on my cheap laptop wouldn't see it after I restart Windows, but I simply turn the enclosure off and on, and Windows detects it immediately.
I had this issue only with Windows XP Home Edition on my laptop, and if I remember well, I have never had it with my Windows 2000 Professional desktops.
I checked this enclosure on Froogle, and it is about $40. It supports up to 1000GB IDE/ATA drives. I measured its transfer speed in Nero, and it shows about 25MBps (Mega Bytes per second, not Mega Bits per second), which means that you can transfer a 700MB CD in about 28 seconds.

I was hoping for a USB2 and firewire. One complaint was that the fans are loud.

Thanks,

Jeff

Then the Adaptec ACS-200 should do the trick. It's a USB 2.0 and Firewire combo, and I think that it doesn't have fans, just like the ACS-100.
This one has 1 USB, and 2 Firewire ports, according to Adaptec website.
It costs somewhere between $55 and $60.

I will look into it, and thanks for the 200GB link I just ordered one ($.20 per GB, not too shabby). I sure hate the rebate program, 2 forms, cut out the UPC, stand on one leg and jump up and down...

Jeff

Just make sure you follow the rebate instructions, and there should be no problems! I know, I don't like rebates either, and the need to pay so much upfront, and wait for so long, but when something is so cheap after rebate, why not go for it?

Well, I just got 2 notices that I did not send in the original UPC, receipt and date of purchase, which is all untrue. I am sitting here looking at the hole in my box where I cut the UPC and copies of what I sent in.

I call up and they tell me to cut out any piece of the box and mail that in. They also said that they only except one $40. rebate, not the $40 plus $30 that was advertised at Fry's.

I really think they are just trying to wear people down.

Jeff