Zip disk or CD-WR?

erik · Posted 4 Sep 2001 12:13 pm

I need to buy a storage device so i can save all my programs as i low-level format my drive. Which is a better value? Which is more reliable? Does the Zip drive compress data? I'm concerned about archiving wav files of multi-track recordings. Also, USB or parallel port? Thanks.

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Zip drives have almost outlived their usefulness and are much more expensive than CD burners, especially when you consider the price of the media. I'd recommend an internal burner if at all possible. If not, then USB, and parallel port only as a last resort.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I agree with Jim. A 100MB Zip disk is about $12.00. A 750MB re-writeable CD is less than $1.00.

Also, Zip drives are more expensibve than a CD burner.

Lem Smith · From: Long Beach, MS

I recently picked up a Hewlett-Packard model 9510 CD burner at Wal-Mart for $99.99, and it's able to record at up to 12X speed. It's also re-writable, but at a slower speed, 8X I think. Anyway, it comes with a nice backup program that makes it easy to do either a complete or partial backup. It also comes with a blank recordable CD and a blank CD-RW disk and some nice additional software.

They also had the model 9150 for the same price, but it only records at 8X.

All of that to say this: I agree with Jim and Jack on the choice of a CD burner being the way to go.

erik · Posted 4 Sep 2001 6:41 pm

This is funny because i just got off the phone with my sister who suggested i go with a 250meg zip because it's faster and easier. Now i don't know what to choose. Smile

I did see both HP models at Wal-Mart yesterday. I would need an external regardless of which device i went with. A 250meg Zip is $160. But i might still get one. I like the idea of just dragging things into it. Thanks for the input. I'll have to mull this over.

Larry Beck · From: Pierre, SD

Here's something else to consider:
1. With Adaptec's software you can format a cd so that it is "drag & Drop". It can then only be read by a CDRW machine, but that's not a big deal.
2. You can take wav files and make your own CD's of your favorite songs in whatever order you choose, then play them on any cd player. Try that on the old iomega... ;]

Craig Allen · From: BEREA, KENTUCKY, USA

If you intend to "back up"on a regular basis, as in every day/night, get the zip.

If you're just going to save yourself from yourself, then get the burner. The burner is so much more usefull to you,especially as you are a musician, as has already been pointed out.

I do suggest that if you get a burner, try to get it from a computer parts dealer. Since I don't know where you live, I cannot suggest one, but around here, I use The Gap, and Menu-Driven. Both have web sites, but I would suppose it's too far fer ya to drive. LOL

Also, get a Norton program known as Ghost.
Ghost your HD, and then you'll be in business.

John Gretzinger · From: Canoga Park, CA

DON'T USE GHOST.

Erik - I've been reading your other post, and in this instance you do not want to use Ghost. You have some problem that you definately do not want to carry over to the "new" hard disk.

Zip disks are wonderful in that they are quick and a lot of people have them for moving data back and forth. I have them on all 4 machines at our house (only two are networked as I don't want the kids stuff from the internet and school hitting my machine) and use the zips for updating and moving large files around. These are things that will only be used maybe once or twice. I can use the same $12.00 zip disk a lot. I simply do not find an advantage in using the CD burner for moving small amounts of data around.

Now, for backup and large amounts of data, the CD burner is the way to go. I have one on my machine (32-8-8 I think) and it is shared out on the network so I can copy or backup from either machine.

Both have their places - you should get one of each.

jdg

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MSA D-10
'63 Gibson Hummingbird
16/15c Hammered Dulcimer

Bill Crook · From: Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance

I have a ZIP-Disk unit with a scusi controller card. It works very well with Windows 98. BUT........ I am in the process of updateing the computer to Windows 2000 Professional. Guess what ..... Iomeaga don't make a driver for Windows 2000 O/S. So now, It looks like the zip drive bites the dust !!! Too bad, I really do like the thing. I guess I'll have to start using the CDR/W's now.

David Pennybaker · From: Conroe, TX USA

I suggest Zip drives and Jaz drives. Well, waddya know? I got some over here I can sell ya, too!

Go for the CD-R drive. You can get a very good deal on the 16x drives right now.

Don't spend much extra to get the -RW option, though.

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

If he wants to write anything to CD, he MUST have a CDRW (CD Reader Writer).

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

The "RW" designation is "re-write". They are probably misnamed as a CD-R writer is one that will only "write" but not "re-write", a CDR-RW will do both. The write only CD burners are bascially extinct, all I've seen in the last couple of years are both write and re-write.

Bill Crook · From: Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance

Well....... I finally found a driver that will let me use the zip drive with Windows 2000, If you want info on this driver please e-mail me for details.

So, all is alive and well in the land of zip drives and scusi controllers.

Rich Paton · From: Santa Maria, CA.,

Burn your data to CD.
Iomega zip drives can unexpectedly, randomly suffer a dreaded "click of death", syndrome, and at that point your data is toast.
The only advantage of a zip drive lately was its portability. But now everyone has a CD burner, so I guess that's out the window too.
I dimly remember when CD rom drives for PC's first came out...were they something like $900 to $1200 or so, for a 2X drive?
Hey, I think the cost of recordable blank CD's is now less than that of buying actual coasters or clay pigeons. PULL! :>)

Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

eric,
Get a good CD burner,also Easy CD Creator 5 platinum with that you can convert mp3 to play anywhere cd's,you can also drag and drop files,make your own music CD with the selections you want on them,Compusa,Best Buy
Circuit City to name a few and they will install if you don't have a computer guru
close by.

Bill Ford

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Jimmy Campbell · From: Fayette, Alabama.

I have a question also about the Zip drive.
I got several Zip disk and started backing up programs on my computer, when one disk would get full it would say insert another disk.
My computer crashed and I lost everything I had. I have tried to see what was on the Zip disk so I could restore some of the stuff I lost but every time I put one in it says to insert the first disk, which I do and it gives me the same thing, insert the first disk.
Can someone tell me what is happening.
Can you not insert a Zip disk and see what is on it like you can with a floppy disk.
Thanks.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

The zip disk is apparently one of a backup set. When you do a recovery from a backup set the recovery program sometimes reads the first disk and then the last disk to get the contents and then prompts you for the first disk again. The data is compressed on the disks and some backup programs have a proprietry compression system and only that system will allow reconstructing the data on the disk.

This can happen with floppies, zip disk or even a CD backup.

David Pennybaker · From: Conroe, TX USA

Bob Hayes · From: Church Hill,Tenn,USA

Eric...I made this same suggestion on another post..check out "Tiger Direct".I think their prices are better than Wal Mart and they have more invetory..there are some other mail order places to on the web..the cd-rw are getting less expensive..the disk are cheap and hold a lot more data or what ever.and it's realy easy to brurn you stuff on the CD's.I've got a zip and a lot of disk with CAD stuff..,but my drive "broke" I'm starting to put everything on cdrw
Gouchyvet

Mylos Sonka · From: Larkspur CA USA

Here's a completely different direction to take. I use an ORB Disc. It's similar to a Zip disc, but with 2.2 gig capacity!! The coolest thing about them is that they are incredibly fast-- faster than my hard drive, much faster than zip discs.

After you have turned on your PC, the very first file you open in the Orb disc is slow, about like opening a letter stored on a floppy. But after that, it screams.

I have no idea why everyone is using Iomega products. High profile, I guess.

One thing for sure, before you buy any Iomega product (Zip), snoop around on the web at the anti-Iomega websites. You will be surprised. I personally got a huge runaround trying to get my lousy fifty buck rebate from them. Good thing I xeroxed all the forms. It was probably a net waste of time/money, but I'm stubborn and threatened to join one of the many class action suits against them; they forked over in the end.

Mylos

Miguel e Smith · From: Phoenix, AZ

If the choice is between the ZIP drive and the CDR (or CDRW) drive, the CDR is probably the better way to consider. I have both ZIP and CDR(W)and it's far more economical to buy blank CDR disks than it is to buy ZIP blanks. Once the recordable DVD units get a bit more affordable, that will be my choice for storing/backing up huge amounts of data.

Another note, if you are looking for a way of backing up audio data, ZIP drives will fill up very fast unless you do compress the info. I've had errors occur in the compression/decompression process and found it more reliable to not compress. Why tamper with your creativity and performances? Therefore, we're right back to the CDR storage once again.

Rich Paton · From: Santa Maria, CA.,

For those who do have/use the Iomega zip (parallel port type) disk drives, Iomega have a new driver for W98 available for download on their support website, which works without loading all the (largely superflous) Iomega installation software that came with the drive. I consider this safer than loading the older installation software, which has been known to overwrite some systems files & cause problems.

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