Facepalm... (PC + HDD stuff)

[Nik_SpeakerToCats]

It's about two (2) years until Win'10 stops updating --And, yes, I do remember M$ promise about #10 being the definitive, ultimate version, Ha !!-- so I'd begun wondering how much $$$ I'd need to save to replace my CAD_Tower and network render 'Box' with Win'11-compatible hardware.

My CAD_Tower, as planned, would not be compatible. But, the carrier trashed its mobo, did not deliver because carton 'tinkled prettily' when tilted. That had been the last in store, the different mobo I got from the refund was rather different. Belated 'RTFM' found it has a 'TPM' socket, for a 20-pin security widget. Hasty 'RTFM' for Box' info found it, too, has a 'TPM' socket, a 14-pin...

Okay, so they're covered...
Yes, yes, I know both PCs will be getting 'rather old' by then, but both will accept generic SSDs, which should enliven them...

One side-effect of this 'RTFM' was I noticed the CAD_Tower had even more USB ports than I'd remembered. Included a pair each of 3.0 and 3.1...

Such would really, really speed doing a full back-up of the 1+1+1+4 TB boot and data drives, currently ~2.5 TB but growing rapidly.

And, Amazon are having a sale ? What is there on offer ??

Huh ? All these so-nicely priced WD external drives are 'SRM' ? Wasn't there something about...

Ah, 'Shingle Mode', such the first half of drive generally writes rapidly in 'continuous' mode, such as for a massive back-up session, but the second half slows painfully as it must do 'interleave'. Big scandal ensued when several drive brands 'forgot to mention' this bottleneck...

Worse, these 'nice' WD SRM external drives seem to encrypt 'on the fly', with no apparent way to turn off the facility. Several customers complained that, even switched 'off'', encryption is still on. Translation: If housing's board goes wonky, you cannot pull drive and read as generic SATA. If out of limited warranty, is trash...

Okay, having such hardware encryption would be welcomed by folk who have eg commercially sensitive files, who would prefer such files to be secured thus. I'd prefer to 'pull' drive 'in extremis' and trawl for my stranded files...

Perhaps go for un-boxed SATA drive of trad 'CRM' variety ? More expensive per TB, as no interleaving means reduced capacity but sustained speed.

Happens I've an external SATA twin-dock, connects via USB 3.0, can handle 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch HDDs. While digging that out, I discovered I'd a pair of 'WD Elements' external drives, 4 TB each, USB 3.0, bought just over a year ago. I'd backed up my tales and tales research onto one, forgot...

There's enough space left for a complete back-up. The second, now un-boxed, can do next complete back-up, so I've 'kicked the can down the road' until prices stabilise...

Yes, yes, both are probably SRM drives, but they'd be run over-night...

FWIW, on Amazon, there's some 'budget' portable USB drives using SSD that claim eg MEMG 8TB External Hard Drive,Portable SSD Drive,Solid State External Hard Drives, Computer Backup Small Disk Drive USB3.0 to Type C for PC Desktops Laptop Compatible with XS Windows（Silver）
£68.99
To put it politely, none of their very few reviews are happy. Unclear if outright scam, like those infamous 'budget' 1TB thumb-drives, or have misread bits for bytes like several ISPs' peroptimistic sales-drones, or are just 'trash'...
Which-ever, best shunned, to be sure, to be sure...