My Book (Photo Storage)

[jORJIA]

My husband for Christmas gave me the external hard drive My Book. Does anyone eles own one and if so do you use the extra features it gives.
Like the Picasa2? or the Google that comes with it?

[Jodi Frye]

I picked one up about 5 weeks ago..WD My Book 250mb firewire. I have not yet used the extras...Only intention for use is to store my very large psd art files. Not even sure what that google stuff is and I'm pretty sure Picasa is just another image organizer...perhaps it has a few extra bells and whistles over PE Organizer but afterall, we have Photoshop and Elements which have plenty of those :)

[MarieBoyer]

I picked one up on Black Friday. I did not download those freebies as they are unneccessary if you already have PSE. Picasa is a very nice, free photo organizer with some easy-to-use photo software as well. But it does not compare to PSE. And, you can always download any google product later.

I am using mine solely for digital video files.

[LisaS]

I use Picasa (started using it before I got PSE, so now I'm in both worlds) . . . I use it because it is a clean and simple gateway to online photo storage on Picasaweb, which I like because it allows the people who you tell about your page to download as many of your photos as they want. This also means that I, too, can use it to dowload my own photos--which means it's a great not-in-my-house backup system (although without a nested file structure, too bad). I am using MyBook to hold all my photos (at least, that's my plan, when I (hopefully) migrate everything off my internal hard drive to it--tomorrow's task!) and use Picasaweb as my backup system. You can also send photos from Picasa to the online print order services (like Shutterfly). You can download and organize your photos through PSE, and Picasa can see them with that file structure, so there's no extra work there. I think it takes the version sets and flattens them, but the editted versions are at least there so you can use them. Overall, it's not an all-in-one option, but it's a nice, simple, and effective gateway to some other useful things. And my friends love it for ease of viewing and downloading. Oh, you can also make any of your web albums private, in case you don't want those nosy friends to see everything! :)

[jORJIA]

:confused:

Well I got it hooked up, but I'm having SOOO many proplems....Now it won't even come on at all....I have no Idea what the issue is. I have done everything even tryed to uninstall and reinstall....Nothing....

I don't know if it's my PC or if that Book is bad.
I'm so upset I placed alot of Pics on there and now I have nothing...

Does anyone have any idea what could be the problem...I'm so bummed

[jORJIA]

So I don't need any of them freebies....Good because it's just confuses me. It was working well and now I have nothing...It has me banging my head.

I'm using it for storage for pictures.

[jORJIA]

Well since hooking it up....It worked for about 3 hours now I have nothing.. I know my system can handle it...but dang.

[epaul6]

Are you using firewire? you must install it with the supplied usb 2.0 cable first then you can reconnect with the firewire cable? Can you see the drive in "My Computer". If not do a restart and be sure the drive is turned on. If you shut the drive off it won't be recognized if you just turn it back on unless you restart your computer (be sure your My Book is turned on before the restart then check to see if the drive appears in My Computer after your computer boots.

[MarieBoyer]

jORJIA:

I also had problems with My Book while it was in a particular USB connection (on the front of my computer). None of my other externals have this problem. But it crashed my computer and I could not even boot while it was connected to that USB.

I unhooked it and connected it to one of the USB connections in the back of my computer (I believe these are connected directly to the motherboard), and I have not had one problem since. I rebooted and everything went smoothly.

No idea if that might also be your issue, but try a new connection and post back?

[Chuck S.]

Many computers that are "older" (more than 3 or 4 years...!) have USB 1.1 ports which don't accommodate external hard drives very well at all - the newer USB 2.0 ports are a must. If your computer has an open expansion slot, a 5-port USB 2.0 card can be purchased for under $25 US at many computer stores. The new ports are added to the back of the computer, although some USB 2.0 cards come equipped with an extra port that can be routed to the front of the computer.

I've performed that surgery on a couple computers already and it's a very easy install.

Chuck

[MarieBoyer]

Chuck:
By "open expansion slot" do you mean an extra USB 2.0 port? Thanks for this advice because I think I need more ports!

[Chuck S.]

Marie, not an extra USB port, but rather a slot for an expansion card like a modem or video card. The installation usually requires taking part of the case off the computer and unscrewing a rectangular piece of metal, then plugging the 'card' into the slot and reassembling the case. Sounds more difficult than it is...

Chuck

[jORJIA]

OK I'm wearing a dunce cap right now..so bear with me What is Fire Wire?
Is that the cable that comes with it?...

BTW after spending 45 min. on hold with WD We found the trouble I was having....It's not my PC it was the MY BOOK...it is bad he had me unplug it from my safety plug cord..and directly plug it into the wall, and got nothing no green light nothing. So he said to return and get a new one. So today I'm taking it back...

I can now quit banging my head on the key board.:D

[jORJIA]

Marie,

I am connecting in back of my PC...


Ah HA!!! Problem was found!! After being on hold for about 45 minutes waiting for a tec at Western Digital..We or he found the problem. I did do everything right, my connections were correct it was the MY BOOK...He thought that my shock cord that it was plug into was the issue at first because It still wouldn't power up. So he had me disconnect and directly plug it into the wall socket...It STILL wouldn't power up. He said that the MY BOOK was bad.. So after waiting for 45 minutes on hold and talking with him for maybe 10 minutes he told me to return it, and get a new one.

Which totally is good, bad thing is I lost alot of pic's I DID still have them all EXCEPT my Christmas ones....which bums me out a bit...sigh, but at least I know what the problem is an Now going to get a new one. :D

[jORJIA]

Chuck

Hi the MY BOOK was bad..So today I'm taking the bad one back to the store and getting another one..I see that most has a bigger one I mean mine is a 160 GB which I was told was more than I would ever need...If that's so must be some who have the larger size take WAY more pics?

I will be using mine as a back up for my Pictures and will also be dumping my PC information on there as well for back up.

Does the MY BOOK let you know how much space has been used?

Is there any other things I need to know before I get the new one. The sales man said all I had to do is plug in and that was it.

Question:confused: When using it ....Do I work off of it or do I have to retake a pic that I working with off of MY BOOK replace on PC to work on it OR can I work with the pic's while it's on the MY BOOK?

[mom to 4]

jORJIA

A firewire connection plug looks like a rectangle (fatter than a USB) that has two of the four edges curved. All the firewire cables I have are clear with what looks to be silver cables braided inside.

Like my high tech description?????:eek: :D

[jORJIA]

Hey my kind of description.:)

So is this something I need to have?? It sound's impressive....So that would replace the USB cable that comes with it?


So much to learn...So much to learn...

Hey I see you have all of the big lenes....a friend of ours takes pic's out west of Animals in the wild...he gave me his MM lens to try...let me say WOW what a lens..it's an older model and it's so heavy...but let me say I can bring stuff closer than I would have though. I checked it out by going to Lake Michigan and taking Pics of the pier....It was like "HELLO"
He is thinking of going Digital..he has all of the older film cannon stuff and more lens than I could ever imagin...

Sorry I sorta trailed off....heh heh:)

[mom to 4]

Jorjia:

Oh, no, I just explained a firewire because I saw your post!!! Actually, I have two external HD (both Maxtors) and they use a firewire. I had used them separately plugging them into the front of my computer, then I realized I had ports in the back and everyone says they work much better in the back. So I moved the one that I use for my backups to the back, but I still connect the one which contains my photos to the front and only plug it into the computer and the wall when I am using it.

Are you talking about my lenses?????:eek: :eek: I don't have anything too special except my 85mm. That is my prize. I do a lot of sports photography and have found that lens spectacular..... for my needs, that is!

[MarieBoyer]

Marie,

I am connecting in back of my PC...


Ah HA!!! Problem was found!! After being on hold for about 45 minutes waiting for a tec at Western Digital..We or he found the problem. I did do everything right, my connections were correct it was the MY BOOK...He thought that my shock cord that it was plug into was the issue at first because It still wouldn't power up. So he had me disconnect and directly plug it into the wall socket...It STILL wouldn't power up. He said that the MY BOOK was bad.. So after waiting for 45 minutes on hold and talking with him for maybe 10 minutes he told me to return it, and get a new one.

Which totally is good, bad thing is I lost alot of pic's I DID still have them all EXCEPT my Christmas ones....which bums me out a bit...sigh, but at least I know what the problem is an Now going to get a new one. :D

Glad to hear that you have solved the problem and they are making it right! Good for you!

[MarieBoyer]

jORJIA

A firewire connection plug looks like a rectangle (fatter than a USB) that has two of the four edges curved. All the firewire cables I have are clear with what looks to be silver cables braided inside.

Like my high tech description?????:eek: :D

Very nicely put Colleen!!!!!!

[MarieBoyer]

Marie, not an extra USB port, but rather a slot for an expansion card like a modem or video card. The installation usually requires taking part of the case off the computer and unscrewing a rectangular piece of metal, then plugging the 'card' into the slot and reassembling the case. Sounds more difficult than it is...

Chuck

Thanks Chuck. I have been interested in adding a GIG of RAM to my computer. Maybe I see about adding one of these at the same time.

[jORJIA]

Mom to 4

What ya tyin to do confuse me??? :D
Hey I got my new My Book and once I got it all formatted....Wa LA! Ta DA!
It is Done....:D and so far it's seems to be working fantastic...

Does that lens do the action shots?

[jORJIA]

Thank you thank you....

I wonder if they keep you on hold just for kicks....:rolleyes: ah well I guess one has to wait...at least they could have gave me better music to listen to.

[mom to 4]

:D It does GREAT action shots!:D