You probably said the same thing about 500GB drives back in 2006

If the data is important to you, back it up. Either way, it is good practice buy the largest drive you can afford that has a decent price/GB ratio.

A backup is only a backup if the data exists in more than one place and preferably on different mediums.

So what is a backup?

OK well let's start with what isn't a backup...

RAID is NOT a backup. RAID is redundancy, RAID is live, data errors and mistakes will be copied live across volumes. But I heard RAID 1 is a backup? You definitely heard wrong. RAID is redundancy, it's there to keep the down time to a minimum, RAID is never a backup.

OK well I bought the 5TB HDD in this deal and I took all the data from all my devices and put it on this device. Nope sorry, all you've done is move all your data to a drive, which can i.) fail ii.) be stolen iii:) be destroyed in a fire etc

So what is a backup?

A backup is a PLAN. So stop and think right now, do you know where all your data is? For example it's on your laptop, phone, tablet, they all get stolen, think how you'd get your data back, if you say well er all my data was on those devices, that's not a backup.

So a backup is a PLAN and that PLAN should consist of putting your data on multiple storage mediums, so Hard Drives, Cloud Storage and less relevant today Optical media. Your data should be replicated at minimum to more than one storage medium, and not all on the same site, if the site burns down so does all your data. Make a PLAN make a backup.

I think that's more of a limitation of your TV than a problem with this specific drive. You may get away with creating <2TB volumes on the disk to make it work with your tv.

Damn! I was just about to post this. I saw the ticket on the shelf in my local store but they were out of stock. I spoke to one of the salespeople and he said they had about 150 still in stock but none close to me! :disappointed: Hope someone else has more luck than me.

Do you have the product code so I can check my local stores?

You're braver than me if you trust 5TB of data to this thing without some form of robust back up solution!

and of course Western Digital are good drives

None in the Poole store

Be careful with this as i bought it to have as a media recorder and have all my films and music on
But when i put it in my tv the tv says it only supports up too 2 TB !
This is really just the tv's limitations appose to the drives but i din't think about the tv's limitations when i bought the Drive.
Just something to think about before purchasing if it is for your tv :-)

Thanks op was in the EK store about 20 mins after your post, got the last one on the shelf. Not sure if they would have anymore in the store room.

Never had an external drive before am I best leaving it in the enclosure or opening it up and putting it in my media centre?

I think that's more of a limitation of your TV than a problem with this specific drive. You may get away with creating <2TB volumes on the disk to make it work with your tv.

Cheers bud I might just have too look into that thanks

Its actually pretty common on TV's, Many TV's will only recognise drives with an MBR partition table which is limited to 2Tb. A 4Tb drive will be formatted as GPT partition table and won't be recognised by many TV's.

Formatting the drive with multiple MBR partition's will probably work but it's likely only the first (Primary) partition will be mounted

OP never stated his intended use......maybe it is part of his backup solution...

Heat added, good deal for this, need a new backup drive will have to see if I can hunt one down

Pic from the shelf:


Funny seeing the 4tb next to it £20 more expensive!

PC World Customer Service:

"Have you just seen this on Hot UK Deals?. We don't even sell this product now. Haven't sold it for months. They have put this on their site just to increase traffic".

Call Recorded if anyone doubts the above ...

Any order codes ?

To paraphrase from a pro photographer. "An image doesn't exist unless it is backed up in 4 separate locations"

Personally speaking the only media of real importance to me is photos and video files

I still shudder remembering a 2gb memory stick from a sony point and shoot that wasn't backed up and the pictures and video I lost…

A backup is only a backup if the data exists in more than one place and preferably on different mediums.

So what is a backup?

OK well let's start with what isn't a backup...

RAID is NOT a backup. RAID is redundancy, RAID is live, data errors and mistakes will be copied live across volumes. But I heard RAID 1 is a backup? You definitely heard wrong. RAID is redundancy, it's there to keep the down time to a minimum, RAID is never a backup.

OK well I bought the 5TB HDD in this deal and I took all the data from all my devices and put it on this device. Nope sorry, all you've done is move all your data to a drive, which can i.) fail ii.) be stolen iii:) be destroyed in a fire etc

So what is a backup?

A backup is a PLAN. So stop and think right now, do you know where all your data is? For example it's on your laptop, phone, tablet, they all get stolen, think how you'd get your data back, if you say well er all my data was on those devices, that's not a backup.

So a backup is a PLAN and that PLAN should consist of putting your data on multiple storage mediums, so Hard Drives, Cloud Storage and less relevant today Optical media. Your data should be replicated at minimum to more than one storage medium, and not all on the same site, if the site burns down so does all your data. Make a PLAN make a backup.

GOT ONE! Thank you so much OP, been after a new drive for ages but been waiting for the right price! This was amazing for the £/TB ratio.

Can you recall what drive is in it please?

^Suspect these are "Green" drives series.

Have these been found anywhere else??

I can't at the minute, but when I get home I'll have a look for you

It will be green

is this nationwide? any in Bristol or Chippenham?!

I have one of these it's been solid so far. Inside is a new WD blue branding which replaces the green but it's the same drive. This price isn't that great given you can get them for 94 from WD with the coupon.

I have two of these from the black friday deal last year, mine were Blue drives. WD phased out the Green line an merged it with Blue. Depending on their manufacture date they're likely containing Blue drives not Green unless they're very old stock.