HardwareForumStorageCan I use the G-Tech G Drive on a PC with Windows 10? Can I use the G-Tech G Dr

[Submariner]

This drive looks ideal for me as an external back up drive, so I Will have an archive drive in the pc, and an external one to put in the safe:-
G-DRIVE USB | G-Technology
7,200 rpm, external power supply, USB3.0, and hopefully the rumour it uses the HGST NAS drive inside is true , and will match my internal HGST archive drive which is the 7,200 rpm 4TB HGST NAS drive.

My concerns are:-
1. It really seems geared for MAC users, and only talks about support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 - will it work GPT NTFS format with Windows 10?
2. Will I need a new driver, or will there be one in Windows 10?
3. Does anyone know if it does use the HGST 7,200 rpm drive inside?
4. Some external drives have some kind of soldered on controller - and if that fails you are stuffed. Ideally I would like it, if all fails, that I Can canibalise this toy, and connect a sata power and data cable and mount it in the PC. Does anyone know how this is built?
5. G-Tech do have a section on converting it to Windows (albeit Windows 8.1). I Right that all this is, is a basic hard drive, and therefore can easIly be reformatted? Or will there be complex power management stuff for the external power supply. ?
I have been burnt twice with cheap external USB drives; that should use the external power supply - but in reality blue screen, after overloading the 0.9amp USB3.0 ports power supply!
6. Has anyone here used this drive and if somwas it with Windows
7. Any views on G Tech G Drive quality.

Hope its a good one as it looks well built (albeit from the pictures) and ticks all the boxes .... If it works ... And works with Windows 10 and is relieable.

Any help advice or other recommendations welcome
But it seem great value at £148. I paid £122 for just the raw HGST 4TB 7,200 NAS drive.

 

[Deslok]

1 it's a standard USB3 device it should work under win10 without issue
2 no drivers should be needed
3 I don't know
4 unless it does something weird with partitioning(I know seagate 4tb externals used to do this) it should be readable when removed otherwise it would at least still be usable but need to be formatted
5 there should be no power managment stuff
6 a video production company in my building uses several different G-Drive units mac and pc under windows(7 8.1 and 10) and osx without issue
7 none of the ones they have had failed but I consider them overpriced here in the US

If you really want to get a good drive in an external I'd recommend this one which was reviewed here recently and uses a helium drive WD My Book 8TB - 5400rpm WD80EZZX with Benchmarks

It's on amazon UK although the price did not translate as well as it could have WD 8 TB My Book Desktop USB 3.0 External Hard Drive: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

 

[Submariner]

Thanks so much for the detailed response.
I Will look at your recomendation, but am worried about the cable connectors my experience of WD Passports seem to have very fragile connectors.
I had abig wake up when I bought the Lexar Workflow Pro card readers fabulous firm but rock solid connectors somrefreshing to get something good, and boy are they fast.

 

[Deslok]

I haven't had much issue with our mybook duo... but it literally sits in the rack 24x7 so it's only been unplugged 3 times in it's entire life... someone else will have to chime in on the connector bit

 

[Submariner]

Gosh just read the 1 and 2 star reviews
Says the enclosure encrypts the drive. If that fails WD can not help you.
Ouch!

 

[Deslok]

Gosh just read the 1 and 2 star reviews
Says the enclosure encrypts the drive. If that fails WD can not help you.
Ouch!

That is suprising, I know if you open the enclosure your warranty is void(but that's true of most enclosures) As far as encryption I'd be amazed if they'd refuse to replace a failed drive but the fact that they can't help if the controller breaks is a good thing(if they could undo the encryption what good is it?)

 

[Submariner]

Probably a stupid question. But if they are plugged in are they susceptible to viruses?
Initially ai was just going to buy another HGST 4TB NAS and copy the first one. But I was told that was dumb even if I disabled the drive ... Viruses could still wipe it out.
TBH all above my head if its disabled in the Bios surely its not like connected?
Other than when setting upmthe Intel 750 PCIe as the boot drive its essential to physically pull of the sata data cable or part of Windows 10 gets installed on the first Samsung EVO 850 ???? Even if that is disabled in the Bios, sometimes I dispair with this build your own pc lark! Logic doesnt seem to prevail.

 

[Deslok]

anything attached is susceptible to a virus at the time of infection

 

[Submariner]

Thanks