SciFlyBoy wrote:My system is similar in some odd ways, I need the RAM to run audio. I think I have 32, I'm just not too savvy with the other hardware components. It's still a little intimidating what my final set up will look like when I know what I need next.
What's your opinion on the age of external hard drives? I'm thinking I'm running a risk with an old WD I bought back in 2011.
Well, that depends on how frequently you use it, but I'd say that you could start seeing failing sections and other problems when it reaches five years. Then the risk of data corruption and/or failing sections will only get higher as the years go on with the occasional/possible failure spikes. Complete hard drive failure has sadly a bit too many factors to be accurately predicted. Everything from manufacturing defects to regular wear and tear could be what dooms it. Although, if you get things like the drive not being detected even when plugged in and then it shows up when you plug out and plug in again, then you should probably plan for the worst. That's been the start of the death spiral for most of my drives.
I'm just grateful that hard drives aren't that expensive, given their rather short lifespan.
