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Iomega 31713 Zip 100 USB Powered Value Series Drive

Iomega 31713 Zip 100 USB Powered Value Series Drive

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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: What have I been waiting for- this is great.
Review: I was using a parallel zip 100, and transporting it and it's power supply back and forth. With the USB powered, ultra-lightweight zip drive, my solution is now completely portable and hot swappable-- making my life as a writer on the go so much easier! The only downfall is that it may have a long-term effect on the life of your notebook battery, if indeed you are using it with a notebook. But, I fell that the convenience is well worth it. I do recommend this item!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Truly Mac and PC friendly!
Review: I've been burned by Iomega in the past (Jaz drives that died mid-formatting of two different disks - had to trash disks and the drive) but I needed this unit for a design class. Great little drive. Solid performance. No frills on the documentation/software extras side, but works great on both my Win98SE PC and PowerBook G3. File transfers are quick. Exactly what you want in a USB device. Simple, plug-and-play, with no conflicts in either computing platform.
It's noisier than other Zips, but being bus powered I won't complain. Great way to get the MP3 library off the cable-modem PC and onto the CD-RW connected Mac! Save yourself the hassle of cross-platform networking software, and just swing this drive between computers. Bus powered, so no heavy AC adaptor to carry around. As light as my VST USB floppy drive.
Nice save, Iomega. Great price, Amazon!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Needs to go back to kindergarten
Review: If you use ***ANY OTHER*** USB device, beware! The software overwrites all the scsi software, hogs IRQ (at least that's Iomega's guess on their live help,) and renders things like a digital cameras' USB interface unusable.

That's what it did to my [price] Olympus digital.

Uninstalling the software does not help. The "live help" suggests fooling around with the IRQ's - not something to be attempted by the average consumer.

Unless you are a Microsoft Certified Professional, it is my opinion you should STAY AWAY!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't waste your money
Review: Installed in a minute, accesses one out of five of my old zip drives, (they all word fine on my IDE Zip Drive). The ones that it will access, the speed is so slow, you need to leave on overnight for a twenty meg download. Returned the next day.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Infuriating packaging, lightweight construction, but works
Review: This drive comes secured inside of TWO thick plastic see-through blisters. The packaging is ludicrously hard to open even with scissors and a serrated knife, and environmental factors were obviously not a concern for Iomega. Disappointing. The drive works as advertised, with an easy-to-install software driver, a good set of updated Zip software tools, and idiot-proof USB plug-and-play compatibility with Windows machines and Macintoshes. I'm a tad concerned about the particularly flimsy construction; it's even a few shades worse than the other Zip drives I've owned, which weren't exactly bullet-proof themselves. If you need a (trans)portable Zip drive, well, they don't come any more lightweight and compact than this one, but I'd still go for something sturdier. On the other hand, if your Zip is just going to sit quietly on a corner of your desk, this is a pretty cost-effective storage solution.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Do not buy
Review: This drive never worked. It never recognized that a disk was in the drive. When I called Iomega for tech support, I had 2 different people tell me to re-install the drivers. Nothing worked. I suggest using CD-RW for backups.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Noisy, Flimsy and Never Worked.
Review: This drive never worked. It never recognized that a disk was in the drive. When I called Iomega for tech support, I had 2 different people tell me to re-install the drivers. Nothing worked. I suggest using CD-RW for backups.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good for the Price and Very Portable
Review: This is a great little drive for the price. Very small and lightweight. It does feel a little flimsy, but I feel that it will work for a long time to come. The bus powered aspect is nice, no need to add another surge protector to get a plug and no need to lug that AC adapter around if you're moving the Zip.

I got this after a failed attempt at using an internal IDE Zip for my homebuilt system. It didn't work because of an incompatibility issue with my motherboard's chipset. I picked this up and all I had to do was plug it in and it was working.

Only three (minor) complaints, all based mostly around my being spoiled by internal Zip drives: 1) It's noisy. Not particularly loud... just noisy. It will make you jump the first few times you take your computer out of standby and it spins up. 2) When it ejects Zips it could be classified as a projectile weapon. I've noticed this on every external Zip I've ever used, but this one is particularly lethal. When you eject, expect it to completely leave the drive. 3) It's not the fastest Zip out there. Of course internals are the best, but I noticed that non-bus powered Zips are still faster. Still, all this means is that if you're copying or reading a HUGE file it might take a minute longer.

In the end, a fantastic value and a must if you move it around a lot.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Needs a Press Agent!
Review: This little guy needs a press agent! As indicated in other reviews, it makes some unexpected sound, but it is not loud or offensive. It ejects disks robustly, but not a problem. The case appears to be durable to me. Regarding system requirements, the package says, "Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 will not support non-Iomega USB devices while Iomega drivers are installed." It might be wise to check for the latest operating system support information. It would be nice if the Zip disk in it could be ejected after the system is off, like the external floppy disk drive that comes with some laptop computers.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Infuriating packaging, lightweight construction, but works
Review: This thing comes packaged in TWO (count 'em) thick, clear plastic blisters. Extremely hard to open even with scissors or a serrated knife; also a ludicrous choice environmentally. The drive works as advertised, with an easy-to-install software driver, a good set of updated Zip software tools, and idiot-proof USB plug-and-play compatibility with Windows machines and Macintoshes. I'm a tad concerned about the particularly flimsy construction; it's even a few shades worse than the other Zip drives I've owned, which weren't exactly bullet-proof themselves. If you need a (transportable) Zip drive, well, they don't come any more lightweight and compact than this one, but I'd still go for something sturdier. On the other hand, if your Zip is just going to sit quietly on a corner of your desk, this is a pretty cost-effective storage solution.


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