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Maxtor's 5000DV external hard drive--120GB with a dual FireWire/USB 2.0 interface--is fast, vast, and built to last, but the drive's unique OneTouch backup feature is what intrigued us. Press a button on the front of the 5000DV, and the unit backs up your favorite partition without further bother.

The button sends a command down the interface cable to open a special version of the Retrospect Backup Express program. Retrospect automatically executes an internal script, backing up a partition (or volume, as Retrospect calls it) that you select during the first run; then it quits. The program is easy to set up and convenient to use on the fly, and it lets you schedule backups, too.

Notice that we said "partition," not "system." As configured, OneTouch is limited to backing up one partition to the 5000DV in its volume copy mode--a straight transfer of files without compressing or otherwise altering them. You can fairly easily create a new script to use Retrospect's backup mode, which will back up multiple partitions or your entire system. But if you do, everything will then be compressed into one large file, and you'll have to use Retrospect to restore the individual partitions, which is a bit of a drag.

Priced at $300, the unit performed well in informal tests. Our only complaints are minor: The 5000DV runs a bit warm, and it lacks a power switch.

Maxtor's easy-to-use 5000DV, with OneTouch backup.

SUMMARY

Maxtor 5000DV Maxtor Street: $300

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