Maxtor OneTouch III Mini External 100GB USB 2.0 Hard Drive R01E100

I'm happy with the drive but I was having problems with my computer until I discovered that the OneTouch software was using nearly 100% CPU usage on my laptop. I uninstalled the software and am simply copying and pasting files to backup my documents, pictures, etc.


Installed this drive today on a Dell laptop using Windows XP Pro. Maxtor does not have software yet for Vista but promises it soon. Drive software is on the drive and installation takes only a few minutes. I purchased this after my college daugher lost data after her hard drive crashed. This is much more user friendly than saving to disks.

I think this little backup drive does just fine for the dollar. It's nothing fancy, but in the 4 weeks that I've had it, it has been reliable and fulfills it's claims.
The only problem I've had seems to be a Windows XP issue, due to the fact that I have my whole family sharing a PC running Windows XP, and that being the case, there are multiple user accounts. Now, the backup drive still backs up everything for all users, but the "auto backup" feature at a set time each day, sometimes doesn't happen when someone else (not me - primary) is logged on at that time. So I have to do a little manual interaction, but it's no big deal.
I'm happy with this product so far. I recommend it.

Great product! Sets up QUICKLY, backs up everything you want very quickly. And just keeps working while you work. Can't go wrong.

I've purchased previous MAXTOR products, to include one of their older external hard-drives. My expectation after seeing this product's similiar styling, is that it would be a sturdy metal-cased hard drive like their older externals. I'll describe this thing in one word, delicate. The body of this drive is questionable at best. I'm still waiting for the sides to pop out from being dropped or hit. After plugging it up, seeing only 90GB of available usable space was disappointing as well. The overall physical size of the unit however, is good.

Total waste of money. Once plugged in it locks up the computer. Got in touch with Seagate, and apart from an e-mail welcoming me to the Seagate "team", I've heard nothing since.
TigerDirect, with which I've had good success up to now, will not accept a return - must go through Seagate, so be careful if you buy from Tiger.

It works well with both Windows and Linux. NOte that I did repartition it and carve out 30GB for NTFS and 70GB for ReiserFS.

I carry it unprotected (except for the case device case itself) in my backpack. It has not even been scratched.

I totally recommend it.

I bought this little guy to backup my music, videos, and important documents, etc...before I format my hard drive to reinstall Windows.

Once I got the software installed, I started the OneTouch program to select my folders to backup. This was very easy, and it is now backing up my files as we speak.

The people who are complaining that this drive will not backup encrypted files, etc...need to learn one thing about computers- encrypted files are designed to not be able to be opened on (or even transferred to)another computer, or even by a different user on the same computer.

Second, you cannot select individual files for backup- you can, however, select folders for backup. SO...if you create a folder- "Joe's Backup", and put all your files in it (not a huge task), GUESS WHAT?! You can backup all of your valuable files!

It works great for me (it could be quieter), and could have a better manual (not a digital one); but all in all, a good product from a good brand.

I bought this as a backup drive several months ago for my home business after the iomega backup drive I was using crashed and took my backup with it.

The Maxtor software installs automatically when you plug in the drive so that part was really easy and it took just a few minutes. The initial backup was really easy and went pretty fast too. So far, so good. The problem is that once the initial backup takes place the backup function doesn't backup new or updated files!

The scheduled backup doesn't work at all. The light flashes so you think it's working but it doesn't backup ANY new or updated files.

The synch is useless too. It's like the backup function. It will synch your files one time but then after that it doesn't synch any of your new or updated files like it's supposed to. It's like it takes a snapshot of your computer at a specific time and that's it.

To get around the fact that it won't automatically back up my files I have to manually transfer my files every few days or so which is a real pain as I have to remember what files have been updated and/or are new.

I would NOT buy this product again. It's not an automatic backup drive, it's just an external drive that will back up one time but then isn't reliable AT ALL.

If you need a backup drive look elsewhere. Sorry to say, this one is a complete waste of money.

i normally dont write reviews of things i buy because: "i guess im lazy". i decide to write one for this maxtor drive for the simple fact i normally relie on reviews (real reviews by customers like me, not magazines). i seen that this drive wasnt getting a fair shake due alot to the software that comes with this drive and not the drive its self. personally the drive is wonderful. i use it in iraq to hold pictures, software, and musics that i swap with fellow soldiers. i have drop this thing alot of times that i lost count. this drive has withstood the heat and dust of the dersert. this drive is very durable. the software that comes bundle with it isnt state of the art but its fine for me. it has password protect and allows you to do minor restore options on it. but thats software and thats easly fix by using a aftermarket back up software like genie (i use genie on my home external hard drive for major back up chores). all i mainly use the drive for is drag and drop operations anyway. like a thumb drive. also i dont keep any kind of classified documents on the drive either, so i dont need any kind of ecryption either. but i love this drive a whole lot.

The Maxtor One Touch III performs superbly as a light weight, convenient and very portable storage device. If you're running out of room on your USB flash drive all the time, this is the next logical step - no power supply to drag around and buckets of storage to boot. I'm never caught without my data now.

The Maxtor OneTouch iii - Mini Edition did not function as expected. It doesn't backup system files (neither the Windows folder), nor make an image of the notebook's hard-drive. Maxtor wasn't very specific about all it can really do in their webpage.

The software which comes with it, is really poor, and offers almost the same that i can already do in Windows with 4 or 5 batch commands and schedule.

I do not recommend.

Comes with essentially no printed documentation.
The software needed to install is on the hard drive itself (as is documentation).
BIG PROBLEM: The backup this thing will make is not a complete backup at all: it will not back up any files that are open, hidden or system files and folders, compressed files/folders, or encrypted files or folders.
This means, for example, if you use Microsoft Outlook, your critical .pst file with all your email, calendar, and contacts will not be backed up by the included '1-touch' software, or by the 'MaxBackup' program! In my opinion, the software supplied with this thing is so useless it is dangerous as many will think they are getting backups and only realize they don't have a backup of needed data until it's too late. And this limitation isn't disclosed in writing since there's nothing wirtten other than a basic how to install sheet.
(Solution may be to use Microsoft XP's built-in Backup program - and forget the 'one touch'.)

PROBLEM #2: Maxtor says there is 2-step protection of data - encryption and drive lock. The drive lock relies on the software that's preloaded on the drive. Well, if you have a hard drive crash and you've enabled the drive lock, you won't be able to re-install the software needed to unlock the drive because the drive is locked and the software you need is on the locked drive. Smart. Whether the data on the drive is really 'encrypted' I'll leave to someone else to figure out - with the inconsistencies I see already, I wouldn't count on it.

I'm happy with the drive but I was having problems with my computer until I discovered that the OneTouch software was using nearly 100% CPU usage on my laptop. I uninstalled the software and am simply copying and pasting files to backup my documents, pictures, etc.


Installed this drive today on a Dell laptop using Windows XP Pro. Maxtor does not have software yet for Vista but promises it soon. Drive software is on the drive and installation takes only a few minutes. I purchased this after my college daugher lost data after her hard drive crashed. This is much more user friendly than saving to disks.

I think this little backup drive does just fine for the dollar. It's nothing fancy, but in the 4 weeks that I've had it, it has been reliable and fulfills it's claims.
The only problem I've had seems to be a Windows XP issue, due to the fact that I have my whole family sharing a PC running Windows XP, and that being the case, there are multiple user accounts. Now, the backup drive still backs up everything for all users, but the "auto backup" feature at a set time each day, sometimes doesn't happen when someone else (not me - primary) is logged on at that time. So I have to do a little manual interaction, but it's no big deal.
I'm happy with this product so far. I recommend it.

Great product! Sets up QUICKLY, backs up everything you want very quickly. And just keeps working while you work. Can't go wrong.

I've purchased previous MAXTOR products, to include one of their older external hard-drives. My expectation after seeing this product's similiar styling, is that it would be a sturdy metal-cased hard drive like their older externals. I'll describe this thing in one word, delicate. The body of this drive is questionable at best. I'm still waiting for the sides to pop out from being dropped or hit. After plugging it up, seeing only 90GB of available usable space was disappointing as well. The overall physical size of the unit however, is good.

Total waste of money. Once plugged in it locks up the computer. Got in touch with Seagate, and apart from an e-mail welcoming me to the Seagate "team", I've heard nothing since.
TigerDirect, with which I've had good success up to now, will not accept a return - must go through Seagate, so be careful if you buy from Tiger.

It works well with both Windows and Linux. NOte that I did repartition it and carve out 30GB for NTFS and 70GB for ReiserFS.

I carry it unprotected (except for the case device case itself) in my backpack. It has not even been scratched.

I totally recommend it.

I bought this little guy to backup my music, videos, and important documents, etc...before I format my hard drive to reinstall Windows.

Once I got the software installed, I started the OneTouch program to select my folders to backup. This was very easy, and it is now backing up my files as we speak.

The people who are complaining that this drive will not backup encrypted files, etc...need to learn one thing about computers- encrypted files are designed to not be able to be opened on (or even transferred to)another computer, or even by a different user on the same computer.

Second, you cannot select individual files for backup- you can, however, select folders for backup. SO...if you create a folder- "Joe's Backup", and put all your files in it (not a huge task), GUESS WHAT?! You can backup all of your valuable files!

It works great for me (it could be quieter), and could have a better manual (not a digital one); but all in all, a good product from a good brand.

I bought this as a backup drive several months ago for my home business after the iomega backup drive I was using crashed and took my backup with it.

The Maxtor software installs automatically when you plug in the drive so that part was really easy and it took just a few minutes. The initial backup was really easy and went pretty fast too. So far, so good. The problem is that once the initial backup takes place the backup function doesn't backup new or updated files!

The scheduled backup doesn't work at all. The light flashes so you think it's working but it doesn't backup ANY new or updated files.

The synch is useless too. It's like the backup function. It will synch your files one time but then after that it doesn't synch any of your new or updated files like it's supposed to. It's like it takes a snapshot of your computer at a specific time and that's it.

To get around the fact that it won't automatically back up my files I have to manually transfer my files every few days or so which is a real pain as I have to remember what files have been updated and/or are new.

I would NOT buy this product again. It's not an automatic backup drive, it's just an external drive that will back up one time but then isn't reliable AT ALL.

If you need a backup drive look elsewhere. Sorry to say, this one is a complete waste of money.

i normally dont write reviews of things i buy because: "i guess im lazy". i decide to write one for this maxtor drive for the simple fact i normally relie on reviews (real reviews by customers like me, not magazines). i seen that this drive wasnt getting a fair shake due alot to the software that comes with this drive and not the drive its self. personally the drive is wonderful. i use it in iraq to hold pictures, software, and musics that i swap with fellow soldiers. i have drop this thing alot of times that i lost count. this drive has withstood the heat and dust of the dersert. this drive is very durable. the software that comes bundle with it isnt state of the art but its fine for me. it has password protect and allows you to do minor restore options on it. but thats software and thats easly fix by using a aftermarket back up software like genie (i use genie on my home external hard drive for major back up chores). all i mainly use the drive for is drag and drop operations anyway. like a thumb drive. also i dont keep any kind of classified documents on the drive either, so i dont need any kind of ecryption either. but i love this drive a whole lot.

The Maxtor One Touch III performs superbly as a light weight, convenient and very portable storage device. If you're running out of room on your USB flash drive all the time, this is the next logical step - no power supply to drag around and buckets of storage to boot. I'm never caught without my data now.

The Maxtor OneTouch iii - Mini Edition did not function as expected. It doesn't backup system files (neither the Windows folder), nor make an image of the notebook's hard-drive. Maxtor wasn't very specific about all it can really do in their webpage.

The software which comes with it, is really poor, and offers almost the same that i can already do in Windows with 4 or 5 batch commands and schedule.

I do not recommend.

Comes with essentially no printed documentation.
The software needed to install is on the hard drive itself (as is documentation).
BIG PROBLEM: The backup this thing will make is not a complete backup at all: it will not back up any files that are open, hidden or system files and folders, compressed files/folders, or encrypted files or folders.
This means, for example, if you use Microsoft Outlook, your critical .pst file with all your email, calendar, and contacts will not be backed up by the included '1-touch' software, or by the 'MaxBackup' program! In my opinion, the software supplied with this thing is so useless it is dangerous as many will think they are getting backups and only realize they don't have a backup of needed data until it's too late. And this limitation isn't disclosed in writing since there's nothing wirtten other than a basic how to install sheet.
(Solution may be to use Microsoft XP's built-in Backup program - and forget the 'one touch'.)

PROBLEM #2: Maxtor says there is 2-step protection of data - encryption and drive lock. The drive lock relies on the software that's preloaded on the drive. Well, if you have a hard drive crash and you've enabled the drive lock, you won't be able to re-install the software needed to unlock the drive because the drive is locked and the software you need is on the locked drive. Smart. Whether the data on the drive is really 'encrypted' I'll leave to someone else to figure out - with the inconsistencies I see already, I wouldn't count on it.