SyQuest EZFlyer drive

Low-Cost High-Performance Removable Storage

Buyer's Guide

SyQuest EZFlyer drive

SyQuest's EZFlyer drive uses 3.5" hard-disk cartridges that hold 135 MB or 230 MB each. Upgrading from an EZ135 drive to an EZFlyer allows you to store more data per disk and to continue using your 135 MB cartridges as well. For probably less than you'd pay for a 100 MB Zip drive, the EZFlyer provides disk access that's twice as fast, and more than twice as much capacity.

Buyers looking for their first removable hard-disk drive should consider the advantages of buying a higher-capacity drive (1 GB or more) before choosing the EZFlyer. Although most higher-capacity drives (like the SyJet, Jaz, and Orb) cost significantly more than the EZFlyer, SyQuest's 1.0 GB SparQ drive is only slightly more expensive. Likewise, 1.0 GB SparQ cartridges are only slightly more expensive than 230 MB EZFlyer cartridges. For many users, the SparQ drive is a better buy. On the other hand, the EZFlyer does have a few advantages of its own over the SparQ:

outstanding system compatibility (the EZ135 drive and EZFlyer drive can be used with Macs and with old PCs that don't recognize large hard disks)
ability to read and write 135 MB disks (which are inexpensive, widely used, and compatible with the cheaper EZ135 drive)
availability of an external model with a SCSI interface (achieve portability without being restricted to slow parallel-port speeds)

Compatible cartridges

When buying 230 MB cartridges, be sure you don't buy magneto-optical disks by mistake.

Technical summary

Manufacturer: SyQuest Technology, now called SYQT
Manufacturer's product information: http://www.syqt.com/products/m_ezflyer.html
Average seek time: 13.5 milliseconds (twice as fast as Zip drives!)

Models

internal EIDE
internal SCSI
external SCSI (with DB25 connectors)
external parallel (a slower interface)

Availability

My current and recent auctions of SyQuest EZFlyer drives are listed here:

eBay item #167813470 (10-day auction ended September 30)
eBay item #180140085 (10-day auction ended October 21)

A few more EZFlyer external SCSI drives in new condition are available for $79.95 each, on a first-come first-served basis to buyers with a U. S. shipping address. This price is for the drive alone, with accessories available separately for buyers who want them. For more information, send e-mail to eBay member hellogoodbuy (click here to view comments in seller's Feedback Profile).

This page is maintained by eBay member hellogoodbuy.

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