Geartest.com Iomega Zip 100 removable disk drive real world review [4]

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Iomega Zip 100 drive [4]

The "Click of Death" is a known problem that Iomega has acknowledged exists with both its Zip and Jaz drives. Although Geartest.com never encountered any problem of this nature, we would be remiss not to mention it in our review.

A detailed description of the problem is available at the Click of Death research resource page, but the short version is that erroneous head alignment data may be written to your Zip disk, causing the Zip drive's read/write heads to scrape the surface of the Zip disk. Since the drive spins at almost 50 revolutions a second, the head can damage or even shred a disk before you realize anything has happened.

Iomega has granted a special warranty to Zip drive owners, offering to replace any drive that is found to be defective. However, considering a key use Iomega promotes for the Zip is as a backup drive, receiving a new drive hardly compensates for the catastrophic loss of data that would occur if you fall victim to the Click of Death.

Fortunately, you can take preventive measures. A small diagnostic program that assesses your Zip drive's health is available for free download at the Click of Death research resource page.

There are a few other quibbling complaints about the Zip drive; chiefly the lack of a power switch on the unit. The only way to turn it on or off is to unplug the power cord from the unit. This can be an awkward task if you keep the drive anywhere other than a desktop.

Another minor complaint is that the plastic Iomega chose for the casing feels cheap and detracts from the unit's rugged look and feel. The lack of ruggedness is further underscored by the ease with which the casing flexes at the seams. This is especially a problem with the cowling at the front of the unit, when inserting or removing a Zip disk.

In light of the fact that one of the Zip drive's key selling points is its portability and mobility, the casing should be made of a more solid, ballistic-type plastic.

At the same time, it bears repeating that Geartest.com has never had any problem with either of the Zip drives it continues to evaluate.

The Zip drive is a well-designed, reasonably priced, functionally satisfying and versatile storage medium, whether you plan to use it for additional storage, as a backup medium, or as a mobile drive.

While it was never the best or fastest technology available, it does not appear that Iomega ever meant it to be. The Zip drive is the VHS of removeable storage drives, just as some competitors' products could be compared to Beta and miscellaneous other formats.

The Iomega Zip drive finds a happy medium between all of the factors that consumers consider when purchasing a product. It's not great, but it's good enough, and it does what it's supposed to do. That's why Iomega was the last man standing after the storage wars of the 1990s.

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