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Well, that's the point in avoiding true thin client - when the server goes down you're done. I've had failures in three of the four power supply brands you recommend - it's not whether, it's when. (Haven't tried a Thermaltake yet. They any good?)

I had terrible luck with the first generation of USB externals and so ceased to recommend them. Even now the Western Digitals don't like to be plugged into strips (an idea I scoffed at until it actually happened to me). The vendor had to twist my arm to even give this one a try. So far pleasantly surprised - it's quieter than its predecessors, too. I may just turn around on this one. It'd sure be nice not to have to deal with tape at home - it's just too expensive.

I did find out the hard way not to plug the USB HD into the USB port on my monitor. Halfway through a 50-GB copy, quittin' time, locked the workstation, and got ready to go home. As always and without thinking, before I left I...turned...off...the...monitor. Did you know you can't turn a switch back on before the electrons notice it's off?

Actually, for my primary removable backups, I use a hot swap Addonics SATA adapter and only Seagate drives.

Addonics Snap-In SATA Mobile Rack for 3.5" SATA

I also have a second external USB drive for backups of my critical accounting files semipermanently hanging off the Windows box that runs my accounting software. That box gets backed up twice - daily full backups to that USB drive and just the key accounting files to my Linux file server, which then backs up to rotating hot swap removable SATA drives.

That's the key to reliability in my view - belts, suspenders and clean underwear. One way or another, you're covered. Multiple PC's, multiple diverse backup mechanisms and reasonably reliable hardware.

I used to have a minor problem with power supplies going out, but since I upgraded to an adequate UPS (uninterruptible power supply - external batteries), that problem has gone away. I suspect overloaded, lower cost UPS's put out some seriously nasty looking electricity - better not to use anything than to do that.

I tend to upgrade my power supplies when I am adding hardware to a box, and to use a bigger power supply than is minimally needed. Any key box has a fairly new and hefty power supply. It has been a while since I lost a power supply on a system that mattered to me.

I was having problems on one of the gaming systems, freezing in video intense parts of the game -- either a marginal power supply and/or a marginal video card. Not sure which. I changed both, and it's been rock solid since.