External hard drive

K, I solved a video card problem with all of your help and advice, so here's one more, LOL.

Since I put in the new card, and all my "issue" games run great now, I've used up the onboard 40G HD to almost it's max. I do NOT want to delete any of the games I can play now, doing the online thing multi-player thing, LOL.

Thinking an external HD, say 40G+, USB 2.0 plug-in. Looking at Maxtor, and others like Western Digital, etc etc, just learning-curving.

As a result, I'm not sure if I should just "empty" current HD programs to the external, or if I should go format to the external for future programs. Kinda in the dark on this, still, [learning-curve after all]. And, what should I be alert to regarding transferring files and programs from one drive to any external? Any software/driver/etc. issues to look for?

Thanks for your help in advance!!!!!!!!!!!


Dell 2400, upgraded to DVD+RW/CD-RW drive, RAM boosted to 768, GeForce FX5200 card pci w/ 128 Ram, if that assists. On board is 40G HD, Celeron 2.4 Ghz Step 9.

Internal hard drives are MUCH cheaper than external, and we can talk you through installing one and moving your data onto it.

If you decide to get an external I wouldn't bother with a 40gb, waste of time.

LaCie make excellent external drives.

Thanks for reply, Oz. I take it then that whatever route I go, 40G would likely be too small? I can see what ya mean, if so. It didn't take any time to fill up the onboard drive, I can see that the same would happen easily to another 40G.

You suggest internal, as they are less expensive? K, cool, I'm all for saving a few $$'s, LOL.

Leads to a new ? If I go internal drive, what happens to the info. on the original drive? Would I be replacing the original internal with a new one, or would I be adding another internal drive to the original?

Right now, I'm just beginning to understand about adding hard drives, so any direction you can point me towards would really help me speed up my learning. I don't have much trepidation about going and putting in an internal drive, I feel pretty comfortable inside the tower now.

And, please understand, this is somewhat new area [adding a hard drive] for me.

You may put in 2 or more hard drives, but its easiest to put in two. You would leave the original hard drive in there, make sure the jumpers on the drive are set to master (being your primary hard drive), set the jumpers on the second hard drive to slave. Then you hook them both up. Its not to complicated ( in fact, its fairly simple). All your file on the original hard drive should be fine unless you drop it or something. I would rather have an internal HDD (hard disk drive) over and external HDD anyday.

I would also recommend just getting another internal HD. You can pick up a 160 GB drive for $50 if you shop around. Newegg has good prices...

Just make sure you get the right type of drive. Most likely you will need an IDE hard drive, so don't go buying a SATA drive because chances are you won't have the hookups on your old machine.

All your information would still be there, but you could start installing programs and whatnot on the new one. But what I would recommend, is backing up all your information like music, documents, saved game files, etc. onto the new HD, format the 40 GB you currently have, and use that one as the slave.

If you have 2 HD then, you may as well plan how you will use them. I personally would use the 40 GB slave for just music and documents and that sort of thing, and use the new (*bigger*) drive for Windows, programs, games, etc. It's all up to how you want to allocate space to what.

K, thanks a LOT, guys and gals, internal it is. Yeah, I understand the slave/master deal, did that with a DVD drive, so np there.

Thanks again, great info. and direction. U folks are GREAT!!!!!!!!!

what OS? win 98 may not see all of a 160 gig hard drive with out a patch.

what OS? win 98 may not see all of a 160 gig hard drive with out a patch.Really? I used to run 98 with 160gb and I never had a problem.

Well, my OS is XP Home service pack 2, if that helps.

With xp you shouldn't have any problems. But there are a few things to do in xp to set up the drive once you install it. Not to hard though.

But there are a few things to do in xp to set up the drive once you install it. Not to hard though.

Besides formatting it? I don't think so.

Thanks for reply, Oz. I take it then that whatever route I go, 40G would likely be too small? I can see what ya mean, if so. It didn't take any time to fill up the onboard drive, I can see that the same would happen easily to another 40G.

You suggest internal, as they are less expensive? K, cool, I'm all for saving a few $$'s, LOL.

Leads to a new ? If I go internal drive, what happens to the info. on the original drive? Would I be replacing the original internal with a new one, or would I be adding another internal drive to the original?

Right now, I'm just beginning to understand about adding hard drives, so any direction you can point me towards would really help me speed up my learning. I don't have much trepidation about going and putting in an internal drive, I feel pretty comfortable inside the tower now.

And, please understand, this is somewhat new area [adding a hard drive] for me.

If your PC is built in the last couple of years, the power supply should have more than enough juice to run a second drive. The determining factor of whether you replace your current drive with a new one, or simply add a second one is the amount of room available inside your case.

Hard drives generate heat, and you need to leave a reasonable amount of room around them for airflow. Have a look inside your case near your existing hard drive, and see if there is an obvious spot for a second one.

While you have your case open, check whether you have a IDE (PATA) or SATA drive - the two main kind of drives in desktop computers these days.

They both take the same kind of power plugs, but one connects to the motherboard with a skinny connector and a red coloured lead, and IDE has a wide, flat ribbon type cable, usually grey in colour.

Here are some pics to help you work it out:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/muaz/sata-ide_lg.jpg

The top pic is IDE, the bottom is SATA. If there is only room for one drive in your case, you can get a larger one and copy all your data across (we can help with that), then use your existing 40GB drive in a specifically designed case as an external drive if you like.

:)

Besides formatting it? I don't think so.Thats what I was thalking about.

Ayep, it's IDE. I have an open bay, not too crowded, that should work for the heat.

Wondering, though, since on-tower fan AND fan on video card run, should that be enough airflow to dissipate heat. The tower is open [not squeezed into a tight space], so there is plenty of airflow, and ambient around it is usually 70 degrees.

I appreciate the thoughts and advice, in advance, you guys solved my video problems, and I'm listening to what your syaing.

I would think you should be fine, mine is so crouded with video card, network card, usb card, sound card, tv/input card, and about 8 or 9 fans, But I have a fairly small case, the Xblade series case. Also, you could get a hard drive cooler if you are worried abouut the heat.

Go with liquid cooling and then no worries about airflow space. But for yours it sounds like you've got room and ability so I'd put in at least a 120 gig drive anything smaller and it'll fill up on you again fast.

Go with liquid cooling and then no worries about airflow space.

I wouldn't suggest that to anyone except those who actually need it, and know what they are doing very comfortable as far as computer hardware goes. Recommending that to someone who has very limited experience is not a good idea. An extra fan would be the extent of his needs, if even that, if all he does is add a second hard drive. It dosn't sound like his feature-raped Dell has a lot of room to expand as far as video cards, etc. so he isn't making that much heat and won't for the extent of the life of that thing.

Yea, I really sont think the dell will generate enough heat either. Mine its part of where its located and the ventilation around the compiter too, I really wouldnt worrie about heat in that. if it runs at 70*, thats pretty low, mine probly used to run 80*+, and a friends was running just over 100*. Liquid cooling is for advanced users who know a fair amount and are comfertable with water running in their system.

yeah, I don't think the install will create any heat issue, although I'm searching that possibility since ya'all alerted me to that. I haven't seen any power-drain problems once I dropped the video card in, the comp. is doing fine. I don't see any power-drain issue as yet, if I drop in a second internal HD, but then~~~~~~~~~ I am sort of pushing this system now, LOL.

And, if I understand Oz and you all, power-drain might become an issue, more so because of the heat generated by the second drive? So far, haven't had any hassles re power-drain, but then haven't put in a 2nd HD yet.

Im sure if needed you could get a decednt 500w power supply for around 40 to 50 bucks, but i havent looked in a while. The only upgrades are a 512mb of ram and a new video card right? If so, I don't think Id be to worried about the power supply, but thats me.

You should be fine as far as power supply goes.

I wouldn't suggest that to anyone except those who actually need it, and know what they are doing very comfortable as far as computer hardware goes. Recommending that to someone who has very limited experience is not a good idea. An extra fan would be the extent of his needs, if even that, if all he does is add a second hard drive. It dosn't sound like his feature-raped Dell has a lot of room to expand as far as video cards, etc. so he isn't making that much heat and won't for the extent of the life of that thing.

LOL, as an old IBM Field Engineer I still remeber the old water cooled mainframes. When you have a problem, who you gonna call? the Engineers or the plumbers. Do like eclispe says and stay air cooled. If the manufactureres start to call for it it, liquid cooling will start with a sealed water jacket heat transfer that is self contained and air cooled.

Newegg.com has a few 250GBs for around $70 right now, I personally like to use the smaller drive for running windows, and use the larger for installing games, holding music, backing up documents etc. Windows allocates what Microsoft calls a 'paging file', which is basically like virtual RAM, USUALLY on the drive that Windows is installed on, the more free space on the Windows drive, the better/faster windows will run. Installing the games and backing up music on the 250GB drive would allow you to reformat Windows without the risk of losing your game-data if something were ever to happen and you caught a virus that infected Windows. There are advantages/disadvantages of storing files both ways, personal prefrence is a key determining factor, but definantly get something larger than 80GB if you order one.

I really like using external USB memory drives. Storage doesn't compare but its so handy to be able to carry around

Hmm, didn't consider the portability aspect of an external drive. I can see that could be useful at some point. One more thing to consider, LOL. Thanks for pointing that out.