[Archived] External Hard Drives

[Billy Castell]

I was thinking of getting an external hard drive for christmas as I am getting an Ipod for christmas and will be lobbing all my CDs onto it with Itunes. Now, are they basically giant memory sticks, and could I store my Itunes account*, a FM game and other memory hungry programs without slowing my computer down? Or will it be as if I had stored all of that on the laptop itself? Would I also need to give it an anti-virus programme?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

*=My fiance has her music on an Itunes account on the laptop, and we don't like the same music. Therefore I'm trying to avoid our music lists from merging onto the laptop's hard drive.

[Hughesy]

External hard drives are best for storing things you dont use. Itunes can go on there...however mine are just on the laptop. However it is possible for you.

Not sure about FM - it may take longer to run that way!? Not sure!

I use the external hard drive for movies, pictures etc. Some good deals out there, take a look on hot deals....their are always offers posted on there

[dazmaz]

if your wanting to install a game and other programs on it you might be best getting a 2nd HDD (though not sure if that can be done on a laptop). an external HDD is like you say a huge memory stick to back things up on. and no you dont need a anti virus as the one you have installed on your laptop will scan the files for you.

also if you add a 2nd user on the laptop (one for you and one for the mrs) your itunes accounts wont get mixed. nor will your music

[Billy Castell]

Thanks guys. I was mainly wondering about Itunes as I don't want Savage Garden on my Ipod, and I doubt my fiance wants to listen to Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster when shes walking to work. Think I'll just put all my music on the external HD, as I have about 110 CDs to go through, and that'll slow things a bit!

[Hughesy]

Well your itunes can go on your external hard drive no probs - plenty of guides on the net for it.....Now you mention it - I think il follow suit and free up some laptop space.

Think I might get a new laptop soon too, so saves me a job then!

Iv just done some basic research on running games from an external hard drive and alot go along these lines

"It is actually not recommended to play the games that was installed on the external hard drive. Not only this would make the hard drive work hard, but it might also make the external hard drive to performing excessive activity which might shorten the lifespan of the hard drive itself. "

[mellison24]

Just bought a 500GB Seagate 'FreeAgent, Desk' for 50quid. So quick and simple to use. Split the cost with my Dad (he wants it for his work docs, I want it for mine, alongside our music, photo's etc etc). VERY good value methinks.

[DE.]

Not a bad price. You can get a seagate 1TB HDD in Staples for £60 atm.

[mellison24]

Not a bad price. You can get a seagate 1TB HDD in Staples for £60 atm.

aye we looked at that, but we don't need that much room. By the time we DO need the room, it will be even cheaper than that hahaha.

[DE.]

Yeah I've got a 500GB HDD that I've had for over two years and it's not even half full...

[Iceman]

Not a bad price. You can get a seagate 1TB HDD in Staples for £60 atm.

yeah thats a good price for the Terabyte... i was lucky, i worked for a company that sold External Hard Drives in the buying department and got a 500GB for free.

External Drives are no longer just used for backing up... Many people these days, buy cheaper desk and lap tops with less hard drive space, but concentrate on more Ram etc.... so its cheaper then to get an external harddrive, which can also be taken whereever you going, if you using a laptop...

i think Samsung have a very small hard drive, that you can put in your pocket.

[Paul]

i think Samsung have a very small hard drive, that you can put in your pocket.

So do Freecom who I find very reliable:

Mobile Secure 500G Drive

Claims to be world's smallest 1.5TB