Desktop Vs. Portable Hard Drive?

portable external hard drive vs desktop image

John W

I wanted to buy someone an external hard drive for Christmas, and i was looking at this one in particular:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?...

I looked for more information on it and on their website, it was talking about desktop hard drives (which displayed the one i looked at) and then portable hard drives.

The person i'm buying it for is pretty good with computers, well better than that, and wanted to put windows, keeping her mac system on her mac laptop.

Now, i'm still clueless on most of this, or at least skeptical, so i wanted to know if you could even put a windows system on an external hard drive, and if you can't, well i was wondering if someone could fill me in on all that, and mostly i was wondering if there was any reason a desktop hard drive or a portable hard drive would have any reason to not be compatible with her mac laptop.

Summing Up:
Windows system on an external?
Desktop vs. Portable on a Mac Laptop?
Thanks

Answer
you can if the computer supports booting from a usb device, but external usb hard drives are usually used to store user files, not to install operating systems on them

Help! Question about External vs Portable hard drive?

Its Me

I'm about to go to Staples and I desperately need the Anwers! community's help! I'm pretty knowledgable about software and internet stuff, but I'm totally dumb when it comes to hardware, so I need you to help me pick the best item for my needs. Here's my situation.

My computer: Dell Optiplex 755 PC with 74.4 GB harddrive and Windows XP.

I don't have (and don't want) a lap top, so the only way to move files from place to place is with a flash drive (I have a 16GB). I live half the year in one state and then the other half of the year in another state. I have a monitor at both places, so I have to take my harddrive tower back and forth with me. I also have my computer cram packed with photos and video (I'm a photographer/videographer) and though I back up everything on discs, I HATE having to go through all of those discs to find anything. I want to be able to keep a copy of all of that stuff on my computer for easy access, and to able to easily transport it all.

SO..... there are three things on sale at Staples that I believe might help and I need you guys to choose the BEST one for me (these are the only options so please don't recommend "better" things):


IOMEGA PRESTIGE 1TB External Hard Drive
[This has a very sleek and small casing - easy to move]

SEAGATE GOFLEX 500GB Portable Hard Drive

IOMEGA EGO 320GB Portable Hard Drive

Prices are irrellivant to me.

So, I know the 1TB is great, but it is an external hard drive... vs. the PORTABLE 500GB and 320GB hard drives. Is it better for me to have a portable or external?

OK... and second question.... do I just plug these in to my main hard drive tower with a USB or something? I mean, maybe the issue over external vs. portable is irrellivant if they are both easy-plug-in by USB because the external unit is easily portable. But I don't know about these things. Does the external unit have to internally wired into my main harddrive?

I'm so confused I do not know what to do..... and we are leaving in 25 minutes to go to Staples so it's now or never.


THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!!!!
Just to reinterate...
I have a DESK TOP - not a LAP TOP.

Answer
The portable is just smaller in size, with less capacity.

The external is often used for people with desktops whose computers don't really move. You can use them with laptops though.

Both accomplish the same thing though. And yes you attach them via USB.


That said, my vote is for the Seagate 500gb Portable HDD based on what I know of Seagate and its reputation.

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Title Post: Desktop Vs. Portable Hard Drive?
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