External hard drive question?

Ultra sens

I have thousands of pictures along with hours of home videos that are really slowing down my computer. I was looking to get an external drive but need to know if I could store along with run programs (like Nero) to make home dvds from that drive or will that even help?

Answer
Any of the new External Drives (pretty much every one that you can buy from the computer store in an unopened box) supports NTFS which means you will be able to install programs onto it. However, just because you have installed a program on to an external drive - does not mean to say you can use it on any computer:

The registry keys for the program will still be stored in your computers registry and so you will only be able to run the program from that one computer.

With this in mind (unless you are really struggling for space) I would leave the programs on your computers internal hard-drive and get a NAS storage device. The Netgear Stora is a fairly good one for home storage. You then connect it to your router run the CD on your main computer and it becomes a Network Storage Drive (which you can use for backups of your computer) and storing all your Pictures and Home Movies on. Doing it this way will also give you instant access to your files from any computer connected to your home network without the need for carrying around and external drive.

If you want to have an external drive however rather then Network Storage then I would suggest this one for a desktop external drive

IOMEGA Prestige Desktop External Hard Drive - 1TB

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/iomega-prestige-desktop-external-hard-drive-1tb-03868723-pdt.html

Or this one for a portable external drive

WD My Passport Essential Portable Hard Drive - 500GB

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/wd-my-passport-essential-portable-hard-drive-500gb-03709256-pdt.html

As you can see however, although they are about the same price, you are getting less storage in the portable drive because you are paying for the portability of it: so unless you plan on carrying it around with you I would go for the desktop external drive.

External hard drives acting weird!?

realface

I have 3 external HDDs connected to my PC but recently I've noticed that whenever I remove one or add a fourth one the entire system freezes. I have to restart the system with the HDDs plugged in so they can work properly. I just noticed today that Intel's Rapid Storage Technology had a red 'x' by it's icon...it then had a green tick after I activated it. Is there some sort of overload (it's a powerful computer....it should take on more than 4 HDDs!) or is it my Intel(R) i7 chip that needs some sort of modification or update?

Answer
I suggest that you purchase a larger drive or a NAS unit.

It could be that you have given more than one drive the same drive letter which could make it freeze up.

What do you call powerful? It would seem that you should have more hard drives inside of you computer and less on the outside.
You don't say how they are connected, whether it be via USB 2.0, USB 3.0, Firewire (ugh), of eSata.
I have two external units connected on my personal system via eSata and a couple of NAS connected to my switch. Have 5 hard drives inside my computer case (totaling 10Tbs) and running with a 550 watt power supply without any problems.
I have seen problems with too many USB connections and that is where your problem may be.
By the way, I keep a Blac X box on my desk connected via eSata and switch out internal desktop (or laptop) hard drives in there.

Hope this has been of some help to you.

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