Tech Heads: Please Explain How to use an External Hard Drive

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Hi.

My name is Pat and I have become PC game addicted.

These are huge files. I get at least one per MONTH.

I get nervous when my hard drive is 50% full. (both my PCs are).

While I can store these games on the Game site and download them anytime, this would only be for the life of my membership there (although I own them and can keep them on my PC forever).

I want to download them to a separate hard drive and hook it together with my wide-screen monitor desktop that I use for work.

OK simple enough - but then how do I play them - is this like a 'switch box' like you would use for having two PCs on one printer? (what I am envisioning is 2 PCs on one Monitor)

There used to be a 'Flash Drive' - just a modem like thingy and you access it by a "D: drive" from your main PC - I think that is old 1980s technology though.

This has to be simple but I can't see it.:confused:

Thank you.

(p.s. this is slightly different from in the past where I have asked how to link two monitors to 1 PC).
  • Profile picture of the author Andie
    Well....first you need a furry spider...and...
    oops that was a diff. thread wasn't it...???

    You should be able to just plug in the external drive and it should behave just the same as a secondary internal hard drive. Can install programs run them from the drive, etc.
    Much like the 'memory cards' or 'flash drive' like you carry around.

    The Drive should show up under 'My computer' and if you are just running games/programs (rather than an operating system), then you should be fine! I have faith in anybody that can brave a creature with 8 legs and still sleep at night!


    Andie
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrician
    Thanks Andie - I am glad it is something simple like that so I can understand.

    Now this 8 legged stuff is a little too far out - I am still creeped.

    I am glad you made me laugh about it!

    Thank you twice.

    Pat
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Not only did she make you laugh, she is correct!
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  • Profile picture of the author gareth
    The problem is Pat that external drives don't last too long - not the drive itself but the enclosures.

    I find they konk out after 6-12 months & often the power supplies overheat too.
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    Gareth M Thomas
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Originally Posted by gareth View Post

      The problem is Pat that external drives don't last too long - not the drive itself but the enclosures.

      I find they konk out after 6-12 months & often the power supplies overheat too.
      I'm going on 3 years with the external I have
      It's a 160 G. Maxtor
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    • Profile picture of the author CrhisD
      Originally Posted by gareth View Post

      The problem is Pat that external drives don't last too long - not the drive itself but the enclosures.

      I find they konk out after 6-12 months & often the power supplies overheat too.
      The cheap ones break easily. The ones from seagate/maxtor etc. seem to last for a while.
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  • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
    Hey Pat,

    Following-up on Gareth's point, you can install a much larger
    second HD in your PC. You can get a terabyte size HD. If
    you fill that thing up, I think you should then pack your bags
    and self-report to one of those Hollywood 'recovery' places
    for people with addiction problems.

    Can't wait to see your pic on the cover of The Globe and National
    Enquirer while I'm standing in line at the grocery store check outs.




    Ken
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    like Thom I have several external drives that have lasted at least 5 years.
    Funny, several of them are Maxtors. I used to use them exclusively.
    Maxtor is now Seagate. Not sure if they have the same stellar quality or not.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post

      like Thom I have several external drives that have lasted at least 5 years.
      Funny, several of them are Maxtors. I used to use them exclusively.
      Maxtor is now Seagate. Not sure if they have the same stellar quality or not.
      I think when I got mine they where just switching to Seagate (I could be wrong though).
      It was stupid cheap, after the in store sale price and the rebate it ended up costing me about 20 bucks, started at 80
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      Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
      Getting old ain't for sissy's
      As you are I was, as I am you will be
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  • Profile picture of the author gareth
    Well I get cheap chinese ones & they are rubbish
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    Gareth M Thomas
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    • Profile picture of the author andy rodick
      Originally Posted by gareth View Post

      Well I get cheap chinese ones & they are rubbish
      cheap quality
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrician
    Yeh - Seagate was always where hard drives were AT. Don't think I would consider a serious piece of hardware otherwise.

    So you guys are talking an actual CPU not a card (circuit board) or stick like what they call a flash drive these days. It is a box (tower) and as Andie says it can just plug in to my desk top with USB port, right? (addressing those of you who have had them for years).

    I seem to remember seeing a modem looking thing at one time sold as a flash drive in the 90s - the 80's technology was just a circuit board and it like just partitioned the C: drive and you had to save everything over to there (D : - ) temporarily - the programs would still live on your C: drive (defeating my purpose now) but if you wanted to use it you would have to transfer it to the D: (flash) drive to temporary memory.

    I realize nowadaze a flash drive is just a little external memory stick - I have a few of those but that is not what I want. I want the games to live there quietly and not clog up my work computer but still be there to effortllessly use on the fly. (when I get 'the monkey')

    Sorry but if I was talking to Dell or someone I would end up with $500 worth of something I don't need and can't use like they did me on networking my PCs.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Yep, it's an external hard drive in it's own case that plugs into a USB port and has it's own power plug.
      Best investment I've made, now that I'm on my 4th computer and haven't lost a file since the second one which is when I bought the external drive.
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      Getting old ain't for sissy's
      As you are I was, as I am you will be
      You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

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  • Profile picture of the author Patrician
    Thanks Thom and I like the price range - yeh - I can do that but can't justify more than a hundred bucks for 'play'... (the games are only $6.99 per month = 1 game)

    p.s. Thank you so much everybody.

    In case you would like to see these fantastic hidden object games which are just living artwork (where I can get lost for hours) - here are some graphics.

    http://www.bigfishgames.com/blog/emp...t-walkthrough/


    muwhaha the first one is always free.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andie
    Ah ha! You were just plotting to suck us into the world of addiction you're in!!
    I see your evil plan

    The only external drive I have is a CD/DVD drive. Don't know how your games work, but if they can go on CDs/run from there -you'd have endless room (aka blank cds) for them if they fit. <probably not your best solution>

    I've always had good luck with the Maxtor drives myself.

    Andie
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      You should be able to just plug in the external drive and it should behave just the same as a secondary internal hard drive. Can install programs run them from the drive, etc. Much like the 'memory cards' or 'flash drive' like you carry around.
      I was told that's how it worked, too - but I've never been able to get them to work that way. I've taken external hard drives with me when traveling and then found I couldn't access a darned thing on them - all I could see was a list of what was supposedly on the drive. One of these days I'll sit still long enough to figure it out - but not today:p:p

      kay
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      • Profile picture of the author EleanorPrior
        I just invested in a sea gate and I'm loving it! I feel secure now with my files in 2 different places.
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      • Profile picture of the author Andie
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        I was told that's how it worked, too - but I've never been able to get them to work that way. I've taken external hard drives with me when traveling and then found I couldn't access a darned thing on them - all I could see was a list of what was supposedly on the drive. One of these days I'll sit still long enough to figure it out - but not today:p:p

        kay
        Only thing that comes to mind there is the 'attributes' on the drive and/or files. (right click,properties and see if it is set for 'read only' somewhere in there)
        otherwise.... i dunno....
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  • Profile picture of the author MalaMalas
    Plug it into your USB port and copy your drive to it then save it in a fireproof case.
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  • Profile picture of the author WD Mino
    Hi Pat,

    once you get an external hard drive it will come with a power adapter and usb cable
    plug it in attach the usb cable from the drive to the usb port.
    windows will auto detect it. and should install the drivers if not no biggie it should also come with an install cd.
    then you can right click on the game folder you wish to save and copy open the drive and paste it in. it will then save the files to your drive once completed with the saving of your games you can unplug it and they will be now on the drive and you can access them anytime simply by plugging it in and opening the drive from either the auto run menu that will come up or directly from the computer nothing too techy about it as now days they are all plug and play
    I just wanted to say.
    Cheers
    -WD
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrician
    Yes, WD, super simple - in fact I think sometimes that is the problem when I can't believe it is just that.

    I don't miss the DOS daze although I loved the feeling of popping in circuit boards and feeling like super techie. LOL.

    Yep - "Plug and Play" is the new genius. Instant gratification.

    Thank you for your help.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rick B
    I've had a Maxtor 500GB external drive for a few years and I use it at least 3 times per week. It's still going strong. It saved me two weeks ago when my 5 year old laptop crashed. I had just backed up my entire hard drive two days earlier! (P.S. - I love my new 17 inch widescreen, dual processor laptop!)

    I hope my current external drive lasts until about 4 terrabyte drives come out and fall in price to under $100. Then I'll replace it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andie
    Pat,
    I was over at Wallyworld and noticed they had some 500gb external hard drives for about 55 bucks. think that was a western digital <which are okay>...
    made me think of you!

    Andie
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrician
    Thanks Andie - I will check it out soon...

    It is great to know that HDs are cheap right now....
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