USB Hard Drives?

[SPC Andy]

Quick question guys, I am about to get my mits on a bunch of new graphics & CAD packages like 3D studio, Maya 6.0, Archicad 9.0, Cinema 4D, and AutoCAD 2007. But I don’t have enough space on me hard drive to install them all let alone store the files I will be creating with them. So I was going to get myself a USB external hard drive, but is the USB connection fast enough to install and run programs from the external hard drive. Or am I livening in a fantasy world to even think I can do that?

[Sideshow]

It's not as fast as your actual hard disk, but is definitely usable. Ideally you'd want to move files from your internal onto it, thus freeing enough space to install the software on your internal. You want to install on your internal whenever possible, as that will affect performance quite a bit.
You may want to get into a practice of copying the files you intend to work on from the external to the internal, work on them, then copy them back.

[DAve]

Basically what Sideshow said.

External hard disks won't be terribly fast, but they're usable. Make sure it's a USB 2 connection though :)

It's probably just as easy to fit an internal hard disk if you have space - is there a reason you're specifically going for the external option?

[SPC Andy]

Thanks Sideshow,

That may be a bit of a problem then because I don’t actually have that many files on me computer its mostly filled up with games ............ Although the flip side of that is I don’t need that big an external hard drive if its only going to hold files and not programs so it will be cheaper :D O and I could free up a good 6 Gigs just by moving my music :D

Right first thing tonight I am thinning out my games, what was the last time I played HL1, opposing forces, farcry, mechwarrorior4 etc anyways.

[SPC Andy]

is there a reason you're specifically going for the external option?

Laptop :roll: :lol:

[SPC Andy]

I was thinking of this kinda thing

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/951837/Western_Digital_250GB_My_Book_Essential_1U_Externa l_Hard_Drive_USB2_0/Product.html#

What do you think? is it a bit over kill? I was looking at it from the point of view I will/should never need another (well not for a few years at least)

[CaNNoN_FoDDa]

Got an external quite recently for hotswapping. I went with getting an icybox and a 200gb maxtor, which took a little fiddling (prolly cos im stoopid) but now works nicely. I suspect this may be slightly cheaper (per GB) than getting a prebuilt.

If you cant be bothered with that (which is fairy nuff) a prebuilt is prolly the way to go (although i would be suspicious of any that come with software, as it isnt needed for winxp and i doubt it is necessary for current versions of linux).

I think it may be *slightly* nasty to run large programs like graphics utilities off an external (because they have huge temporary files) and i wouldnt like to do it with games, but for little stuff it would prolly be ok. Think i might do that with winamp, but im not sure it will like hotswapping.

[SPC Andy]

Ok so going with the idea of using the external HD for file storage only, & copying over the files I want to work on then back hen I am done. Do you think I would be able to play music direct from the external HD cause I am a stick it on random and let it play king and there is no way I am I going to be copying 6Gigs of stuff to and from.

[DAve]

What do you think? is it a bit over kill? I was looking at it from the point of view I will/should never need another (well not for a few years at least)
Oooh, very shiney. I wonder if the green circle will glow...

Yeah, that should be fine. It's massive, should hold all your stuff no probs.

Got an external quite recently for hotswapping. I went with getting an icybox and a 200gb maxtor.
Personally, I've had nothing but trouble from Maxtor. I just about lost everything twice with two separate hard drives. Thank fudge for the internet and newsgroups.

Backup and survive the coming data apocolypse!

[Sideshow]

Ok so going with the idea of using the external HD for file storage only, & copying over the files I want to work on then back hen I am done. Do you think I would be able to play music direct from the external HD cause I am a stick it on random and let it play king and there is no way I am I going to be copying 6Gigs of stuff to and from.

Yeah, playing music off an external is no problem. Think about it - you can stream music online over a modem, and USB is about 9000 times faster than that.

[SPC Andy]

Great :D

Thanks again guys, you are as ever a fount of geeky knowledge that I wish I knew but am to lazy/stupid to learn.

What would I do without you all :D :lol: