Is this possible with an external hard drive? 4

[jnowles]

Hello,

I would like to purchase an external hard. My vision is that I can simply plug it into my USB port, load and execute software application from the drive thus relieving some of the confusion on my current hard drive. I want a portable model that I can use on both of my computers. This seems too easy and most likely reflect my lack of knowledge in this area. Is this possible? What's the downside?

jean

 

[tf1]

Yes, there are many such devices available. I have an Iomega 250GB USB/Firewire external HDD that I use primarily for backup of my main system.

Try Tomshardware for some information about external storage device:

http://www17.tomshardware.com/search/search.html?category=storage&words=USB+External+Hard+Drive

Regards: tf1

 

[paparazi]

Yes! simple as stated, actually even simpler than you stated, if you have XP with SP1 or newer, because you don't even need to install any drivers.
The cheapest way is to buy an external USB2 hard drive enclosure, available for either small 2.5inch laptop sized or the cheaper, standard ATA drives that you find in a normal PC.
Buy the enclosure, buy the hard drive, fit together (three minute job)
You will need to partition and format before use as per normal.
Martin


We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[jnowles]

Thanks!

Just to be sure I understand you correctly, if I install an application on an external hard drive I will then be able to run that application on any computer that I connect to that hard drive?
Jean

 

[micker377]

Not necessarily. When you install a program, the registry of the currant computer is modified and the dll's are placed into the Windows system32. When you try to use this external hard drive on another computer, it will look for these files which are on the original computer. Think of it as a big floppy, more for storage than an add-on to many different computers. You can copy the master file to it and copy and install the file on different computers.

 

[jnowles]

Thank!

I think I got it.

 

[Bozz]

Look at the Lacie USB drives, good price (about £65+VAT for 80Gb), or the Buffalo LinkStation which is a network drive at (about £150+VAT for 120Gb). The USB will be quicker, especially if you have USB 2.0 on the PC's but the LinkStation is like having your own file server and as such is easier to share between 2 PC's all the time. Sorry if you think in $'s.

Ian Boys
DTE Systems Ltd

 

[jnowles]

Thanks for the recommendations. My computers stand alone so I'm researching units like the Lacie you mentioned.

jean