Another vote for USB interface or docking station. Inexpensive ones on Amazon. Pull the old drive out, connect it to your new computer using the USB interface and transfer your files. When done, format the old drive and use as a backup.
External hard drive?
- Thread starter Clint
- Start date
ok, I have to put my two cents in on this subject. I am an IT geek. all of these ideas are good. what you have to do is to figure out for your self if you just want to move the files or move the files and have a back up. If you just want to move the files a usb stick will work well. might be slow but it will get the job done. If you want to move the files and back up the external drive is the way to go. Now that brings up the idea of having more than one backup. You should always have at least two backups. I backup to mutible devices. I have three external 3TB drives and I use cabinite to backup on line. I use robo copy to keep data synced between the external drives. Cabinite backs up any new or changed files in folders that I have told it to backup. All of this is worth the effort to me. I have seen to many external drives die just when I needed to pull data off the drive. It is also a good idea to keep the drives in different places. IE one at home and one at work. just swap them out on a weekly or monthly bases. I backup a nearly 2tb of data. the advantage is once i have a full backup i only backup the changed or new files. I believe your best bet would be to have the external drive use it to move the files and keep it as a local usb backup and then subscribe to an online backup site.
Clint. How much space do you need? I have a couple 150 or so gig USB drives sitting around. If that's big enough for you send your addy I'll send one to you. No strings attached.
AlohaStyle
BoM Sept '12 & Aug '13
What do you (or anyone else) recommend for people using a laptop that is never connected to a hard drive? I've had my external HD connected to my wireless router before and did backups that way, but there were a couple issues. One concern I had was that the HD was always on and I was afraid this could cause failure by getting too hot, always being on etc.
I like reading what programs people are specifically using for backups, but what actual process do you have for connecting and setting up automatic backups?
Smoqman
BoM Aug. 2014
At home and at my business I am currently using iDrive. I've used other services, and we do back up to externals as well
But iDrive has never failed me, ever.
www.idrive.com
www.idrive.com
Could always just add the Old Drive to the New computer and use it as a Internal back drive. Change a Jumper from MS (master) to SL (Slave) or CS (Cable Select) and install it in the new tower. ONly way this wouldn't work is if the Drive was IDE and the new computer was SATA or SCSI. That is what I did the last time. Only thing in my case was I had a SATA Master and my IDE from old system still worked because my MB supported both drive types only had to add the IDE ribbon Works like a charm. Even if you don't have a Open slot you can still hook it transfer your files and remove it from your computer. Only other thing was I moved my drive from a Win XP pro system already running NTFS if your drive is Win32 I would get a program to change over without loosing your data. before swaping drives.
I am not a Pro and I have not worked in computers since 2000. Some of my info may be old and outdated like me LOL But I do know that I did just make the same swap from my XP Pro system changing the Jumper from Master to Cable Select installed turned on the system and it added the drive gave me option to choose letter so I picked H, When I went in and looked at the drive all my files were still there. I then went and deleted out all the Window files and folders to give me back that space. Seeing I am only using it as a Backup dive. Didn't cost anything. There is options here where people have offered help. Maybe the best option if you don't have any computer know how other then turning it on and off and surfing. Good luck. Kick back light a nice Stick or a bowl and do the swap.
James
I am not a Pro and I have not worked in computers since 2000. Some of my info may be old and outdated like me LOL But I do know that I did just make the same swap from my XP Pro system changing the Jumper from Master to Cable Select installed turned on the system and it added the drive gave me option to choose letter so I picked H, When I went in and looked at the drive all my files were still there. I then went and deleted out all the Window files and folders to give me back that space. Seeing I am only using it as a Backup dive. Didn't cost anything. There is options here where people have offered help. Maybe the best option if you don't have any computer know how other then turning it on and off and surfing. Good luck. Kick back light a nice Stick or a bowl and do the swap.
James
