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Will a Second External Harddrive Bork My Computer? (Resolved)

external hard drive

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#1
NorthstarATL

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Hi! You guys have helped me through several crises on this forum, and I trust the info given here more than anywhere else, so I am just posing this question as something I'm considering, and not, thankfully, a crisis. I was running out of hard drive space a year or so ago and bought a Western Digital My Passport External Hard Drive, which has a 1 TB capacity, which I thought I'd never even come close to  maxing out. BUT, I'm at 54 GB of free space, and I realize it's time to do some major cleaning or do sometghing even more drastic, but less painful and time consuming: adding a second external. (I cannot purchase a full system at this time, financially, which would probably be a solution down the line.) Myspecs are:

Dell Pentium ® Dual-Core CPU 2.50 GHz
4. GB Memory
32-bit

It's been a good little trooper, but would a second HD overtax it? There are things on the first which I access constantly, and are not mirrored on the main drive, so I can't foresee switching them out regularly.

 Also, when I first installed the My Passport it automatically copied everything from the main drive. I realize this is a good idea, but I wouldn't necessarily want the same program files, etc. on each drive. I wouldn't have to, would I? (I've been really hesitant about removing files from the external, as I am unsure as to what needs to be saved.)

 Thank you for any feedback and suggestions!


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#2
jds63

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NorthstarATL,

 

Hello, what is the size of your Systems Hard Drive ? What exactly do you use this WD External for ?

 

Because you said something about originally backing up everthing from your main system. For one it's never a good idea to use an external like this one for running software or games, running off USB 2.0 . You probably used the backup software that comes on these drives and it is done sometimes automatically. Believe usually you can specify from where it is backing up from.

 

External drives like this WD is good for basically keeping backups of Documents, certain files, music,videos, pictures and you can also access them from this drive to save space on your main system drive.That way freeing up that drive.

 

No problem adding a second External, sometimes mattering to how much other hardware you have added or on system now for the PSU (Power Supply).

 

No need to use this for backing up whole system, can't restore system this way, you can use programs that make system images, like Macrium Reflect and Acronis True Image for that.

 

I think most might be on this external is backup of your system plus some documents,music, videso, etc...but look it over before removing anything. Is there USB 3.0 on this ?

 

Also if worried about PC, should do regular maintenance to it, disk cleanup, monthly defrag of HDD, stop non-essential startup programs, hardware driver updates.software updates, windows updates and occasional chkdsk.


Edited by jds63, 23 October 2014 - 07:24 PM.

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#3
NorthstarATL

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Hi! Thanks for the reply! 581 Gigabytes is my C Drive capacity. The External was/is for overflow of videos, music, projects, and games. Files that I use regularly are on both the C and the External, while those I am not currently using (and haven't been burned to discs) live on the External.

  What happened when I installed the WD was that I should have researched further and customized my install, but instead let it back up my files automatically. having read your reply and looked into it further, I realize that I have an entire operating system of unnecessary files (programs, etc) that, you're right, would not do me any good if my computer crashed. I have the Windows Reinstall disc separately should sych a thing occur, and I will look at the freeware you suggested. I guess what I ned to do as well is to look into whether the WD regular back-up can be changed at this point. I can't see why not. Am I on the right track here? I may not actually need the second external then after all. OR I may exist with this one cleaned up for a while, and then get a 2TB to replace this one, and keep the current one as an archive.

Also if worried about PC, should do regular maintenance to it, disk cleanup, monthly defrag of HDD, stop non-essential startup programs, hardware driver updates.software updates, windows updates and occasional chkdsk.

 

 

I do all that. My computer's running really nicely at the moment. I'm worried about space more than anything. (I'm eventually getting a new computer, but hope to utilize this as a secondary even after that.


Edited by NorthstarATL, 23 October 2014 - 09:44 PM.

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#4
jds63

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NorthstarATL,

 

Your welcome.

 

Yes i had a feeling it backed up the entire C: drive when you explained it, not necessary plus as i explained can be done through system image program with better reliability. You do have OS disc. Again playing games is not a good idea on this kind of drive, storing the installation software is of course o.k.. Backup software on these drives can be useful for files being created are being backed up automatically, as specified usually can setup the backup to backup exactly what you want and not all.

 

One thing i did not know Is the operating system you are using, doing a system image is o.k. way to recover in case of a disaster, but you do have the OS disc, again the image will bring your system back exactly way it was with all applications you put on it after OS. Now you said 581GB on main drive, but not how much free space asking this because of talk of wanting 2 external drives.

 

I never used this kind of external drive backup software to be able to tell you how to revert it back to just backup stuff like files, documents, videos, and music. But sure there is a way to, if you do not want to have to remember to back up your files everytime you make new ones or make changes to ones this comes in handy i agree. What i usually do when i buy one is i do not use the backup software, i format it and make my own folders and put my backups in them.

 

1TB is a lot of space just for certain types of files for you to think of needing 2, another reason i ask how much space left on main drive too. As you said clean this 1TB drive up, set it up to just back up certain files or as you also said if you want, clean this 1TB drive up and use the new one for backing up just the PC files you want, keep older one for second backup in case one drive does fail. Confusing, but not bad idea, matters if want to buy another.

 

I am using a powered WD My Book USB 3.0 External as my backup, this is plugged in all the time. I use another older Drive as a double backup in case this one does fail. It's a hassle to move files to another Drive every time i add one to My Book external, but it's an example of what you were saying too.


Edited by jds63, 24 October 2014 - 02:31 PM.

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#5
NorthstarATL

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I cleaned out the unnecessary stuff onm the External and reset the scheduling to daily, rather than continuous, which freed up a ton of space! The only problem now is that I have to mahually delete backup files created under the new schedule, because WD isn't giving me an obvious option to exclude sectors (just file types, but that wouldn't do what I need done). I DO have Vista, and I have a Restore Point set-up, which I refresh pretty often, so being able to recover from a crash is probably going to be doable without the overbloated External that I was keeping. It looks like I'll either add another 1TB External or, more likely, get a single 2TB, and archive the current one.

 Thanks for your help! I guess the topic can close now?


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#6
jds63

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I probably would of backed up what was important on this External drive first to a thumb drive along with it's backup software. Then reformat drive and first put the backup software on it, installing it. Then create what i want it to backup and how often.

 

Do not refresh a restore point too quickly if something was installed, uninstalled or updated till you are sure everything is working well, possibly couple of days, just in case. I know additional restore points are made when something is installed or updated usually through a windows update. Just to play it safe.

 

Your Welcome, anytime NorthstarATL.

 

Posts do not get closed left open to help others who read it with similar problems.


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#7
phillpower2

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Topic title marked as resolved as it will help people looking/Googling for help for the same issue  :thumbsup:


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#8
jds63

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Hello Mr Power, thank you Sir, i was never sure who does it, knows i do not know how or can not.


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#9
phillpower2

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You are most welcome jd  :)  :thumbsup:


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#10
NorthstarATL

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Thanks to both of you!


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#11
phillpower2

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You are welcome NorthstarATL I am pleased to hear that all is now well with your computer, a job well done by both of you  :thumbsup:


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#12
jds63

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Thanks to both of you!

Your welcome, NorthstarATL. ty phill, < bowing>


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