Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

Questions re Mounting SD Cards to C-Drive; Increasing memory


  • Please log in to reply

#1
TooNew2

TooNew2

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 176 posts

I still run Windows 7 on an Asus A54C with a 320GB HDD. I currently have about 15 GB free space on my D drive, and on C it varies recently from a maximum of about 10, down to a couple. I have backups and lots of other files, including pictures, on external drives that aren't normally connected. At some point I would like help finding/deciding what files and data should be removed entirely from my C-drive, but for now have questions about a possible stopgap method of expanding my working memory.
I have found a few articles such as this one [  How to use SD card for internal storage on Windows? ] about mounting an SD card in a folder within my C drive.  My questions are:
 Items on my Desktop (among much more) are in C; Would the system then treat this SD memory as part of C? Or could I reassign ["Send"] the Desktop and/or its items to that SD folder, so everything would still behave the same?
If this Mounting works, would  there be a limit on the size of the SD card that could be used? The computer has a card slot I, in the past, rarely used, but which currently has a 32GB card dedicated for ReadyBoost. Could some of a mounted card (with NTFS) still be used for ReadyBoost?
Lastly, If mounting the card doesn't/can't essentially make it part of C, what is the benefit of "mounting" it rather than just having it remain and be treated as a removable drive?

Thanks


Edited by TooNew2, 14 March 2024 - 10:43 AM.

  • 0

Advertisements


#2
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,710 posts

Not so important when it comes to Windows 7 updates but you are on shaky ground if you have important data on that 320GB HDD, see my canned info below;

 

For Windows to be able to run efficiently and to be able to update you need to have between 20 and 25% of the partition or drive available on a HDD and an SSD between 10 and 15% as free storage space at all times, if you don`t you risk Windows becoming corrupt or not being able to update which puts you at risk of malware attack.
 
Data only storage devices should not be allowed to get any lower than 10% of free storage space of the full capacity of the drive/partition on the drive, this also to avoid data corruption.
 
Please note that storage devices can physically fail if the amount of free storage space is allowed to drop below the required 10 or 20/25% minimum.

 

 

Best thing that you can do is to get yourself a 1TB USB external storage device, create at least two partitions, back up Windows 7 to one and your data to any other/s, once you have done that, declutter the present C: and D: partitions until you have at least the minimum of 10 and 15% as per the explained above.
 
Fwiw, had this been a Windows OS that was not obsolete and is therefore not still receiving updates the chances are that Windows would have already become corrupted or worse still infected with malware.
 
Your link returns a Not found, error 404 error btw.

  • 0

#3
TooNew2

TooNew2

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 176 posts

Somehow the second bracket got mis-interpreted and added to the back of my link above; I fixed it.

 

I used to be able to keep the 10% free space and since then (last few months) haven't downloaded enough to use it up (yes, little bits do add up) so don't understand where it has gone. As stated earlier, I do have the entire system backed up, as separately are all the important (and most other) files too.

In addition, I don't do banking or other critical activities online, and don't go to many sites, so should be at less risk of infection than most. 

 

Anyway, am I to assume you don't know the answers to any of the mounting questions?

 

Spent much of the day removing/disassembling some machinery; tomorrow need to grind and reweld the broken part and then hard face its cutting edges. Then organize tools to take to a RepairCafe on Sunday.


Edited by TooNew2, 14 March 2024 - 11:45 PM.

  • 0

#4
123Runner

123Runner

    Member 4k

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 4,525 posts

I went to your link. The article states "how to use an SD card as internal storage on Windows Computers."

It is for additional storage in place of a hard drive or SSD drive so you don't have to open the computer to install the drive.

This is not to increase the amount of memory (ram) you have.

In stead of saving data automatically to the C drive you would direct it to the SD card. Usually using a "save as".


  • 0

#5
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,710 posts
Anyway, am I to assume you don't know the answers to any of the mounting questions?

 

 

ASS- U-Me  :P

 

Please see the guidance of our long standing colleague 123Runner   :thumbsup:

 

One thing that I will mention, them using the term mount is a bit misleading as inserting an SD card is no different than inserting a USB flashdrive as in when removed any data on the device goes with it, short version, you can`t extend a partition on a boot or data drive by inserting removable devices such as an SD card or USB stick.


  • 0

#6
TooNew2

TooNew2

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 176 posts

I went to your link. The article states "how to use an SD card as internal storage on Windows Computers."

It is for additional storage in place of a hard drive or SSD drive so you don't have to open the computer to install the drive.

This is not to increase the amount of memory (ram) you have.

In stead of saving data automatically to the C drive you would direct it to the SD card. Usually using a "save as".

 

I understood this; I sometimes (inaccurately) refer to data stored anywhere, even on external hard drives, as "memory". 

 

Maybe a better question is can the system use "mounted" free space the same as other free space on C-drive, as when updating security programs such as SuperAntiSpyware? Or does it need stuff currently on C moved there to free C space?

 

 

 

Anyway, am I to assume you don't know the answers to any of the mounting questions?

 

 

 

One thing that I will mention, them using the term mount is a bit misleading as inserting an SD card is no different than inserting a USB flashdrive as in when removed any data on the device goes with it, short version, you can`t extend a partition on a boot or data drive by inserting removable devices such as an SD card or USB stick.

 

 

Of course, but ... since I don't otherwise use the SD slot, anything in it would be left 'permanently'.

 

Then, what is the real benefit of "mounting" a card? Guess I'll have to get a bigger one and do some testing to see how useful it can be.

 

[bleep]- U-Me  :P

 

Some members here, I included, can be stubborn, "mule-like". Here's something from Oscar Wilde, narrated by Bing Crosby, that explains that it's sometimes justified:

 


Edited by TooNew2, 16 March 2024 - 11:04 AM.

  • 0

#7
123Runner

123Runner

    Member 4k

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 4,525 posts

I looked again at the mounting of the SD card. Mount and unmount is usually in linux systems. I still can't figure out what their reasoning for doing what they are doing.

It seems to be a convoluted way to make the SD card storage. Doing it their way you make the card part of the C drive. In other words it DOES NOT have a drive letter of its own.

Not having a drive letter of its own is more confusing. What happens if you remove the SD card from the computer? Will the card be recognized again if you remove and then reinsert?

What happens if the card fails?

The end result is that you still have to direct any data you want saved to the card which is the same as putting the SD card in your computer and it getting a drive letter.

You can organize the SD card with folders either way you go.

My suggestion is to use the SD card as a normal SD card or as you would with a flash drive. There is to much messing around and to much chance of failure.


  • 0

#8
TooNew2

TooNew2

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 176 posts

I'm going to test "Mounting" with a new 12GB card and then perhaps can answer some of those questions, e.g. does the system recognize that specific card and treat it differently than another put into the same slot? WRT card failures, I've had most problems when using an external card reader and something doesn't seem to work right so data (usually pictures) gets corrupted while removing it. Assuming the worst and shutting the system down before removing such cards can prevent that, but does take more time, patience, and diligence.

 

Did you look at the (video) story I posted, and if so, did you like it? I first heard it as a kid well over half a century ago.


  • 0






Similar Topics

1 user(s) are reading this topic

1 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


    TooNew2

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP