Can an external hd continually read from e1705?

Hi
I have a Dell Insprion E1705. I am quickly running out of HD space.

I do not want to get a bigger internal HD (I have the 100GB dual channel that came with computer) bec/ I don't want to reinstall all my programs.

So...can I buy an external hard drive and keep it connected so that my laptop can read everything I store in the external hd?

I have alot of programs for photobooks, etc. that take up alot of space. If I was to transfer those over to the external hd and keep the icons on my desktop, would I still be able to open them if the external hd was always connected?....thus, keeping my laptops hd free of all of the pics and programs, etc.?

Thank you for any suggestions. Linda

 

Yes, most external HDDs are seen by operating systems as local drives and therefore you could use them as if they were an internal drive.

However, the speeds are going to be reduced due to going through a USB port; unless you have an eSATA port or get one that operates over an ethernet connection.

 

Yes you can, just consider that it will be slower. (unless you are using eSATA)

You can get a bigger internal HD w/o reinstalling any program. The process is called cloning and there is a guide somewhere on this forum.

 

+1 for cloning. when hard drives were a bit pricier I had a 100GB internal and a 120GB external (WD passport - it was the biggest one at the time and cost me 180 dollars XD). Now that I can get a 500GB internal for under 100 bucks I would never consider using an external with a laptop again.

 

I do use an external with a laptop; technically anyway. Via my wireless network I have access to 4TB of space on a NAS Was a bargain, doubt I will ever fill all that space - think I inherited that particular skill of buying stuff I don't need from my mother.....

 

Yeah, I do too then.
On the road, I log into my home's fileserver via RDP and transfer stuff I need over to myself
Not really what I'm talking about though.

 

Buying an external harddrive and having it always connected to your laptop is a good option which most people do.

You have another more portable option.
The E1705 you have can be outfitted with a second harddrive if you buy an optical drive to harddrive adaptor.
http://newmodeus.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_3&products_id=177
They cost around $40 and with it, you can install a 500gb harddrive inside your laptop (like the WD5000BEVT, Hitachi 5K500.B, Toshiba 500gb 5400rpm).
There is a member selling 500gb 5400rpm laptop drives from Toshiba for around $50 in the marketplace here.
It is convenient since it weighs a lot less than an external harddrive, and you will always have it in your laptop, as long as you do not need your optical drive

K-TRON

 

KTron....If I got the optical drive to harddrive adaptor, I would have to buy a HD and if I installed the new hard drive, wouldn't I have to download all my programs, like Windows, etc??

 

Is my IEEE 1394 port considered an ethernet?

 

No that's Firewire. a HD connected to it will be a bit faster than USB.

 

I thought firewire was a massive increase over USB?

 

It's faster but if you want a massive increase over USB you need eSATA.

http://www.usb-ware.com/firewire-vs-usb.htm

 

No. Ethernet is totally different from FireWire 1394. Ethernet is a type of specification for computing networking, while FireWire 1394 is a type of specification for data transferring. However, FireWire 1394c married these two specifications together, although as far as I know, there is nothing on the market that supports this technology as of yet, chipset or otherwise.

Depends on which version of FireWire you are talking about. FireWire 400 (also known as 1394a) is rated at 400MBps, while FireWire 800 (also known as 1394b) is rated at 800MBps. As you know, USB 2.0 has a ceiling of 480MBps, so technically, it could outperform the 1394a FireWire specification.

 

If you bought the adaptor, you would also need to buy a harddrive for it.
When installed, the harddrive in the optical drive adaptor will show up as a secondary harddrive.
Say your current harddrive in your Dell is "Local Disc C"
The harddrive you install in the adaptor will appear as "Local Disc D"

You do not need to reinstall any software. All you need to do is attach the drive to your laptop. Than simply drag files over to the new harddrive.

It is basically like having a backup harddrive within your laptop.
Data transfer through the ATAPI adaptor, for the harddrive to optical drive adaptor will run up to 100mb/sec which is faster than any 2.5" mechanical drive can output.


Positives and negatives of the adaptor:

Positives:
- external harddrive built into your laptop
- data throughput speed is as fast as the drive installed - (much faster than USB)
- space is always there for you, no need to lug around an external harddrive enclosure and power supply

Negatives:
- once installed you will no longer have an optical drive
- if you ever need to use the optical drive, you need to shut your system off, and unscrew the harddrive-optical adaptor. Than screw the optical drive back in
- the adaptor costs $42 + shipping, and a decent internal harddrive costs $50 or more, thus making it a bit more expensive
- the largest capacity 2.5" drive at the moment is 500gb, which could be a turnoff

K-TRON