I have a 3-year old Dell Dimension 2400. An IP tech said an external hard drive would be easiet; just plug in a USB cable. My nephew who has his own IP Tech company said I should install another internal hard drive. The external HD does sound easier. I have one USB connection on the front that I've plugged my camera into. I have two more USB connections on the back.
Can anyone explain if these connections will accept an external hard drive? Would I have to install something else internally anyway? Although I need to open up my computer to blow out the dust bunnies, it overwhelms me to think about doing any "surgery."
2007-02-02 05:57:48 · 5 answers · asked by mindshift 7 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Add-ons
The easiest way to do this would be using an external hard drive.
You wont need to load any drivers etc.
Just plug it in the USB port (front or rear) and it will mount it as a drive letter.
You could install it internally, but you need to set the jumper correctly, but it on the correct cable, mount it safely and then format it. Most internal drives are not formatted. I think most externals are formatted.
** Note, dont worry about USB 1 or 2. That will only matter if your editing video etc. It will be plenty fast enough **
2007-02-02 06:08:25 · answer #1 · answered by wishiwas 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can connect an external hard drive via a USB connection. If you have the older USB ports, it won't run as fast as the new ones but will work. And no, with an external hard drive you don't have to install anything inside the computer.
Ron
2007-02-02 06:09:05 · answer #2 · answered by Ron75 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you wanted to replace an external hard drive you would have to remove the old one first before installing a new one, right? Well in a similar fasion you may also have to remove the old internal hard drive first before installing a new (external) one for it to work even if you wanted to. I think it may also depend on the hard drive. If anything I would probably try to just use the external hard drive without removing the internal one. I am just not sure if it will work.
2007-02-02 06:08:57 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
An internal drive is cheaper and runs faster. All you have to do is make sure it is jumpered as a slave by following the instuctions that come with it, plug it in and go to my computer and format it. You would have to do the formatting on an external one also.
2007-02-02 06:07:22 · answer #4 · answered by a1222256 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends whether or not you have usb 1.1 or 2.0.
If its either usb 1.1 or 2.0 you will not need to do anything but plug it in.
The thing is that usb 1.1 is very slow, but usb 2.0 is 10 times faster.
Usb 2.0 is faster than the internal drive, but 1.1 is considerably slower.
So, if you have usb 2.0, get external. if you have usb 1.1, go with the internal.
2007-02-02 06:08:21 · answer #5 · answered by Doggzilla 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋