I have recently purchased an iomega 500gb external USB HD. How can I use it to run my desk top on start up?

Question

I'm running windows XP, my computer is 256 80gb, which is almost full! I have sent some of my programs to my external HD but when trying to access them my PC has had trouble finding them and appon sending them back to C drive they are no longer the full program. What am I doing wrong? How can I configure my PC to fully run off the USB drive on startup? I,m planning on putting a 1GB memory in it very soon but still want it to run off the USB drive if possible. I've only had my PC for 18mths and am still learning so I need as much info in this matter as possible or even a website addy I can go to that will explain it. Please help! Thanking you in advance.

Answer 1

I agree that it is better to install programs to the internal hard drive because they will run faster, and to do this you must re-install them using the USB drive letter (example F:\program files) as the location they are installed. First, uninstall them from the C:\ drive and then re-install them to the USB drive.

Be careful though, you don't want your USB drives "letter" to change, so make sure it is always the same drive letter each time you re-boot. If you left a different USB device plugged in one time when you booted up, it might be recognized first and get the drive letter that was being used for your USB drive and your programs on the USB drive wouldn't work.

I agree that you should clean up your internal drive, but PLEASE, back up your data that cannot be replaced (pictures, documents, etc) to BOTH drives. If your internal drive ever fails, you won't loose those important picture, etc.

Answer 2

a OK, install the software to the external disc the great a icon short cut to the desktop...software needs to be installed on the disc that will be its home... butter to save the software package to the external drive , and leave the installed on your computer. them move all you movies, music, and docs to the external drive..