I want to get an external hard drive for my PC. I mainly need it for pictures and MP3s. How many GBs do I need?
When I switch to a laptop will it work with that too?
If I use one should I still back up to CD/DVD?
What should I look for when buying one?
Thanks!
2007-07-06 01:20:12 · 6 answers · asked by Jill V 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Add-ons
Thanks for the advice...I went out during my lunch hour and bought this one.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8188114&st=external+hard+drive&type=product&id=1164155964057
2007-07-06 06:45:02 · update #1
The amount of storage depends upon how many MP3's and how many pics you may have to store. I would start out with at least 100GB and go from there.
When you switch to a laptop, your external drive should work fine as long as it's USB or Firewire.
I personally would just back up pics/MP3's that are more important than the other...or just back up favorites.
Mainly look for a reputable brand with a solid warranty when looking for one of these external HD's.
2007-07-06 01:37:02 · answer #1 · answered by Grifter75 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As you require it to work off a laptop I suggest you buy something like the one being offered by LOW ( Low 0n the Web) an Evesham Technology company with a very trust worthy reputation one of the external hard drives is in a slim case so making it ideal for carrying around. But you may feel you do not want to carry it very often so I would recommend you buy the biggest capacity you can afford it will still work on your laptop remember picture files are getting bigger as the camera' now have 8+ megapixcels I hope the hard drive will be useful on your next computer. To back up to dvd your most important data as well is a good idea I myself use this belt & braces approach we all have lost data at sometime its the nature of the beast.
2007-07-06 08:49:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I doubt you need a lot of GB so anything on the market would do.
Always works with a laptop, of course USB or Firewire port is a must matching what is on the external box.
No need for backing to CD/DVD if you consider this external HD as a backup/duplicate already.
2007-07-06 08:27:34 · answer #3 · answered by Andy T 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
aropund 40gb is more than enough really seeing as it will hold in the thousands of songs and images etc,always back up to cd or dvd ,any hard drive be it internal or external can fail and do fail,so a cd/dvd backup is very important,many programs let you make data discs that have an open session and hence you can keep adding to them as and when you need to,rather than using a new disc each time you make a backup.
2007-07-06 08:35:06 · answer #4 · answered by the gaffer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Seagate" 250-300GB will be enough so far. look for SATA drive.
look in boxes where it saus good for desktop and laptops, keep in mind some external HD take alot CPU sources in laptops.
you should ALWAYS BACK to you CD/DVD no quesstions about it.
2007-07-06 08:35:08 · answer #5 · answered by steven25t 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. oh I say 250-500gb.
2 yes
3. maybe, HD,s can die sometimes.
4. good name, and warranty.
2007-07-06 08:26:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋