External Hard Drive Question

[Jen Blackburn]

if i purchase an external hard drive, with a USB port (like this one: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2461737&CatId=2421), can i use it to backup information on more than one computer? i'd like to be able to backup both our desktop and our laptop - and maybe even my mom's desktop as well. is that a viable option?

new to this external hard drive thing, but feeling the need to do it soon!

jen

[Dave McClung]

if i purchase an external hard drive, with a USB port (like this one: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2461737&CatId=2421), can i use it to backup information on more than one computer? i'd like to be able to backup both our desktop and our laptop - and maybe even my mom's desktop as well. is that a viable option?

new to this external hard drive thing, but feeling the need to do it soon!

jen

Yes, you can move an external hard drive from computer to computer. The only real issue is making sure that you stop the extranal hard drive before disconnecting it. There is an icon in the tray at the lower right had of your computer that stops the external hard drive.

[Dana Grant]

if i purchase an external hard drive, with a USB port (like this one: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2461737&CatId=2421), can i use it to backup information on more than one computer? i'd like to be able to backup both our desktop and our laptop - and maybe even my mom's desktop as well. is that a viable option?

new to this external hard drive thing, but feeling the need to do it soon!

jen

Jen, I back up both of our computers on the external hard drive. I made separate folders for each computer so that I'll know what is what.

And what Dave said about stopping the hard drive before disconnecting it is very important.

You'll love having the external hard drive. I recently had my hard drive go "KAPUT" on my laptop. It was great to be able to switch over to the other computer, click on the external hard drive, and pull up all the information I needed to continue working without even skipping a beat. I was very thankful for taking the time to do regular backup procedures....it definitely paid off!!

[Jen Blackburn]

Wonderful! Thank you both! That's just the answer i was looking and hoping for!

And thanks for the warning about stopping the drive before removing it. I have gotten into that habit with my jump drive, so it's probably a very similar procedure.

jen

[Norayr Hajian]

And thanks for the warning about stopping the drive before removing it. I have gotten into that habit with my jump drive, so it's probably a very similar procedure.

jen

I think jump (flash) drives are even MORE finicky! Those things really don't like to be disconnected abruptly. Can't be too careful.

By the way (slightly off topic...) if anyone gets a flash drive these days, get one that is U3 compatible. Nifty features that regular flash drives don't have.

[Carsten Schermuly]

I do such file transfers also on a camera chipcard or on my boys MP3 players via USB.