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General discussion

(NT) Converting an External HD to IHD...worthwhile or no?

May 11, 2006 10:53PM PDT

I have an older (3 years) Dell Dimension with an 80 g IHD, and use a Maxor 200G EHD as a backup and storage space. Is it worth considering removing the HD from the EHD case and using it as an IHD? My thoughts are adding some security and lessening the chances of an accidental drop or other unnatural disater.

Randy

Discussion is locked

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Depends...
May 12, 2006 1:17AM PDT

Well, at first glance, I don't think it would be "worthwhile" to convert your external HD to an internal HD. And I am looking at it from not only a techinical stand point, but also a purchase price stand point too. Now-a-days you can go out and purchase a brand new internal HD for a fraction of the cost you most likely purchased the external. However, all this being said, I don't particularly know any of the specs of your "3-year old computer," nor do I know any of your user habits for what the system is being used for. Lastly, without knowing any of that information I would go out on a limb and say your best bet is to purchase a new internal HD (if your looking for more room) and install it as your master drive, (optional: if there is a second bay, I would install a second drive internally to use as a backup) and use the external as an external backup drive.

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Specs
May 12, 2006 6:20AM PDT

Sorry...it's a Dell 8300, Intel Pentium 4, 80 G HD, 512 mb RAM, CD-RW and DVD-R. I haven't modified anything, factory specs. Windows XP. Mainly, I use the EHD for one storage step of photographs, as a semi-professional photographer. I made either a DVD or CD of them as a further backup. I run mainly photographic type programs, like Phtoshop 7.0, etc. XP2 is installed.
Same advice?

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Specs
May 12, 2006 7:03AM PDT

If your worries is about dropping it... my question is... do you move it around (carry it with you)?.
If your answer is no... then changing it doesn't make much sense... an external has less chances of going bad than the system's drive (if your main worry is about the safety of your pictures). It goes without saying that in the digital world ''a 100% foolproof way to store/back up your stuff'' just plain doesn't exist... so keep multiple backups of your most important stuff, like externally plus do a lot of ''burn baby burn'' to cds/dvds. With hdds (the system's being the most prome to) the question is NOT IF the hdd will go bad but WHEN.

Just my 2 cents, hope they'll help you.