Ugrade Harddrive

[Barry]

My computer came with a 20gb hard drive which in now
practically full. I am not sure how it got this full
(2.18 gb free). I have about 600 songs and maybe 200
photos on it. It was about 60% full until I upgraded from
Windows Me to XP Home Ed. If I purchase a larger hard
drive, how do I move the files from the current drive to
the new one? Are ther external Hard drives? Are they
easier to store files on? For example, would that be a
good way to store music if I don't want to burn alot of
cds?

[René]

Barry wrote:
> My computer came with a 20gb hard drive which in now
> practically full.
> I am not sure how it got this full

By storing files on it.

> If I purchase a larger hard drive, how do I move the files
> from the current drive to the new one?

Does anyone ever bother to read previous posts that answer the very
same question, or does everybody think they are special and nobody
else could of possibly had had their very common problem?

Put files on removable medium, remove medium, insert medium into new
computer, put files on new computer.

Removable media are floppy disks, CD-R, writable DVDs, tapes, USB
memory sticks, ZIP and JAZ disks, etc etc

Alternatively, you could connect the two computers by means of a
cable.

Or you could store your files online for later retrieval.

> Are ther external Hard drives?

Yes.

> Are they easier to store files on?

Yes, MS Word also comes with a grammar check.

> For example, would that be a good way to store music
> if I don't want to burn alot of cds?

That depends where you want to play them, doesn't it? If you just want
to listen to your music while being on the PC or in the vicinity,
store them on your computer's harddrive. Otherwise you could put them
on CD-RWs, memory cards, externaly harddrives connected to your car
stereo, your iPod, or or PocketPC or whatever.

[Alcoholics]

>-----Original Message-----
>Barry wrote:
>> My computer came with a 20gb hard drive which in now
>> practically full.
>> I am not sure how it got this full
>
>By storing files on it.
>
>> If I purchase a larger hard drive, how do I move the
files
>> from the current drive to the new one?
>
>Does anyone ever bother to read previous posts that
answer the very
>same question, or does everybody think they are special
and nobody
>else could of possibly had had their very common problem?
>
>Put files on removable medium, remove medium, insert
medium into new
>computer, put files on new computer.
>
>Removable media are floppy disks, CD-R, writable DVDs,
tapes, USB
>memory sticks, ZIP and JAZ disks, etc etc
>
>Alternatively, you could connect the two computers by
means of a
>cable.
>
>Or you could store your files online for later retrieval.
>
>> Are ther external Hard drives?
>
>Yes.
>
>> Are they easier to store files on?
>
>Yes, MS Word also comes with a grammar check.
>
>> For example, would that be a good way to store music
>> if I don't want to burn alot of cds?
>
>That depends where you want to play them, doesn't it? If
you just want
>to listen to your music while being on the PC or in the
vicinity,
>store them on your computer's harddrive. Otherwise you
could put them
>on CD-RWs, memory cards, externaly harddrives connected
to your car
>stereo, your iPod, or or PocketPC or whatever.
>
>.
Barry, don't take the rude tone personally. Despite this
person's sour attitude, there is useful information
here. Just be glad you're not as unhappy as this person
must be.

[Patty MacDuffie]

My René, aren't you helpful. Did you happen to notice that you are posting
in the
"newusers" news group? Knowing all about newsgroups is not a prereq to
posting here.

Barry, first off, it isn't your files that are taking up all the room, it is
Windows XP. The OS is huge and it reserves large chunks of your hard drive
for special uses, which you may or may not need. However, a new and bigger
hard drive would be a good thing for you in any case.

Many new drives come with a utility you can use to copy the contents of one
drive to another. I'd have to suggest Maxtor drives for this, as their
utility is easy to use, they give very good instructions, and the MaxBlast
Utility will also correct for other potential problems of installing a very
large hard drive on an older computer. I'd just go for it and see how you
do with the instructions they give you. If you have problems with them,
post back.
--
Patty MacDuffie
MS MVP for Windows XP

"René" > wrote in message
gy.com...
> Barry wrote:
> > My computer came with a 20gb hard drive which in now
> > practically full.
> > I am not sure how it got this full
>
> By storing files on it.
>
> > If I purchase a larger hard drive, how do I move the files
> > from the current drive to the new one?
>
> Does anyone ever bother to read previous posts that answer the very
> same question, or does everybody think they are special and nobody
> else could of possibly had had their very common problem?
>
> Put files on removable medium, remove medium, insert medium into new
> computer, put files on new computer.
>
> Removable media are floppy disks, CD-R, writable DVDs, tapes, USB
> memory sticks, ZIP and JAZ disks, etc etc
>
> Alternatively, you could connect the two computers by means of a
> cable.
>
> Or you could store your files online for later retrieval.
>
> > Are ther external Hard drives?
>
> Yes.
>
> > Are they easier to store files on?
>
> Yes, MS Word also comes with a grammar check.
>
> > For example, would that be a good way to store music
> > if I don't want to burn alot of cds?
>
> That depends where you want to play them, doesn't it? If you just want
> to listen to your music while being on the PC or in the vicinity,
> store them on your computer's harddrive. Otherwise you could put them
> on CD-RWs, memory cards, externaly harddrives connected to your car
> stereo, your iPod, or or PocketPC or whatever.
>

[Sharon F]

On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 12:25:25 -0800, Barry wrote:

> My computer came with a 20gb hard drive which in now
> practically full. I am not sure how it got this full
> (2.18 gb free). I have about 600 songs and maybe 200
> photos on it. It was about 60% full until I upgraded from
> Windows Me to XP Home Ed. If I purchase a larger hard
> drive, how do I move the files from the current drive to
> the new one? Are ther external Hard drives? Are they
> easier to store files on? For example, would that be a
> good way to store music if I don't want to burn alot of
> cds?

Suggestion: Consider installing the new drive as storage only. Move your
music, pictures and other data files over to it. Benefits:
1) Your original drive will now have plenty of room for XP
2) You will have plenty of room on the new hard drive for any additional
files you happen to collect.
3) If the transfer software included with most new hard drives fails, you
won't have to reinstall Windows or your programs.

--
Sharon F
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User

[Lil' Dave]

Try DriveImage 7 from Powerquest. Heck, just go to the Powerquest site and
nose around, as replies I've seen so far seem ignorant.
Dave
"Barry" > wrote in message
...
> My computer came with a 20gb hard drive which in now
> practically full. I am not sure how it got this full
> (2.18 gb free). I have about 600 songs and maybe 200
> photos on it. It was about 60% full until I upgraded from
> Windows Me to XP Home Ed. If I purchase a larger hard
> drive, how do I move the files from the current drive to
> the new one? Are ther external Hard drives? Are they
> easier to store files on? For example, would that be a
> good way to store music if I don't want to burn alot of
> cds?

[Patty MacDuffie]

Ignorant? How so, Dave? I use Drive Image, but it is a $70 program. Steep
for copying a drive.
--
Patty MacDuffie
MS MVP for Windows XP

"Lil' Dave" > wrote in message
news:z8lyb.22742$yM6.14833@lakeread06...
> Try DriveImage 7 from Powerquest. Heck, just go to the Powerquest site
and
> nose around, as replies I've seen so far seem ignorant.
> Dave

[René]

Patty MacDuffie wrote:
> My René, aren't you helpful.

I did provide useful information, did I not?

[Patty MacDuffie]

That really depends on your audience, René. If I were a new user, I'd have
turned off my machine with my face burning red and feeling like a complete
idiot before I ever got to the useful information. Also, the useful
information has to be conveyed in a way that a new user can read and
possibly understand it. New users take a bit of hand holding and helping.
You remember that, surely? ;)
--
Patty MacDuffie
MS MVP for Windows XP

"René" > wrote in message
gy.com...
> Patty MacDuffie wrote:
> > My René, aren't you helpful.
>
> I did provide useful information, did I not?
>