External Hard Drive (General)

theueser · 01-29-2008, 06:45 PM

I have a large number of digital photos and music files on my hard drive.

The computer hard drive is near capacity. I have an external drive with the lots of storage capacity. How do I move My Music, My Pictures, and even my Ipod files to the external drive and have my system recognize the external drive as the logical drive for those files.

I have a PC running Windows XP.

WhiteFireDragon · 01-29-2008, 09:29 PM

copy all those files on to the external HD. then you have two options:

1) from the programs that uses those files, you can change the directory to that new external drive

2) switch the letters of those two drives. this has to be done through the registry. i forgot what the exact registry key is, but i'll get back to you on this after i get home tonight.

theueser · 01-29-2008, 10:03 PM

Feel free to point me in the right direction, but the first options sounds more manageable for a novice geek like me.

Could I get a little more "how to" on that first option? Some file paths and instructions would be much appreciated.

That's not say I wouldn't consider 2). That could be helpful to others also and a little extra know how never hurts.

WhiteFireDragon · 01-29-2008, 11:26 PM

depending on how many programs you have the uses those files, the first option might be more tedeous but easier and more safe to do. what applications are using these files? a music player or photo viewer? it's kind of hard to exact directions to change the directories because each program is different, but basically use the same concept in locating file directories

basically, anywhere that you see "C:\......" in the programs directory, change the C to whatever the letter of your new drive is

theueser · 01-30-2008, 08:34 PM

OK, let's consider two.

PhotoShop and iTunes.

Can I just move My Pictures the iTunes Music Library to the external drive?

Will my iTunes music I add now automatically go to the location on the new drive?

Maybe PhotoShop isn't a good example. Maybe more like when I plug in my camera memory card to the computer. Like the iTunes example, will my photos automatically go to My Pictures that I moved to the new drive?

I sort of get what you're saying with the directories.

01-29-2008, 06:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
theueser New Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3	External Hard Drive (General) I have a large number of digital photos and music files on my hard drive. The computer hard drive is near capacity. I have an external drive with the lots of storage capacity. How do I move My Music, My Pictures, and even my Ipod files to the external drive and have my system recognize the external drive as the logical drive for those files. I have a PC running Windows XP. __________________ Thanks a bunch, Chip Laroux

01-29-2008, 10:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
theueser New Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3	Feel free to point me in the right direction, but the first options sounds more manageable for a novice geek like me. Could I get a little more "how to" on that first option? Some file paths and instructions would be much appreciated. That's not say I wouldn't consider 2). That could be helpful to others also and a little extra know how never hurts. __________________ Thanks a bunch, Chip Laroux

01-30-2008, 08:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
theueser New Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3	OK, let's consider two. PhotoShop and iTunes. Can I just move My Pictures the iTunes Music Library to the external drive? Will my iTunes music I add now automatically go to the location on the new drive? Maybe PhotoShop isn't a good example. Maybe more like when I plug in my camera memory card to the computer. Like the iTunes example, will my photos automatically go to My Pictures that I moved to the new drive? I sort of get what you're saying with the directories. __________________ Thanks a bunch, Chip Laroux

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01-29-2008, 09:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
WhiteFireDragon Platinum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 820	copy all those files on to the external HD. then you have two options: 1) from the programs that uses those files, you can change the directory to that new external drive 2) switch the letters of those two drives. this has to be done through the registry. i forgot what the exact registry key is, but i'll get back to you on this after i get home tonight.

01-29-2008, 11:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
WhiteFireDragon Platinum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 820	depending on how many programs you have the uses those files, the first option might be more tedeous but easier and more safe to do. what applications are using these files? a music player or photo viewer? it's kind of hard to exact directions to change the directories because each program is different, but basically use the same concept in locating file directories basically, anywhere that you see "C:\......" in the programs directory, change the C to whatever the letter of your new drive is