CGTalk - Data, Removable HDDs, etc.

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Northchild

02-05-2003, 05:11 PM

Hi all,

I'm looking forward to building my next workstation and am wondering if I could use an external hard drive to back all of my documents up, then just move that around with me instead of copying all of the stuff to CD. Are external hard drives expensive? What kind should I get that will be compatable with a garden-variety AMD?

It seems like it'd probably be better to install Windows XP and the rest of the operating system/application garbage from the CDs fresh on a new system. Sigh. I have the 3ds max 4.x base package with the version 5.0 upgrade package. Do I have to reinstall 3ds max 4.x then 5.x sequentially again? Is discreet good about re-issuing auth codes for Educational version users?

Ahhh... I'm hoping to get the process down so that upgrading isn't such a damned trial every year and a half or two years. Also sick of losing settings, bookmarks, and documents everytime. :(

dvornik

02-06-2003, 09:42 PM

There are several different issues you address in your post.

Most firewire drives I've seen are compatible with any PC with firewire. They are also compatible with macs as long as they are formatted FAT32 and not NTFS. The drives we use also have USB connectors (and you probably want USB2 these days) but then they require special drivers. Some harddrives will also need power supply. So read the documentation before you buy.

It's safer not to work directly from these drives cause the risk of data loss is far greater with removable media. You don't want (and I think you can't) install OS and applications on them. I don't think new c-dilla has any problems with removable drives.

Max 5 can be installed together with max 4 as far as I know or by itself. Discreet issues auth code 3 times automatically over the internet, then it becomes more pain in the ass.

To redirect Favorites folder to another folder (like on another partition on your harddrive or even a different computer on the network) you can use a TweakUI available from Microsoft as one of Powertoys. Just move favorites to a Data partition you don't reformat each time you reinstall OS.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

Northchild

02-07-2003, 05:18 PM

I appreciate the reply, and will look into the things that you've mentioned. Thanks again!

gustojunk

02-07-2003, 07:03 PM

I have a maxtor 5000 Xt external hard drive for backup. It has 250GB of storage. It comes with retrospect backup software so with the touch of a button on the hard drive it promts a sync operation metween the xeternal drive and my data (:D) drive. You'll need firewire or usb 2.o. I use firewire and works really well. Now this is only good for plain data files. If you need to backup your OS and installed applications I reccoment norton Ghost. I still haven't managed to get Ghost working through the firewire to get total recovery in case my local :D drive died. I guess Norton is working on this issues.

My only complain about the Maxtor drive is that even the enclosure is small, once you add the power supply brick, power cables at both ends of brick and firewire cable, you endup with a mess in your backpack. This is the worse industrial design for a 'portable' device i've ever seen. And all to try to fool buyers into a 'small looking' device

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