Storage Solutions Recommended setup for a 500GB external HD

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genx

Apprentice
Hi All,
This is my first post on techenclave.

I recently got a Seagate FreeAgent Go 500 GB external hard drive to add to my data backup capacity, would be using it mainly as my photo and music backup drive.

When I had got my WD Elements 160GB a few years back I had simply started using it after partitioning into 2 logical drives using the disk manager utility in XP. However while configuring the Freeagent Go using the Seagate manager I found no such option to partition the drive.

My questions:
1. What is the recommended procedure to prepare such external drives before using them for the first time.
1. Is it recommended to partition this drive into logical partitions before usage, or I can start using the sync application as it is with one partition.
2.Is the sync application useful enough to be installed again after partitioning the drives.

Looking forward to some useful inputs on my queries.

Regards
GenX
 
You can surely partition the drives using advance softwares but I would reccomend to keep the external intact.
 
These external drives are plug and play device.You can connect the hdd to your pc and use it straight away.

My questions:

1. What is the recommended procedure to prepare such external drives before using them for the first time.

Just plug it in and start transfering

1. Is it recommended to partition this drive into logical partitions before usage, or I can start using the sync application as it is with one partition.

No need of any partition,you can use it out of the box.

2.Is the sync application useful enough to be installed again after partitioning the drives

I don't use any of these sync application,I do it manually
Click to expand...
 
I have uses easeus partition manager to part my external maxtor basics drives, works great.
 
I don't see the need to partition the external drive.
Assuming that you are using Windows XP and above, you could format the drive into NTFS system.
This will give you large file support that the FAT32 system wouldn't.
 
Hey Guys,

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

I thought my question was too basic as didn't get any replies for almost a week.

Apologies for the late thank you, will be back with more queries :)

Regards,

GenX
 
If you do want to partition it for an OS or anything(I have friends who install multiple linuxes on their hdd's)

Don't use any third party s/w, if you use windows there is a way to partition ur hdd

I use vista so I'll explain the steps for dat

Go to

Control Panel-->Administrative Tools-->Computer Management

On the left side tabs-

Storage--> Disk Management

Here You should see ur external hdd as well as ur internal one, u can partition it as u like, make sure u don't have data on it when you partition it.

I have seen many people have suggested not to partition the hard drive but I don't know why. I partition my hard drive and it nice and organized.

Maybe I'll look arnd to see why partitioning my external is not recommended.

Oh and yeah make sure it is in NTFS file system, n the applications that come with such drives are usually useless, don't rely on all these for anything.
 
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