How to best use my external hard drive?

[heitkamper]

My 60 gig laptop HD is full, and I have ordered an external 300 gig drive with one button backup capability. My question is, if I use the "one button" feature to save an image of my laptop, will I also be able to use the remaining 230 or so gigs of space to store data files? Can you partion these external drives to use them for auto back up as well as file storage?

Thanks!

 

[rvnguy]

Can you partion

Yes, they can be partitioned...I do not think that the 'one button backup' will actually net you a full OS image though.

I would try the 'drive' mfg's utils or 3rd party like Acronis true image or Ghost. Not the enclosure mfg unless they are one in the same.

As you have most probably determined, spool off you files to this drive and see what space that opens up.

Hope this helps

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[pesteege]

My experience with backups is that the backup system that comes with XP is good at backing up my system files. It is under Accessories --> System Tools --> Backup. You can backup just your own personal files, or the entire system. I just backup "My Documents and Settings", but you can select much more, and even do a custom backup where you individually select things. I like to leave my C: drive with just the operating system and some basic programs (MS Office, Outlook) that I normally use. All games, etc.. go onto a second D: drive, and then I use my 300GB USB as my backup.
Whenever I did have a system crash, it was more reliable in the long run, to just slick the C: drive, reload XP, and then use the XP backup tool to reload the backups I had previously saved onto my external USB disk. I can then reload any other programs from their boxes.
That's just my system, and I'm stickin to it....LOL