PC Storage best option

[Rob5060]

I have been planning to get an external hard drive to provide extra storage for my music , movies , etc. but read recently that I can add upgrade internal memory of up to 4 GB DIMM

Which is the best option, I am not over concerned with the portability of an external drive

If I do fit internally a DIMM would it just show up as an additional drive eg. G: and just allow me to add files to it and leave my C drive as the main drive

As may be obvious computers is not my strong point

Cheers

Edited July 4, 2013 by Rob5060

[Guest]

You have a small misunderstanding of the different computer memories.

1) RAM (which you called DIMM as it's one type of RAM memory) is very fast, but only temporary memory in the computer.

Brain equivalent this would be your working memory. Your eyes see things and temporary stores the information to this fast memory where your brains CPU analyses this data. After the analysing the, the analysed memory can be stored to your long term memory (Hard drive) and the rest can be thrown away. When the computer power offs, all the information stored to this memory is lost.

You computer (or actually it's motherboard, where all the components are put together) have an limitation of 4GB of this memory.

RAM memory looks like this

2) Hard drive (HDD or SSD) is the long term memory where the data is stored for keeping. It's much more slower than the RAM, but it can store huge amount of data, for example lot's of movies.

If you are using an laptop, the physical size of this memory device is commonly 2.5" and the size of the storage, which it can keep is nowdays from 500GB to 1TB (1000GB). If you are using desktop, then it's likely that there is larger physical disk inside 3.5", which can store from 1TB to 3TB of data. The information stored to this type of memory is kept even if the computer is powered off.

External drive is hard drive, which is put in to a box and connects to your computer. The benefit of external drive is that you can move your data stored to the hard drive easily to another computer. Downside, if you use an laptop, you have to carry another box with you.

Hard drives looks like this. 2.5" and 3.5" models.

The limitations, which kind of Hard drive, which you are looking for at this case, depends of your motherboard and the connections to the HDD. I think the best way for you is to take your computer to a local computer shop and ask for larger hard drive. They know how to assist you to get what you need.

[Chicog]

Do you know how much space your current collection of movies and music take up?

[Rob5060]

Thanks for the advice Oilinki , makes things much clearer . I did try google before but your explanation was great to understand

I have about 1 TB of archived things at the moment Chicog

Cheers

[JetsetBkk]

Thanks for the advice Oilinki , makes things much clearer . I did try google before but your explanation was great to understand

I have about 1 TB of archived things at the moment Chicog

Cheers

Buy a 2.0 TB external USB hard drive.

If your PC is old, it may not have USB 3.0 ports, so a USB 2.0 drive would do (although you may not be able to find one as the new USB 3.0 drives are replacing them).

I have 4 "Buffalo" external drives. They are all the slower USB 2.0 type, and are 2.0 TB in size.

Other people will suggest other manufactures, but Buffalo drives have been reliable for me.

[Chicog]

Thanks for the advice Oilinki , makes things much clearer . I did try google before but your explanation was great to understand

I have about 1 TB of archived things at the moment Chicog

Cheers

If you aren't that worried about a disk going on the fritz, I'd just get a 2TB external. A USB 3.0 cost me just shy of Bt6,000 in Banana a couple of weeks ago.

If you do want it backed up, look for one of those dual (as in two) 2TB drive units that mirrors all the data so you are covered in the event of disk failure.

[kkerry]

You can get a 2TB 2.5" Western Digital external for less than 4,5000 baht now. They're only 5400rpm but with USB 3.0 they're still pretty quick and the slower speed means they don't run hot.

[phuket Mike]

If you have some sort of home network i.e. the ability to plug in extra network devices I would go for a NAS (network attached storage) device, it is simply an external hard drive attached via a network cable rather than a USB. Buffalo make some that also has a bittorrent client built in for downloading. They are also accessible via the internet and mobile phones. I have a 2Tb and it works very well. Buffalo make a 3Tb that sells for 6990 on Invadeit.

[barryw52]

The 3TB Western Digital and Seagate Extenal harddrives (USB 3) are now selling for 3890THB. I Purchased one at Fortune IT (Rama 9) last Sunday. If you have desktop computer it is better to install a new 3TB Harddrive in the PC but for simplicity an external drive is the way to go. Just plug it in format the dive and your operational no full covers of the PC plugging in cables etc.

[kabal1234]

I've been using a my passport wd drive and it's been great

[Chicog]

I should clarify what I bought: A 2TB USB 3.0 Portable (no external power supply) for Bt5990.

Very small and great for travelling.