# Using an External Hard drive q's



## rio002 (Jul 30, 2002)

Hi all, I recently bartered my way into a Seagate 160gb external hard drive, new but without manuals. I need a kindergarten version of how to use this lol I have it hooked up and installed and it lets me drag and drop programs/icons on my desktop into it and I can open them from there--but the programs I have dropped into it are still on my desktop--it's like it just copied them into the external drive--sooooo then to free up the space on my computer hard drive do I just delete the programs through add/remove programs? If so will they still be complete and operable through the external hard drive? I plan to primarily move picture/video programs, Itunes and games into the external to free up my pc hard drive, but I just want to be sure that I do it right so I don't lose anything. Or is there a way to merge the internal and external hard drives as I don't plan to take the external one anywhere? Thanks for your patience and assistance 
Traci


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

What kind of interface does it have? USB?

Maybe you could help us out with a model number.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

*Usually *an external hard drive is used as a storage spot for keeping data (files, pics, music, etc). You want your programs in your computer (on your C Drive). 
For the most part program Icons on your desktop are just shortcuts to programs -- file icons are a different story.


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## rio002 (Jul 30, 2002)

Hi! It's a Seagate (no model number) Serial # 9LS2MG3A Part #9BD862-560 it's one that is a 160gb but actually only has 149gb open to use. And it interfaces via USB.

I know the icons are just shortcuts and that's why I was concerned about using the drag and drop method, but I need to free up some hard drive space---equally though if the drag and drop method using the desktop icons isn't sufficient then how do I correctly put the programs into the Seagate file? And do all the programs I put into the Seagate file have to stay on my C drive? If so then how do I free up space on my hard drive? Thanks soooooo much!!


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

most installed programs you cant just move to another drive. You need to reinstall them on the new drive.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

I find it hard to believe that you've filled up a modern hard drive with "programs" -- 'data' yes, but programs -- very hard to do. I am not sure of your knowledge level. I don't mean this as an insult, but could you be more specific about what exactly you want moved. We could all help you better if we knew this.

Programs do indeed need to be installed rather than moved, data however can be cut and pasted (or better yet for safties sake, copied, pasted, checked and then deleted from the original).


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## rio002 (Jul 30, 2002)

Hi mnn, well lol I managed to fill it up with various stuff  In fact right now it tells me I only have 15% free space and won't defrag unless I have 16% free space. The gentleman whose worked on my pc before says "you know just enough to be dangerous" lol most of what I have learned over the past 10 years has been from correcting problems I created myself--trial and error. Usually I'll go online and learn what I need to do but this setup doesn't seem have much info. out there. What I need moved is the Itunes file that is almost 7gb large (down from 11gb)and my Kodak Easyshare picture file that is around 10gb. The main problem of how this got so full is my DH is got a little carried away with adding music to Itunes, I take ALOT of pics and videos of the family and my son has several games that I bought for him online that download right to the pc, plus my nephew does homeschooling here every bit of work he has done for 2 years and needed saved is in here mostly in doc and pdf files, plus my games like Spore (huge memory eater,) Majesty etc. take up a fair amount of space. So from what I understand right now, I don't want to move files onto the Seagate that will be accessed regularly like the games, but more to use it like I would a storage rental......right? Is there a way to move Kodak on there with all the images and video intact or would I have to reinstall Kodak with Seagate as the directory and then only be able to put new photos and videos on it after the move and then just resave my current photos "albums" to Kodak in Seagate? Thanks so much for your patience.........


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## Thales (Jan 24, 2009)

Programs will not carry over unless you move all of the required files with them. More programs won't work even if you copy over their supporting files directly. Your best bet is to see if you can take the original .EXE installer and transfer it to the backup HDD.

Also, removing the program through Add/Remove Programs is your best bet.

-fin
Thales


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Ok, that answered my questions. All your pictures are located in *files*, as are your itunes. Those are what needs to be moved. You will need to find where they are located and copy and paste (7 gb of music and 10 gb of pics will take a while -- quite a while!). All the homeschooling files can be moved also. Leave your games where they are -- not worth the hassle IMHO. Leave your Kodak program where it is and just point it to where you moved the pics to.

If you need more detail -- ask.



> most of what I have learned over the past 10 years has been from correcting problems I created myself--trial and error


 Thats the best way!!


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

7 or 11 gigs of Itunes? That's quite a bit of money... napsters legal, and cheaper, by about 1000%.

Like mnn said, keep programs on your computer, files on the externals. Also, I'd back the files up on cds, or better, dvd's. Hard drives will and do die.


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