Using an External USB Drive...

[PapaJohn]

I'm looking for tips on using an external USB hard drive for interchangeable
use on either my XP laptop or Vista Home Basic laptop.... and across my home
network.

I keep the master of my website on the external drive...

In XP I can open the site on the external drive, right click any page, 'View
Source', tweak it, save with 'Control-S' and keep going.

In Vista, I can do the same if the website files are on the C drive, but
with them on the external drive where I want them, I have to jump over so
many different permission hurdles that it's impractical to work. Obviously
simply turning on sharing for the drive isn't enough... but I don't know
what else is needed.

One thing I wonder about with an external drive that might be attached to
either laptop at any time, if I setup permissions from XP, does Vista honor
them? If I set them up from Vista, does XP understand them?

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Anecdotal-based advice and experience

I use 2 external USB hard drives (HDD). I can move them from Vista PC to XP
laptop to XP PC--and even to an I-MAC (which can read most files). Also have
home network. All work smoothly. Plus, after 2 HDD crashes in 4 months, I now
keep all docs on external USB, and back both that and my PC onto a second USB
HDD

What made it all run smoothly on main Vista PC was my decision to disable
Vista's UAC and stop all the permissions nightmares and pop-up permissions.
All has worked fine ever since: with good anti-virus software, updates, and
router firewall, I'm not worried about security issues. I had tried all the
settings with UAC, and none relieved me of the constant distractions and
hardware and software compatibility. I check all the message boards and
Microsoft Knowledge Base to find any downside to disable UAC. For non- major
network users, UAC is not essential of you have other good security software.

So, Click! - I turned off UAC. And Vista was tamed to a point that I stop
cursing it.

HOWEVER, in my experience, the key action needed before transferring/moving
USB hard drives among computers is to be sure -- if the computer is on -- to
first use the "Safely Remove Hardward" function. Or, move it when machines
are off.

And so make backups of the backups.

Aaron

 

[PapaJohn]

thanks Aaron.... I'll try disabling UAC for a while

 

[PapaJohn]

I'm with you Aaron... working well.

Thnaks again