secondary/dual drive

[Guest]

I have a 2.5" drive from my now useless laptop which I have put into an
enclosure and using it as a external drive. I am not using it as a boot-up
drive but as a place to store files. Can I reformat it-to get the os off-and
just use it as a external storage device. Do'es it need an os on it for that
purpose? I have all the files now on backup cd's. Also..but first can I boot
my new desktop computer to that drive and make sure I have all info I need
off of it first?. The 2.5 is xp pro and the new desktop is xp media

 

[Malke]

I have a 2.5" drive from my now useless laptop which I have put into
an enclosure and using it as a external drive. I am not using it as a
boot-up drive but as a place to store files. Can I reformat it-to get
the os off-and just use it as a external storage device. Do'es it need
an os on it for that purpose? I have all the files now on backup cd's.
Also..but first can I boot my new desktop computer to that drive and
make sure I have all info I need off of it first?. The 2.5 is xp pro
and the new desktop is xp media

Certainly you can format the drive. Use Disk Management under
Administrative Tools>Computer Management. You don't need to boot into
the drive to get files off it - XP should see it as a removable drive
and you can copy files with Windows Explorer. The drive does not need
to have an operating system on it.

Malke

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have a 2.5" drive from my now useless laptop which I have put into
an enclosure and using it as a external drive. I am not using it as a
boot-up drive but as a place to store files. Can I reformat it-to get
the os off-and just use it as a external storage device.

Yes.


Do'es it
need an os on it for that purpose?

No.


I have all the files now on backup
cd's. Also..but first can I boot my new desktop computer to that
drive and make sure I have all info I need off of it first?.

Sorry, I'm losing you here. No, you can't easily to boot to it, but why
would you want to? If it's in an external enclosure, just connect it to a
USB port and look at the drive..

The 2.5
is xp pro and the new desktop is xp media

Doesn't matter.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Malke, Just what I needed to know. I did get files I needed off it
just wanted to make sure before I reformatted it. Your answer was to the
point and spoken friendly..not like Ken Blake's response.He was very abrupt
and spoke down to me like he was King of Microsoft MVP's. Such an
a**hole!...Thanks Malke

 

[Guest]

Thanks Malke, Just what I needed to know. I did get files I needed off it
just wanted to make sure before I reformatted it. Your answer was to the
point and spoken friendly..not like Ken Blake's response.He was very abrupt
and spoke down to me like he was King of Microsoft MVP's. Such an
a**hole!...Thanks Malke

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks Malke, Just what I needed to know. I did get files I needed
off it just wanted to make sure before I reformatted it. Your answer
was to the point and spoken friendly..not like Ken Blake's
response.He was very abrupt and spoke down to me like he was King of
Microsoft MVP's. Such an a**hole!...Thanks Malke

Spoke down to you? If I gave that impression, I apologize. It certainly
wasn't my intent.

 

[Malke]

Thanks Malke, Just what I needed to know. I did get files I needed off
it just wanted to make sure before I reformatted it. Your answer was
to the point and spoken friendly..not like Ken Blake's response.He was
very abrupt and spoke down to me like he was King of Microsoft MVP's.
Such an a**hole!...Thanks Malke

I think you must have misinterpreted Ken's posts to you. I read them and
don't see anything out of line. I respect Ken highly and he is a
gentleman. However, because you are posting using the web interface to
these groups, you may have expected more of a "chat room" atmosphere.
This is Usenet and in most technical newsgroups, people - including me
- give matter-of-fact answers that might be misinterpreted as
terse/rude. I'll give you information about Usenet and how to access
these groups more effectively, but I want to point you to a web forum
that you might find comfortable.

http://www.computerhaven.info/

Computer Haven is run by MVP Patty MacDuffie and is designed to be
friendly to newbies. It is a warm and caring place that you might
really like.

Now, for the Usenet information:

About Usenet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet
http://groups.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=basics.html - Basics
of Usenet
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page3.html#12-09-02 - a brief
explanation of newsgroups

How to use Outlook Express as a newsreader:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm
http://rickrogers.org/setupoe.htm

How to post:
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

http://aumha.org/nntp.htm - list of MS newsgroups
microsoft.public.test.here - MS group to test if your newsreader is
working properly
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm - how to munge email address
http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm - multiposting vs.
crossposting

Malke

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I think you must have misinterpreted Ken's posts to you. I read them
and don't see anything out of line. I respect Ken highly and he is a
gentleman.

Thanks very much, Malke. I'm not sure what I said that he interpreted as
rude, but I already apologized if I said something that somehow offended
him.

However, because you are posting using the web interface to
these groups, you may have expected more of a "chat room" atmosphere.
This is Usenet and in most technical newsgroups, people - including me
- give matter-of-fact answers that might be misinterpreted as
terse/rude.

I was clearly terse, but that's not the same thing as rude. His first two
question needed no more than a single word answer each and that's all I
supplied.

 

[Malke]

Thanks very much, Malke. I'm not sure what I said that he interpreted
as rude, but I already apologized if I said something that somehow
offended him.

I was clearly terse, but that's not the same thing as rude. His first
two question needed no more than a single word answer each and that's
all I supplied.

You and I are completely on the same page here. I've been called rude
for exactly the same thing. It's just newbies who think everything is
an IM or chat room and don't understand that they're in a different
country (Usenet). No worries, mate. ;-)

Malke

 

[Guest]

malke...i was not looking for a "chat room" atmosphere..just a clear and
precise answer..more than just a no or a "ypu lost me here" answer..per se:

"Sorry, I'm losing you here. No, you can't easily to boot to it, but why
would you want to? If it's in an external enclosure, just connect it to a
USB port and look at the drive"


And no I am not a "newbie" as you implied::

You and I are completely on the same page here. I've been called rude
for exactly the same thing. It's just newbies who think everything is
an IM or chat room and don't understand that they're in a different
country (Usenet). No worries, mate. ;-)


I do not appreciate that remark. Not to get into my background but I have 23
years of electronic's background and just needed a quick answer-more than 1
worded- with possible a link to where you got it. I KNOW this is not an im or
chat room...just remember not everyone is in your "country" what ever that
is.