!!!!!HardDrive Q's!!!!!

[Elmntskater1588]

i got an old 2gig drive, and i want to use it as a portable for my music and what not, but i want to completely erase whats on it including Windows98, are there any free programs that do this? Also could i just unplug my current harddrive and plug in the 2 gig to get at the files?

 

[versello]

Yes, it's called Format.

 

[acetic]

Yes, there are lots of utilities to Format your harddrive, even windows has the ability to.
Edit: If you want to format using windows, plug in the 2GB HDD as a slave or something, boot into windows on your main drive, find which drive the 2GB one is in my computer, right click > Format, then whatever file system you want on it, then click Format.

If you unplug your current harddrive (the one that has windows on it) the computer will wont get into windows, and your files would sit on that lonely 2GB HDD.

It's not really the best idea to use an internal harddrive as a 'portable' drive, because you have to open the case, and plug it into an IDE Cable as a Slave (without unplugging the main harddrive.)

If you want, find one of those External Cases for harddrives so you can have an external drive, it'd be much easier.

 

[M11]

If you're going to be doing transporting, you'd best find yourself an external enclosure. HDD's, especially the older ones, are sensitive to ESD (static) and shock. The potential for damage it too great, unless you want to carry it around in an antistatic bag and a block of styrofoam. Newegg carries these enclosures. http://www.newegg.com/app/manufactory.asp?catalog=92&DEPA=0

If you do decide that you are serious about transferring large amounts of data on an external hard drive, I would recommend from personal experience that you go with one of the 2.5" enclosures that contain laptop HD's.


Also, if you do have Firewire (1394), select it over USB, since firewire can power all of these drives with no need for a power adapter. USB can power some of them, but does not provide nearly the power of firewire.