How to configure and external harddrive...

[SLOCOOKN]

I am wondering what is the least complicated way to configure an external hard drive to windows media. The files are recorded .wav

The operating software is Windows XP. If you need anymore information please reply and I will responde.

Thanks,

Steve

[Echosphere]

I would imagine it's already formatted for Windows. Just plug in the USB and drop the wav files on there. Open your media program such as iTunes and tell it where you want your library to reside.

On a side note, external drives take longer to spin up, so you might get a delay in reading/playing songs if you haven't for awhile.

All in all it is safer, if your main HardDrive crashes, which is more common than an external drive, you still have your music!

Though, remember, backup, backup, backup!

[SLOCOOKN]

When I say configure...I would expand on that to mean making a partition or not. And any advice you would have to offer including a technical web page that I could read.

[xj4094dg]

In Media player, click the library tab, click the Monitor Folders, click Add button, select folder (your new external drive with maybe a music sub-folder, just copy all of your wave files to the drive and let media player find them), click ok.

Its a great way to go!

What kind of drive are you using?

I'm currently setting up a network attached storage (NAS) drive for a friend which she will be able to access from her laptop via wifi. We are ordering two, 2 TB drives, one as a media server, one for backup (she has about 2000 cd's and about 3000 vinyls).

Let us know how it works out....

[Echosphere]

When I say configure...I would expand on that to mean making a partition or not. And any advice you would have to offer including a technical web page that I could read.

You need to give us more info on what you have and want to do.

As xj4094dg has shown, there are a millions ways to set up an external HD. It all depends on what you want.

Some may disagree with me here, but I usually don't find partitions to be useful. They are clunky and limit the amount you can allocate for a task later. I've found they just aren't worth it. Plus, if one become corrupt, you usually lose ALL the data in that partition! Unlike if one file or folder is corrupt you just have to toss that one folder. Plus, if your HD crashes intensive professional data mining is pretty much impossible to recover from a partition for the reason I described above.

Just do a google search for "setting up an external hard drive for music". I think you are over thinking this really. The simpler you make it, the easier it is to use.

[SLOCOOKN]

First, Thanks for responding..

The external drive is a WD 500 gig. This set up is on my father-in-laws laptop that is connected to a preamp. This is a simple, non-high-fi situation. I just need windows to read the drive and have an adaptable configuration in case he makes some changes.

Thanks,

Steve

[Echosphere]

Steve,

I really would go back to my original configuration.

Simply plug in the USB and fire it up. It's show up in your "My Computer" as a device drive. Already formatted and ready to go. Now just put your music on there and get a "Y" adaptor cable to run from your headphone out to the pre-amp.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dynex%26%23174%3B+-+7'+Y+Audio+Cable/7220777.p?id=1114639085343&skuId=7220777&st=ipod%2 0rca&cp=1&lp=6

To use the external HD with iTunes:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1364

with Windows Media Player:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...vice/0102.mspx

If you still want to do a partition, here are your instructions for XP:
http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/gnste...structions.pdf

"have an adaptable configuration in case he makes some changes."
Not sure what this means? He can change stuff later, its all just files really. The music is in the Library folders once set up and you can manually move it around or export out of the music program you use. This might be confusing, but its not really magic. Meaning, once you get the hang of how the library is set up, you shouldn't have any problems changing later.