Need more memory or something
IceDragonArt
Posts: 12,548
I am running out of space on my computer and need to add an external hard drive or something internal that I can move all of my Studio stuff too. I can't spend too much and have no idea what to get but I would like to get as much as I can for less than $150. Also, how hard is it to move all this stuff over to another drive and will it mess up my categories system? I know there is a recent thread about moving things so I will take a look at that, I'm more interested in what I should get and the easiest way to install it. I'm leaning toward an external drive mostly because I don't know where to put stuff inside this computer. I can figure out how to add a memory card but that's about it. Pretend I know nothing please lol.
I have a Dell XPS 8700
Intel Core i7-4790 CPU @3.60 GHz
64 bit operating system with Windows 7 Pro
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Comments
you can get a hard drive caddy; something like: https://www.amazon.co.uk/CiT-inch-U3PD-SATA-Enclosure/dp/B00BHARA6O (CiT 3.5 inch USB 3.0 U3PD SATA HDD Enclosure)
Read up on reviews, just to be sure, as the one I got I returned as it didnt work. I got the make you see.
it takes normal mechanical HD, such as a https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Internal-Hard-Drives/Seagate-Desktop-inch-7200-64MB-Internal-Drive/B008FXHKVQ/ref=pd_sim_147_39?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=61ECXTXS44Q8YZA190VH
I use one and have a 2TB hard drive for it; i don't store Daz stuff on it, but could. I use it for backups.
It's easy to transfer stuff; you could copy stuff accross, but and then point studio to it, and that would work, but you need to keep DIM (if you use it) happy; I remember Richard linking a script a while back that will do the copying or whatever exactly it did.
You can manually copy the relevant files, pretty sure I remember the need to edit one of them so it knows the new path; if you don't use Dim, is not a problem.
EDIT
here's one file that needs editting.
AppData\Roaming\DAZ 3D\InstallManager\UserAccounts
it's called: Account.ini
It will have some like:
[General]
DownloadPath=E:/Documents/Daz 3D/InstallManager/Downloads
CurInstallPath=E:/Documents/Daz 3D All Libraries/Daz 3D Library
Software64Path=C:/Program Files
Software32Path=C:/Program Files (x86)
[InstallPaths]
1\InstallPathTitle=Default
1\InstallPath=E:/Documents/Daz 3D All Libraries/Daz 3D Library
You'd edit E:/ etc to what it needs to be. Your's probably says C:/ I'm guessing.
There are also the files in this path:
C:\Users\Public\Documents\DAZ 3D\
Well no matter where you save your DAZ Library Content & your DIM Install Manager downloaded DAZ Store product installers to, you will need to make sure you copy & save all these files to the same location on the new computer as there is no easy way to configure where they are via a DAZ 3D user interface. You can probably edit the registry to manually change the location but generationally, registry editing is something you should avoid:
C:\Users\Public\Documents\DAZ 3D
C:\Users\Jack\AppData\Roaming\DAZ 3D
and frustratingly some older DAZ programs (Hexagon, Carrara) and new DAZ plugins (LAMH) will continue to create their (sometimes empty) folders in the older default location for DAZ Studio Library Content:
C:\Users\Jack\Documents\DAZ 3D
where 'Jack' is your user name.
Now I've changed my DAZ Studio Content Library, Poser Content, and DAZ Studio product installers download location to be on an external USB drive but that doesn't change to location of the above data.
Also before you copy those files to the new location on your new computer you should install DAZ Studio & all associated plugins & programs, run once, & re-imput all your serial numbers needed. exit, copy the saved configuration data files, and saved content libraries, and helpful hint: you may change the drive letter your new computer uses on your DAZ Library Content drive to be the same as on your old content library drive if you set those things up before migrating to a new computer.
I installed DAZ Studio & associated DAZ 3D programs to their default locations. Too much goes wrong with older content if you don't and the actually size of those programs & plugins all together is less than 1 gigabyte total (DAZ Studio, Bryce, Hexagon, Carrara, Mimic Lite, & all plugins).
C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D
C:\Program Files (x86)\DAZ 3D
C:\Program Files (x86)\DAZ
Final hint, Windows 10 is designed to be faster at rendering and all GPU activities because it can utilize a vidio card in more parallel operations better than older versions of Windows because of DirectX 12 and that improvement should be invisible to DAZ Studio and so it just happens so using Windows 7 isn't doing yourself a favor or saving money. Main thing is for that to happen your video card must support DirectX 12 and the video drivers for that card must support DirectX 12 for Windows 10 to take advantage of those capabilities.
Great thanks! I'm not super worried about moving it as it seems several of you know how and I know I saw some other threads on it as well. I would appreciate a couple more suggestions on what to buy as I have no clue and would like to compare a couple of items before I make up my mind.
Before I offer my two cents of advice on your additional storage, may I ask why you are wanting an external enclosure rather than adding an internal drive? If you only have a single drive installed now, you will have two free drive bays left in the XPS 8700.
Ah, I just noticed the part in your original post where you stated that you didn't know how to install the drive internally. While it is a good thing that you have reservations, since mucking about in there with the cavalier attitude I often see can be dangerous, you need not be overly intimidated by it. With proper care and little information, it can be a safe and simple operation. What you will need, in addition to the drive itself, is a SATA data cable (it normally won't come with the drive and should be purchased at the same time - they're cheap). If you don't have a copy, get a copy of the Owner's Manual from Dell, available for download here:
http://www.dell.com/support/home/ca/en/cadhs1/product-support/product/xps-8700/manuals
The instructions for removing or adding drives are pretty good in the manual, and should be easy enough to follow. The bad news is, like many OEM designs, they don't make the process as easy as it is with DIY designs. (i.e. you will need to temporarily remove your existing drive in order to install the second drive). The advantage of using an internal drive is that you are going to get the maximum data transfer rates possible, and the drive will benefit from any cooling that is built into the computer case. External drives rarely have anything but passive cooling.
If you still feel that an external drive is what you want, then you will be faced with two choices to begin with:
1. A complete solution which includes an external enclosure with a pre-installed drive. Many of these are compact designs and utilize small form factor drives similar to those used in laptops. One big disadvantage (for me, at least), is that you are rarely going to be provided with any information on the drive that they contain.
2. An empty enclosure into which you must place your own drive. These enclosures offer the advantage of being able to use a drive of your own choosing, relative to capacity and performance. This is my preference, although I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to such things. You'll find two main categories when it comes to such enclosures: one will take a standard 3.5" hard drive, and the other will take 2.5" laptop form factor drives. Either will work fine, with the laptop drives drawing less power and usually generating less heat. Your choice.
Insofar as the drives themselves are concerned, this is a matter of personal preference to a degree, and everyone will probably have a different opinion. You'll know better than anyone what capacity makes sense. Personally, I would favour getting the fastest drive you can, bearing in mind that faster drives generally are more expensive, and consume more power and generate more heat. I tend to favour the Western Digital Blues or Blacks at 7200 prm, simply because I have had good luck with them. (I also like the Velociraptors for speed, but I wouldn't put one of those in a passively-cooled external enclosure).
As for the enclosures, there are a wide variety of makes and models available, but I have used the Nexstar enclosures myself and haven't any complaints. They're reasonably priced and do the job.
Good luck, and pop back in if you have any issues.
For the computer if you shop on Amazon it is the ASUS desktops that have the best price to performance ratio. Be careful though to buy a product that can handle 32GB RAM or more. They had a 6th Gen i7 with 8GB RAM expandable to 16GB RAM for a bargain price of $350 for a long time last year - for anybody not do CG renders and animations and such that is the best deal by far but the limit at 16GB RAM makes it a very limited choice for DAZ Studio, Blender, and Unity 3D users.
However, at consumer level prices for pre-build computers you are liable to only be able to find computers that go up to 32GB and it is darn difficult to find a prebuilt computer that supports 32GB or more RAM that isn't at an outrageous price. Most computers that do more than 32GB RAM cost more than a thousand or you must order the parts yourself and then you can put it together for about $1000 and less. Sacrifice for latest generation of Intel i7, more memory and ability to add better video cards later than blowing all your budget on an expensive video card from the get go.
SixD's thank you, you have given me good food for thought. I will track down a manual and see what it says and if I think i will be able to do it without causing a disaster lol.
Nonesuch00 Thank you, but I think you misunderstood what I was looking for. I am looking to add a second drive to the PC I already have. My PC works pretty well for Studio both 3Delight and Iray but its running out of room for content so I need a second drive so that I can move all my Daz stuff to the larger, second drive. I do appreciate your taking the time to answer and appreciate your help!
Oh, I thought you were considering both:
the best value on storage is the USB 4TB HD
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B017KE8OG0/ref=twister_B00TS6JL4S?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I bought this and put a 1TB 2.5 inch drive in it, moved my library to it and it works fine.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00TGTU7K4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Great thanks everyone for the help!
No worries, I am not always clear especially about things I don't know a lot about lol. Thanks for the link!