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If I get an external hdd, how do I tell DIM to install to that?

Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 26,262
edited December 1969 in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

RIght now I cannot afford a new computer, but thinking of getting an external hdd. Is there a way to install Dim to put all the content on my external HDD.
How how can I tell what is the best external hdd for me?

Comments

  • srieschsriesch Posts: 4,241
    edited December 1969

    I'm not sure how you would "move" DIM from one drive to another or split it across two drives. However, if you were starting out completely fresh, then you can specify both the download folder and the installation folder by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right corner, then:
    Downloads tab: change the "Downoad to" path's "..." button to browse to and select the path.
    Installation tab: Click the '+' button to add a new path, browse to it. Unverified, but presumably you may want to delete the old path that you are no longer using too. I see an edit option, but it appears greyed out, not sure why.

    I haven't used an external hard drive myself so I can't give a good recommendation, but one obvious thing to consider is speed. I have no idea how slow an external hard drive is, and of course it will vary depending on whether its going through a USB port, an old slow USB port, whatever the lastest new USB version is today, firewire 400 or 800, an Apple thunderbolt connection, a network cable, eSATA, etc. Depending on what you are using it for it may not be a big deal, but then again it might, and if you plan to back it up then of course you'll be accessing the entire thing in one shot which could take a really long time if it's slow.

    Also consider security. If you have a network drive and some Joe can see your entire hard drive from somewhere else, you might not want that.

    I can't remember if you have a desktop or a laptop, but if you have a desktop and an extra controller cable, consider just getting a removeable drive bay and using an internal drive as an "external" drive, then there's no extra speed delay concern. Just remember you can't unplug it while your PC is on! (Technically you don't even need a drive bay if you hang cables out the back and are very careful... but I'd suggest buying the removeable drive bay to avoid potential damage to an exposed drive.)

  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 26,262
    edited December 1969

    Desktop but trying to get a laptop some time in the near future.

  • jtbetheljtbethel Posts: 42
    edited December 1969

    If your going for a laptop, it's very difficult to get one with anything like the graphics capability of a desktop with a dedicated Nvidia Graphics card.

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,583
    edited December 1969

    jtbethel said:
    If your going for a laptop, it's very difficult to get one with anything like the graphics capability of a desktop with a dedicated Nvidia Graphics card.

    A lot of laptops have dedicated graphics cards. What's harder is getting the heat dissipation.

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