View Single Post
  #2  
Old May 21st 08, 03:33 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers,microsoft.public.windows.vista.hardware_devices,microsoft.public.windowsme.hardware,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
Patrick Keenan
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 3
Default 2 External USB HD for XP and ME

="New Orleans Novice" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have 2 PC's. 1 with XP with an External USB HD. The 2nd PC has Win ME.
Is there such a thing as an External USB HD that will work with Win ME?


Sure. Many of them, if not most.


Where, when and how can I purchase it and install it?


There are two issues. The first is the file system - FAT or NTFS. If the
external drive is formatted NTFS, you won't access it with ME. So, you
have to ensure that the drive is formatted FAT32. You will be limited as
to the size of files you can copy to this drive. For FAT32, the limit is
around 4 gigabytes.

The second issue is simple, you install the ME driver that comes with the
external drive or case. The driver is for the circuitry of the case, not
for the drive. It won't allow you to access NTFS volumes from WinME.

The way I approach the external drive issue is to choose a case that I like,
which will be around $25 - $45, and then a drive that I think I can trust;
and where I am, a bare half-terabyte SATA3 disk is under $90.

If you do need to access NTFS volumes from ME, you can do this over a
network connection. Connect the external drive to the XP system, share the
drive, then go to the ME system and map the drive to a letter.

HTH
-pk


snippage