USB External Hard Drives

The 80gb external hard drive is on the small end of what you can buy now in external hard drives.

But it is good for people with relatively modest backup needs, such as home computer users. USB external hard drives are easy to get used to, once you know a few things.

These hard drives are surprisingly small, smaller than most paperback books, and they only weigh two or three pounds typically. The “USB” refers to the way the external drive is connected to the computer. Computers have ports on them called USB ports, and you connect the drive and the computer with a USB cable. Typically when you buy such a drive, the needed cable comes with it.

80gb refers to the amount of data that you can store on the drive. Unless you have a large number of mp3 music files or video files, it should be adequate for everyday home needs. Another case where you might want a larger drive is if you take numbers of high-resolution photographs. It’s amazing how little space text files and spreadsheet files take up compared with image and music files.

In choosing which 80gb external hard drive to get, pick one where it’s called “plug and play” somewhere in the description. This is a feature that many brands have, but not all. It simply means that you can plug the drive right into any computer and the files will show up in the computer’s list of drives and files. If you don’t have this feature, a particular software driver for the drive you buy has to be installed on the computer. That’s not difficult but better to avoid it, especially if you might be sharing anything on your external drive with family members or friends, on their computers.

Also select a brand that you have heard of. This is easy to do because you can find a wide selection at online stores like Amazon.com or in your community at large stores. The reason to choose a name brand is that it is likely to be better made and thus more reliable than some cheap copy.

Once you have it, get in the habit of using your drive. It may come with a program you can use to copy files, or you can simply copy in the usual way you copy files on your computer: by selecting one or more files, choosing Copy (this will vary between Windows and Mac as to exactly how to do it) and then putting your mouse cursor into the external drive in Windows Explorer or the Mac equivalent, and choosing to paste. Don’t be surprised if it takes a while to make the copy.

How often should you back up? You should back up every time there is something new on your computer that you want to be sure you don’t lose. For writers, this could be just about every day. If it’s less often, fine. You might want to write on your calendar when you have backed up, so you can keep track easily.

So if an 80gb external hard drive suits your needs, do get one and use it!

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