3/18/2008 2:10:53 PM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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winesong
Bend, OR
age: 60
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For some of the newer users we have on DH I would like to share something.
Having backup files of your photos, and stuff might come in handy.
...you might like to acquire a *thumb drive*, mini cruzer, pocket drive,
or Ext. storage device, on sale. They sell them everyplace...Walmart, Costco, Staples and of all places, Home Depot, I just found out. 2 Gig for $29.50, regular $59.00
They do not need software for installation. Just plug into your USB port jack,
and it will install itself...about the size of your thumb.
They have really come down in price.
I use them more commonly than the old CD's, which can get scratched, or warped.
These are smaller and easier to take your files with you to another computer.
Wine
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3/18/2008 4:11:44 PM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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zathras
Fairfax, VA
age: 48 online now!
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Going Price for Thumb Drives is $10/G or less on sale.
Really nice are the USB Powered Disks (y'all Windows people call them "hard drives") that fit in a shirt pocket. I believe $99 gets you about 160G these days. The big powered ones are down to about $300 per Terabyte.
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3/18/2008 5:10:26 PM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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ollieottis
Traverse City, MI
age: 57
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something else new people should know...not all people will see thumb drive installed easily--older computers with windows 98 are sometimes harder to get it to install..they might have to use install disc or go to website to get it.
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3/18/2008 8:23:00 PM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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winesong
Bend, OR
age: 60
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I have not seen the $10.00 per Gig in my area...
Is that the retail price at *office supply stores*? on on the internet?
Maybe I should return the one I got last week end...
and save another $10.00 down the street.
The important thing is to share information about backing up your precious
photos...or documents, bookkeeping programs like Quicken.
It is not a matter of IF a computer is going to suffer...(hard drive) failure,
just a matter of WHEN....as I am told.
Win 98?? oh oh...I guess not everyone has a USB port...
How about an adapter to convert from the old round port to the USB shape?
Wine
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3/19/2008 5:46:47 AM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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thumperz1
Burlington, IA
age: 54 online now!
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A lot of the new thumb drives will not install on Win98. The companies have decided not to invest in making the drivers. There is an "unofficial" Win98se service pack that helps USB run on it. However, Win98 and Win95 are sorta out of it. You may be able to get an internal USB card if they have drivers for the card.
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3/19/2008 7:04:50 AM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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kenb5b01
Northport, WA
age: 43
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Cool topic.
I have been using them since before they were available to the general public.
Most people don't know that a thumb-drive is bootable on most newer machines. I use them on all my computers kinda like a key. Each machine has it's own thumb-drive and they won't even boot without it since I installed the boot files on the thumb-drives.
Another really cool thing I like is installing Firefox to the thumb-drive. Then there are no temporary files on the hard-drive for snoopy people to find. It's great because Firefox will save all my passwords and I can access my own websites and bank accounts from anyplace that has a USB and internet without worrying about leaving behind a trail of where I am.
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3/19/2008 8:18:44 AM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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winesong
Bend, OR
age: 60
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Good idea..security is paramount, no matter where you are.
I also purchased a 4 Gig Lexor unit several months ago...
It is even smaller in size, than a 2 Gig unit..(half thumb size)
packaging said *Microsoft Boost*, or similar words...
It acts as additional *power* for the Vista operating system,
on my *under powered* test pig laptop computer.
It Works, like stated...power boost.
Wine
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3/19/2008 3:02:56 PM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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marc2b4
Michigan, ND
age: 46
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I've got a thumbdrive and an external that I back up the entire contents of my hard drive onto once a month. Simple, a good external only costs about 100.00 for a 120 GB, and it solves all your problems.
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3/19/2008 6:01:46 PM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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winesong
Bend, OR
age: 60
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Marc..are you using any particular BACK UP software?
Using Microsoft back up program?
Karen
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3/19/2008 7:47:42 PM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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eddiethewhite
Denver, CO
age: 44
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I picked up a 4G thumb drive at Costco warehouse for $29.00 a couple of weeks ago. It's one of the U3 drives, but you can reformat it to get rid of all the useless junk that it comes with and turn it into a standard 4G drive.
I also have a WD 500G external hard drive that I use to backup all my files. When I go out of town it comes with me... just in case!
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3/20/2008 8:49:28 AM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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winesong
Bend, OR
age: 60
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Eddie....
you do not use the *U-3* is that another term for the *boost features*?
The new one I got at Home Depot said U-3, rather than boost, I wondered.
Was there some other embeded stuff that was useless?
I am unsure if I am going to return the newer one to Home Depot....
4 GIG is better than 2....If I go to Costco, then I will spend $200.00..
just seems to work that way...too many great things..I always want something!
I love their salmon, and bakery dept...and then there is the book isle, and
the DVD isle, the tools, and and and.
Wine
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3/20/2008 4:04:15 PM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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eddiethewhite
Denver, CO
age: 44
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Basically the U3 just give you the ability to carry your computer around with you in a pocket! Anywhere you go you can have access to your programs, email, personal files, &c...
The selling point is that if you go to a library or a friends house, and need to access something, it'll be right there on the U3 drive. All you do is plug it into any USB port on a PC and you get access to the programs. It's a nice idea, but one that I simply don't have the need for.
All I had to do was run the utility from SanDisk that removed the "write protected" part of the USB drive, then I could use it as a normal 4GB thumb drive.
Here's SanDisk's promo on the U3: http://u3.sandisk.com/home_en.asp
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3/21/2008 9:51:09 AM |
Thumb drive, external storage device |
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rsd1956
Saint Louis, MO
age: 51 online now!
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Don't thumb drives/flash drives occasionally lose data?
I have a 1 GB flash drive I use to transfer files from my Internet PC to my private LAN, but that is all I use it for. I back up to optical media...
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