Make an external HDD the default drive

Kristopherus

As the title says, how do I make an external usb connect HDD the default "C" drive, where everything I save is saved to that drive automatically.The HDD in the computer has only 7gb of free space. Running XP. Any help appreciated.

jeffk

Well you cant use C as far as I know that's set when you instal windows.

After that you would need to set a folder on the external as the default in the program your using the download.

Is it one program you use for downloading?

Kristopherus

I don't download that much, but everything I save goes to "My Documents" or the few things I download will go to "My Downloads" , both of which are on the C drive. How can I save them to H drive as default.

jeffk

What do you use to download them?

bonzodog2

Just move all the stuff you've already downloaded to your external drive !
Also clear temp folders,recycle bin, browser cache and defrag

marco_polo

Kristopherus wrote: »

I don't download that much, but everything I save goes to "My Documents" or the few things I download will go to "My Downloads" , both of which are on the C drive. How can I save them to H drive as default.

This is what you are looking for.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310147

jeffk

I was looking at trying to get to see what they download with and set that to save to a folder on the external.

But as you say there, you can just move my documents.

BostonB

You really need to clean out your existing drive. Use something like Treesize free to see whats using all the space.

http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/

Either archive to stuff to an external, and/or getting a bigger internal or external drive. Is this a laptop or a desktop. What size is the existing disk? What is using all the space.

Of course if you are running out of space, it suggests you've no backup. So what happens when if someone robs your PC, or the drive fails. You need a backup drive with a copy of all your data aswell.

Kristopherus

Thanks very much for all the replies, folks.

@jeffk, I only use the default download applications in Internet Explorer or in Chrome.

The C drive in this computer is small. Only 40gb. It is regularly defragged. No huge files of music or video on it.Biggest user of the space is Windows itself, and Office 2010.
Will try Marco Polo's link tomorrow.

jeffk

IE9

http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/change-the-default-internet-explorer-9-download-folder/

Chrome

http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=95574

Might be easier than moving My Documents, but whichever works best for you is the main thing!

BostonB

40gb is a bit small these days.

jeffk

BostonB wrote: »

40gb is a bit small these days.

Not if you only use it for the operating system and nothing else.

Also great for creating an image of the whole drive incase of any problems, without worrying about data on the disk.

BostonB

Well thats kind of a different topic. That IMO would require a seismic change in most users, technical awareness, and discipline.

jeffk

BostonB wrote: »

Well thats kind of a different topic. That IMO would require a seismic change in most users, technical awareness, and discipline.

True enough.

Maybe the user got a dell pc and was being offered different spec and the storage was expensive so kept it at a minimum.

Kristopherus

jeffk wrote: »

True enough.

Maybe the user got a dell pc and was being offered different spec and the storage was expensive so kept it at a minimum.

The computer is a Dell Optiplex GX 280. The HDD in this series of computers is small through most models. I picked this up very cheaply through a work colleague and put extra ram into it to bring it up to 2gb.Intel Pentium 4 running at 2.8ghz. I have connected up an extra 320gb in external drives, and,as previously stated, I just want to automatically save to "My Documents" in one of those drives. Thanks to all for your assistance.

BostonB

Make sure your backup is sorted, if its required.