Would buying an 80GB external HDD to use with an external DVD Writer be a stupid waste of cash?

Question

Last week I attached an external DVD Re-Writer that wants 9GB free space (to dub DL DVD's I think), but my recently acquired decrepit system from the late 20th Century only has 8GB space maximum and about 3.5GB free.

I can't buy a new system for over a year, but can afford an 80GB external HDD.

I'm thinking that I download directly to the HDD, bypassing my 3.5GB then copy to DVD.  Or is that not possible, and I really am as stupid as everyone claims?

I call this 'the learning process', and don't want to pay (my very limited) hard cash for a hard-drive if it wont do what I need it to do.

Please advise in truly idiot-proof terms.  And any helpful suggestions (that don't involve buying a new computer) would be MUCH appreciated.

In addition to the installation software CD for the Writer I've downloaded the Nero Suite that also came on CD, but (to save HD space) haven't yet downloaded the "CyberLink PowerDVD 6 2CH" as I'm not sure what that's for.

Please turn my boohoo into woohooooo

sarah c · Accepted Answer

I think you want a second internal hard drive and clear instructions on how to fit it - hopefully someone will post you a link! Theres a site called Elder Geeks which have some good tutorials.

Ted B · Answer

An internal hard drive would be better for you. With the same capacity, it will be cheaper and faster than an external hard drive. All you need to do is connect it to a cable. It's pretty easy and the hard drive will have the instruction manual.
The Cyberlink PowerDVD is just a dvd software player.Window Media Player 11 does the same thing.

Lost and found · Answer

Righty - I just bought myself an external hard drive. What happens when you install it is you end up with another drive in 'my computer' along with your C drive. So yes you can download everything to that - you'll just have to watch out for that on the download screen as everything as default goes to your C drive. The only thing is it'll take ages as your system will have usb1 and not usb2 so it'll take twice as long to transfer things over to the harddrive. You'll probably also have to format the hard drive when you get it but that is easy too. Amazon are pretty cheap and so are Play (and free delivery). 

Your powerdvd program is for burning dvds - really good program by all accounts.

Anonymous · Answer

if you can afford an 80gb external then why not buy an 80gb internal instead? most pc's have space on the ide cable for a second drive, also it would be faster than an external because the external would be usb and if your system is as old as you say then it would probably be usb 1.1 which is slower than the newer 2.0 that modern systems have.

chanu v · Answer

what u did is a great job because the external drive always make lot of things so don bother go for external hdd

Anonymous · Answer

None. They both are physically the same. The only difference is in storage capacity. Nowadays if you are storing music, movies and games, you might want the one with the bigger storage capacity (160gb), especially if it's only a few bucks more.

Heh? · Answer

It's very much possible and is done very easily =)

Just get an external USB2 drive and use that. IT should be plug and play and work immediately =)

Anonymous · Answer

I have no idea what you're saying. I hope someone answers your question.

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Would buying an 80GB external HDD to use with an external DVD Writer be a stupid waste of cash?

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