Oh Gawd! Maybe I needed more HD space?

[JPP]

Hello

Oh y'see now I'm panicking. What is it about buying a new computer that makes one panic - Do I have enough RAM? Did I get the right screen? Should I have gotten a bigger macbook pro? It never ends!

And now I'm wondering if I shouldhave bought the 160GB hard drive as an added option.

I have the basic 2.16 120GB macbook pro. I don't have a lot of files as yet but I have had a 60BG ipod for 18 months. There was 30GB worth of songs encoded in apple lossless on it that i was using with a PC but now that I have my own mac I reformatted the ipod and converted all my songs to AAC VBR at 192kbps so now it's just 10GB. Am I making sense here? Anyway, my question is - what are the logistics of saving itunes to an external hard drive? If I want to save photos and songs and so on would I have been more sensible going for the 160GB hard drive? Apple said that as the upgrade is £70 and I could get an external hard drive that would have capacity of around 160GB and above for just £100 I would be better off just sticking with the basic configuration as it would mean my songs were backed up if saved to an external hard drive as well, which they felt would be better for me.

However, with just a few photos and my ipod I have only 89GB left on my macbook pro. That might fill up pretty quick? I have no idea... So are the logistics of external hard drives a pain? And would I have been better to just try to keep everything on my laptop?

Anyone got any thoughts?

Thanks

J

What are people's opinions?

 

[MacMandy]

Hi, I have the same spec MBP and had the same worries, but I felt safer getting the stock model - easier to swap if there are problems. I have a 250GB external hard drive that archives my photos and music, so I just have my latest (or interesting) stuff on the MBP. I've found that with careful management, it's a good size. If I had 160GB or 200GB in my MBP, I'd still fill it!

 

[xUKHCx]

You still have 89GB free, you do not really need worry about having a bigger internal. Unless you plan on ripping lots of videos to your computer or a keen photographer or spend hundreds on cds every month.

I would spend the money on an external, they are literally worth their weight in gold if you have a harddrive failure. I myself have 2 externals (long story).

Logistics of having stuff on an external is really very simple, just need to tell iTunes/iPhoto or whatever where to look and that is it.

It is pretty easy to clear out anywhere up to about 10Gb of harddrive space by removing unwanted apps / drivers if you ever get very low.



I have about 50Gb of space left on my iMac 250GB drive. I could easily delete about 40Gb worth of stuff, it is there out of convenience.

 

[acoustics940]

I cant seem to fill my 80gb on my desktop I usually dont save things unless I use them if not out they go.

 

[JPP]

Hey all

Thanks for your replies. This is such a great forum - everyone seems so helpful and happy to help. I am really pleased I joined up. Hope the more I learn the more I can pass on too.

I will try to stop worrying and just enjoy my new mac. I feel a bit silly really worrying about this and that! Not like me at all. But I have to say that I absolutely love having a mac!

Thanks again - your replies have really helped.

J

 

[konfuzion]

i have 80 gb on my macbook ICD... im checking out hard drives on ebay but want to make sure that the one i want to buy is comparable to the OEM drive i have.

how does this work:

# Enhanced Adaptive Battery Life Extender 3.0 for maximized battery life
# Low Power: Spins at 5400 RPM for fast performance but has power specifications similar to slower 4200 RPM drives
# Fluid Dynamic Bearing Spindle Motor for lower acoustics and increased non-operating shock tolerance
# Ultra Quiet : Advanced noise reduction using a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) Damper
# S.M.A.R.T. compliant detection system that gives advanced warning of possible drive inconsistencies
# Stiffness-reinforced base casting construction offers enhanced stability and greater vibration/shock resistance
# Antiferromagnetically-coupled (AFC) "pixie dust" media
# Specular Layer giant magnetoresistive (GMR) heads
# Ramp Head Load/Unload technology
# Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) read channel
# Adaptive Formatting


Specifications
Capacity (GB) 160 Form Factor 2.5" Notebook
Rotational Speed (rpm) 5400 Seek time (ms) 12 Average (typical)
Buffer Size 8 MB Drive Type SATA
Product Life 5 years or 20,000 power ON hours Buffer to/from Host Max 100MB/sec
Dimensions (mm) 9.5(H)x70(W)x100(D) Weight (g) 98