Do I need an OS on a secondary hard drive?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jphelmstadter
  • Start date Start date
J

jphelmstadter

A friend of mine recently switched to the Mac camp and let me strip his
PC for parts. I took the memory and the hard drive and installed them
into my computer (they are both from Dell). Everything works fine and
I can access the new F drive no problem. I'd like to wipe his hard
drive clean (there's lots of his programs/files/etc. on it) and use it
as storage for media (music/pics/etc.)

My questions are these. Do I simply format the drive to clean it, and
then, do I need to install an OS (I have the discs for Win 98SE and XP)
in order to use this drive? It seems like a waste of space to install
an OS when all I want to do is save and access media from said drive.
And if I don't install an OS, is there some other program I should
install?

I welcome any advice that might be offered and I'll clarify what I'm
trying to do if necessary. I just want to keep my primary drive as
uncluttered as possible so as to not slow down any programs I might be
using.

Thanks,

JPH
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote
A friend of mine recently switched to the Mac camp and let me strip
his PC for parts. I took the memory and the hard drive and installed
them into my computer (they are both from Dell). Everything works
fine and I can access the new F drive no problem. I'd like to wipe
his hard drive clean (there's lots of his programs/files/etc. on it)
and use it as storage for media (music/pics/etc.)
Click to expand...
My questions are these. Do I simply format the drive to clean it,
Click to expand...

Yes, if you dont want anything that is on it.
and then, do I need to install an OS
(I have the discs for Win 98SE and XP)
in order to use this drive?
Nope.

It seems like a waste of space to install an OS when all
I want to do is save and access media from said drive.
Correct.

And if I don't install an OS, is there
some other program I should install?
Click to expand...

Nope, just format it.
I welcome any advice that might be offered and I'll
clarify what I'm trying to do if necessary. I just want
to keep my primary drive as uncluttered as possible
so as to not slow down any programs I might be using.
Click to expand...

That wont happen. All that matters is
that there is enough free space on it.
 
into my computer (they are both from Dell). Everything works fine and
I can access the new F drive no problem. I'd like to wipe his hard
drive clean (there's lots of his programs/files/etc. on it) and use it
as storage for media (music/pics/etc.)
Click to expand...

as usual .
My questions are these. Do I simply format the drive to clean it, and
then, do I need to install an OS (I have the discs for Win 98SE and XP)
in order to use this drive? It seems like a waste of space to install
an OS when all I want to do is save and access media from said drive.
And if I don't install an OS, is there some other program I should
install?
Click to expand...

just format it and use it as any other disk ( floppy for example ) ...
I welcome any advice that might be offered and I'll clarify what I'm
trying to do if necessary. I just want to keep my primary drive as
uncluttered as possible so as to not slow down any programs I might be
using.
Click to expand...

go on .
 
My questions are these. Do I simply format the drive to clean it, and
then, do I need to install an OS (I have the discs for Win 98SE and XP)
in order to use this drive? It seems like a waste of space to install
an OS when all I want to do is save and access media from said drive.
And if I don't install an OS, is there some other program I should
install?
Click to expand...
Just format the new drive as NTFS and start using it. During format
will ask for a letter use E, F or whatever is next in your machine)
and a volume name (Datavol?).

Also, don't do a quick format this time. it will take a little longer,
but will check the drive more thoroughly.

To speed up things I would move the page file to the new drive. Find
that in My Computer Properties Advanced Performance

Have fun
 
Back
Top