I use TeraCopy, which definately speeds up file transfers between any two drives. (I wish it would allow filenames to be added to the list, rather than having to select a group while holding cntrl key.) However, transferring files to my external HDD takes a very long time when compared to moving files between internal drives (I think that may have to do with the requests mentioned by Peerless, and my external is a bit old.)

Thanks for all your replies guys Have taken all advice and info on board....

Still not getting the *missing* shared files thing though

If I keep Limewire *open*, i.e. set my upload/download bandwidths to zero and don't allow *any* upload slots and don't download anything - overnight for example.... so the next morning I don't have to load everything again.... I find that the amount of files I'm sharing has decreased.
Could be anything from 50-80 files that have *unshared* themselves....
They're all still *in* my *Shared* folder.... but I have to go into it, right click them and *share* them again....

Issue with external drives. Some p2p sharing programs work fine with external HDD's. As you know LW never has, however I've never tried using one with LW 5. Likewise in my experience LW has problems accessing all the files at the moment it opens. Thing about external drives is they are not always 100% active, they tend to sleep a little. There can be a momentary lapse in getting the drive reading which I believe is what affects LW.

On my old computer when opening LW, LW would often even 'forget' that it was directed to share from / download to an external drive. Seemed slow in loading shares from the external drive also.

My advice to you would be to make a backup of your LW preferences, perhaps on a daily basis just before/after you quit LW for the day. Then if LW shows less shares next day, quit LW, replace the preferences folder & restart LW.

I think if LW cannot 'immediately' find a shared file, it simply removes it from its shared list. Exception might be if a user was sending a request for a shared file of yours at same time LW was opening & that might give the 'cannot find file' message.

As for copying files from computer to external for backup purposes, Firewire 800 is more than fast enough for me; more than double the speed of USB. Even Firewire 400 is faster than USB for that purpose. Windows systems might work a little better with USB than macs do, not sure. But then even my external drive listed capabilities lists FW 400 as faster than USB.

Have you considered adding a 1 TB internal HDD?

exactly...and when you need to access it, your system makes a call to it, and it wakes up...not only does this lag things it many times results in momentary freezing of the machine...

USB2 drives to NOT operate at UDMA5 capabilities, which means they are not nearly as fast as modern internal drives...

as previously noted, I use them only for storage of files already acquired, and very occasionally to let others upload from, but I never download to them....

__________________


So Long and Thanks for All the Files
_____________________________________________

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I'm sure we've all considered that. Thing is, I wouldn't want a big, expensive drive running constantly while I'm sharing files all night. (I can tune-out the sound, but it drives my gf nuts). That's why I wanted to use a solid-state device for LW.

I will likely get a BluRay (1/2 TB disks), and a solid-state drive for my OS and programs (my SATA internals total 3/4 TB). The solid-state drives can experience bit decay, and the devices themselves will eventually wear out with multiple overwrites; so they aren't perfect, but they'll extend laptop use.

Well Guys

I have always used external USB drives to store and share my LW downloads and I have never had any problems.

However, I am somewhat doubtful about Blackhorse 70V's pro solid-state drive stance. My understanding of this drives current state is that they are very expensive and unreliable. In fact, GB for GB solid states cost about 5 to 10 times as much as ordinary drives and have been prone to fail.

Theoretically, because there are no moving parts in solid state drives they have the capability to be ultra reliable but, personally, I don't think that they will hit that reliability/price point for another couple of years.



UK Bob

I have - yes.... it would save me so much hassle....
Thing is though - I only have a 160GB drive and 2.01Ghz, 768 MB Of Ram - would the motherboard be able to handle it?
The engineer (from where I bought the pc initially) says not....
Obviously his word isn't set in stone and his opinion isn't necessarily bang on accurate....

What I have thought of doing is to buy two 250GB hard drives, download to one of them and back up to the other....

Good idea or not....?

I don't see why not. If you can't have a 1TB drive installed, then your PC must be not old, but ancient. Same with installing two 250GB drives.

Thanks Sleepless

Forgive me - I'm not the most *au fait* with computers
My pc is far from being old.... but surely I don't have the 'capacity' to *deal with* a 1TB drive....?

I'm low on hard drive space - hence why I'm downloading to an external....
At present, I'm downloading to a 160GB external hard drive - with nowhere to back it up to.
The plan is to get two 250GB drives; download to one and back up to the other.
Will my hard drive be able to cope with two 250GB hard drives plugged in at the same time?

I'm not thick - there's just certain aspects of pc stuff I'm not that familiar with....

do you have 2 usb inputs?

I run 2 at one time every now and again...no biggy, just the aforementioned issues with USB drives...do NOT run an external HDD through a hub....talk about slow...sheesh...and other issues associated with the massive lagging cause by using a hub....

__________________


So Long and Thanks for All the Files
_____________________________________________

Beware of the big 3 insurance companies in Texas! Read your policies carefully (maybe you'll need a lawyer) Allstate, Farmers & State Farm are overextended and their 'coverage' is worthless...a true waste of your money Read This