Solve : Quetion about external hard drives.?

1.	Solve : Quetion about external hard drives.?
Answer» I was thinking about getting an external HD for back up of our computers. My question is can you partishion one like you can one inside a computer? I wold think you could. Thin I could give each computer space inside the external HD for back up. Or wold you just create a file for each computer. At this time we are just putting it on a DVD for each computer.An external drive is the same as an internal drive except - well, it's external . You can do anything with it that you can with an internal HDThanks. I thought so. I just didn't wont to spend that kind of money and find out it wouldn't do what I wonted it to do. Thank you for your time.You're most welcome Quote from: I Shooter on November 30, 2009, 02:01:13 PM Thanks. I thought so. I just didn't wont to spend that kind of money and find out it wouldn't do what I wonted it to do. Thank you for your time. How much data do you have to back up? Flash drives are another option.About 60 GB on my computer, 50GB on the wifes and 50 GB one the trailer computer. Oh the grand kids game computer is about 20 Gb. Quote from: I Shooter on November 30, 2009, 03:11:52 PM About 60 GB on my computer, 50GB on the wifes and 50 GB one the trailer computer. Oh the grand kids game computer is about 20 Gb. Way too much for flash drives. I would not bother partitioning, make a directory for each of the 4. If one or more of the 4 grow beyond the initial 4 partition sizes, you would have to resize. Why go to that trouble? Unless you plan to leave it connected all the time, I would recommend a 2.5" external HDD. They're self-powered and small enough to fit most anywhere you like. WD Passport or Seagate FreeAgent 320GB units are about $70.Sorry, I disagree. If you want to partition, then partition. All of my external drives are 500 Gb drives and all have several partitions. On those used for image backups, each system has its own partition. I do agree WD is a good choice, but I like the MyBook series. Regardless, do a little homework and select a drive that seems to best fit your needs and then either partition or don't, but make frequent use of the imaging software I was looking at a my book 1.5 TB. The plan was to put five partitions on it for the computers,100GB for each computer and the rest for movies and pictures. The reason I wonted to use partitions is it is my understanding that if one partition gets a virus it isn't spred to the other partitions.Sounds like a good plan. Go for it. Quote from: I Shooter on November 30, 2009, 07:23:38 PM The reason I wonted to use partitions is it is my understanding that if one partition gets a virus it isn't spred to the other partitions. Actually, analyzing this requires an understanding of exactly how viruses spread. Many users think that viruses simply spread- like spilled ink or milk- that is, a virus is stored on a disk, and it AUTOMATICALLY spreads out. This is in fact not what happens. See, a Virus is simply a malicious program designed to make copies of itself- in order to make copies of itself, however, it needs to execute. Viruses have many ways of making this happen, the most common being the manipulation of autorun information by the trojan horse program that delivers the virus (the most common carrier) (A trojan horse, as in Greek mythology, is something bad disguised as something good- a download of a popular game, for example, that is infested with viruses). Once the virus executes- it is not restricted in any way about where it copies itself too. Partitions are meaningless- so are folders. One method that viruses propagate is by hooking some File access functions used by all windows programs, such as CreateFile(). Then, whenever a program ACCESSES a file, the virus infects it if it can. A common M.O of viruses is that, if they are run from a removable drive- they deliver themselves to the local machine somewhere safe- them whenever further removable drives are inserted they are also infected. What this means is that if a virus get's on one of your partitions- and somehow runs- then it will likely infect the PC itself. this gives the virus, as I said, free reign, and chances are the next boot or the next time the external is unplugged/plugged in the other partition on that drive will be infected as well. That being said, while that particular use is based on a misconception, using separate partitions for separate computers can help organization considerably.Let me see if I understand this. If I down load every thing for the computers in question to this drive. Then say that the wifes computer gets a bug, her computer has had plenty, then I up date the down load and put the bug on the drive that the bug will get through the partitions to the other parts of the drive. Now understand that the only time that a partition will be run is to back up or fix a computer. Except for the last partition and that will be to store movies and pictures on. Now lets say that I down load a picture from the net and it has a bug. When I down loaded it I infected my computher and the partition that my stuff is stored on. Till my wife or one of the grand kids down load that file to there computer it can not infect there computer. So then we will say that I find out that I have that bug because of Avast and I with the help of you good people get rid of it or reload every thing on my machine and deleat every thing on the my partition and the partition that the virius was down loaded to that I still have the bug on the other partitions though they were never accessed be any of the infected partitions or computers. I don't see how that can be. It is my understanding that a bug has to be loaded to a file then is spred by contact with other files that are sent or moved. There is no such movement between partichions. Thank you much for your time and help.You need to understand that a partition is a "virtual" separator on a drive. The is no physical barrier between partitions, just a software differentiation. Depending on the nature of the malware, it can indeed spread itself over the entire drive. What I don't understand is how your wife's system is continually infected. I've been working with computers since 1985 and have had (and currently have) plenty of computers - and I've never had a virus on any of them. I just don't get how systems are infected. If you do all of the following you will be fine: 1) Install a GOOD anti-virus utility on all computers. Make sure the utility is ALWAYS RESIDENT and is set to UPDATE daily (at a minimum). I use Kaspersky Anti Virus and it updates at least once a day. 2) Do not open emails from unknown sources. Do not open email attachments unless you either expected them or know for sure what they are. 3) If you ignore #2, at least do not click on links in emails from unknown sources. 4) Install either MalwareBytes or SuperAntiSpyware and run a scan once every week or two 5) Install SpywareBlaster, allow it to PROTECT all browsers, and remember to update it weekly 6) Run a full scan with your AV at least once a month 7) Try not to download anything from the web unless you know exactly what it is. 8 ) Create a download folder on your system and make sure EVERYTHING you download from the web goes to that location. You can easily and quickly scan every download with your AV before opening or running it. 9) Try not to navigate to "strange" websites. I know it sounds like a lot, but it really isn't. And if you follow all of the above suggestions I doubt you will EVER have a malware problem again. Quote from: I Shooter on December 01, 2009, 08:10:26 AM Let me see if I understand this. If I down load every thing for the computers in question to this drive. Then say that the wifes computer gets a bug, her computer has had plenty, then I up date the down load and put the bug on the drive that the bug will get through the partitions to the other parts of the drive. Now understand that the only time that a partition will be run is to back up or fix a computer. Except for the last partition and that will be to store movies and pictures on. Now lets say that I down load a picture from the net and it has a bug. When I down loaded it I infected my computher and the partition that my stuff is stored on. Till my wife or one of the grand kids down load that file to there computer it can not infect there computer. So then we will say that I find out that I have that bug because of Avast and I with the help of you good people get rid of it or reload every thing on my machine and deleat every thing on the my partition and the partition that the virius was down loaded to that I still have the bug on the other partitions though they were never accessed be any of the infected partitions or computers. I don't see how that can be. It is my understanding that a bug has to be loaded to a file then is spred by contact with other files that are sent or moved. There is no such movement between partichions. Thank you much for your time and help. What I'm saying is, it won't spread at all unless you run it, either accidentally or otherwise, but if it does it will copy itself all over the place. I'm not saying that partitioning is a bad idea just that it offers no protection whatsoever from viruses. If a file infector virus runs from ANY of the computers from ANY of the partitions then it could easily "escape" the partition if it is written to. Of course it won't jump across PCs; the other PCs would have to also run a infected file. Files don't get infected anyway- Programs do. Sure, an infection could be inside a file, but it cannot spread unless it's executed, so it needs to be in a executable or dll of some sort. Pictures cannot be infected at all. Basically, if all the PCs have a Anti-virus program and you keep it up to date and you don't download odd files, you should be fine. Partitioning is a good way of organizing the data but it hardly constitutes a PREVENTATIVE measure against viruses or malware- that's what Anti-virus programs are for. And Allan has thoughtfully outlined some requisites to a strong defense in that category- I might add another entry though; basically, rather then believe everything you read or hear from somebody such as us on the forum or a respected colleague- make sure to do a little research to try to back them up; for example, the idea that partitions serve as some sort of barrier to viruses sounds like it was made up by a best buy employee or something; and content that refutes that can be found with a google search. This way, you won't get burned later or find out the hard way that it wasn't actually the case.In your last post you said that a picture can't be infected. I assume that you are talking about a picture taken from a camera can't be infected. My wife down loaded some pictures of kittens palaying with yarn and they caused me a great deal fo trouble. I had to redo her computer twice becausse of them. The second time I changed virus protection to Avast from Windows One Care and Avast said that the pictures were infected. I deleated them and have had no problems sence. Avast has cought other things that she has tried to down load and kept them out. So I know that pictures can be infected. As for the partition thing I understand that the way you are looking at things they are no protection what so ever from viruses. In my way of looking at things the more I can keep thing apart the better off I am. I know that a partition can't keep a virus out. Thank you much for your time and information.

Answer»

I was thinking about getting an external HD for back up of our computers. My question is can you partishion one like you can one inside a computer? I wold think you could. Thin I could give each computer space inside the external HD for back up. Or wold you just create a file for each computer. At this time we are just putting it on a DVD for each computer.An external drive is the same as an internal drive except - well, it's external . You can do anything with it that you can with an internal HDThanks. I thought so. I just didn't wont to spend that kind of money and find out it wouldn't do what I wonted it to do. Thank you for your time.You're most welcome Quote from: I Shooter on November 30, 2009, 02:01:13 PM

Thanks. I thought so. I just didn't wont to spend that kind of money and find out it wouldn't do what I wonted it to do. Thank you for your time.

How much data do you have to back up? Flash drives are another option.About 60 GB on my computer, 50GB on the wifes and 50 GB one the trailer computer. Oh the grand kids game computer is about 20 Gb. Quote from: I Shooter on November 30, 2009, 03:11:52 PM

About 60 GB on my computer, 50GB on the wifes and 50 GB one the trailer computer. Oh the grand kids game computer is about 20 Gb.

Way too much for flash drives. I would not bother partitioning, make a directory for each of the 4. If one or more of the 4 grow beyond the initial 4 partition sizes, you would have to resize. Why go to that trouble? Unless you plan to leave it connected all the time, I would recommend a 2.5" external HDD. They're self-powered and small enough to fit most anywhere you like. WD Passport or Seagate FreeAgent 320GB units are about $70.Sorry, I disagree. If you want to partition, then partition. All of my external drives are 500 Gb drives and all have several partitions. On those used for image backups, each system has its own partition. I do agree WD is a good choice, but I like the MyBook series. Regardless, do a little homework and select a drive that seems to best fit your needs and then either partition or don't, but make frequent use of the imaging software I was looking at a my book 1.5 TB. The plan was to put five partitions on it for the computers,100GB for each computer and the rest for movies and pictures. The reason I wonted to use partitions is it is my understanding that if one partition gets a virus it isn't spred to the other partitions.Sounds like a good plan. Go for it. Quote from: I Shooter on November 30, 2009, 07:23:38 PM

The reason I wonted to use partitions is it is my understanding that if one partition gets a virus it isn't spred to the other partitions.

Actually, analyzing this requires an understanding of exactly how viruses spread.

Many users think that viruses simply spread- like spilled ink or milk- that is, a virus is stored on a disk, and it AUTOMATICALLY spreads out. This is in fact not what happens.

See, a Virus is simply a malicious program designed to make copies of itself- in order to make copies of itself, however, it needs to execute. Viruses have many ways of making this happen, the most common being the manipulation of autorun information by the trojan horse program that delivers the virus (the most common carrier) (A trojan horse, as in Greek mythology, is something bad disguised as something good- a download of a popular game, for example, that is infested with viruses).

Once the virus executes- it is not restricted in any way about where it copies itself too. Partitions are meaningless- so are folders. One method that viruses propagate is by hooking some File access functions used by all windows programs, such as CreateFile(). Then, whenever a program ACCESSES a file, the virus infects it if it can.

A common M.O of viruses is that, if they are run from a removable drive- they deliver themselves to the local machine somewhere safe- them whenever further removable drives are inserted they are also infected. What this means is that if a virus get's on one of your partitions- and somehow runs- then it will likely infect the PC itself. this gives the virus, as I said, free reign, and chances are the next boot or the next time the external is unplugged/plugged in the other partition on that drive will be infected as well.

That being said, while that particular use is based on a misconception, using separate partitions for separate computers can help organization considerably.Let me see if I understand this. If I down load every thing for the computers in question to this drive. Then say that the wifes computer gets a bug, her computer has had plenty, then I up date the down load and put the bug on the drive that the bug will get through the partitions to the other parts of the drive. Now understand that the only time that a partition will be run is to back up or fix a computer. Except for the last partition and that will be to store movies and pictures on. Now lets say that I down load a picture from the net and it has a bug. When I down loaded it I infected my computher and the partition that my stuff is stored on. Till my wife or one of the grand kids down load that file to there computer it can not infect there computer. So then we will say that I find out that I have that bug because of Avast and I with the help of you good people get rid of it or reload every thing on my machine and deleat every thing on the my partition and the partition that the virius was down loaded to that I still have the bug on the other partitions though they were never accessed be any of the infected partitions or computers. I don't see how that can be. It is my understanding that a bug has to be loaded to a file then is spred by contact with other files that are sent or moved. There is no such movement between partichions. Thank you much for your time and help.You need to understand that a partition is a "virtual" separator on a drive. The is no physical barrier between partitions, just a software differentiation. Depending on the nature of the malware, it can indeed spread itself over the entire drive.

What I don't understand is how your wife's system is continually infected. I've been working with computers since 1985 and have had (and currently have) plenty of computers - and I've never had a virus on any of them. I just don't get how systems are infected. If you do all of the following you will be fine:

1) Install a GOOD anti-virus utility on all computers. Make sure the utility is ALWAYS RESIDENT and is set to UPDATE daily (at a minimum). I use Kaspersky Anti Virus and it updates at least once a day.

2) Do not open emails from unknown sources. Do not open email attachments unless you either expected them or know for sure what they are.

3) If you ignore #2, at least do not click on links in emails from unknown sources.

4) Install either MalwareBytes or SuperAntiSpyware and run a scan once every week or two

5) Install SpywareBlaster, allow it to PROTECT all browsers, and remember to update it weekly

6) Run a full scan with your AV at least once a month

7) Try not to download anything from the web unless you know exactly what it is.

8 ) Create a download folder on your system and make sure EVERYTHING you download from the web goes to that location. You can easily and quickly scan every download with your AV before opening or running it.

9) Try not to navigate to "strange" websites.

I know it sounds like a lot, but it really isn't. And if you follow all of the above suggestions I doubt you will EVER have a malware problem again. Quote from: I Shooter on December 01, 2009, 08:10:26 AM

Let me see if I understand this. If I down load every thing for the computers in question to this drive. Then say that the wifes computer gets a bug, her computer has had plenty, then I up date the down load and put the bug on the drive that the bug will get through the partitions to the other parts of the drive. Now understand that the only time that a partition will be run is to back up or fix a computer. Except for the last partition and that will be to store movies and pictures on. Now lets say that I down load a picture from the net and it has a bug. When I down loaded it I infected my computher and the partition that my stuff is stored on. Till my wife or one of the grand kids down load that file to there computer it can not infect there computer. So then we will say that I find out that I have that bug because of Avast and I with the help of you good people get rid of it or reload every thing on my machine and deleat every thing on the my partition and the partition that the virius was down loaded to that I still have the bug on the other partitions though they were never accessed be any of the infected partitions or computers. I don't see how that can be. It is my understanding that a bug has to be loaded to a file then is spred by contact with other files that are sent or moved. There is no such movement between partichions. Thank you much for your time and help.

What I'm saying is, it won't spread at all unless you run it, either accidentally or otherwise, but if it does it will copy itself all over the place. I'm not saying that partitioning is a bad idea just that it offers no protection whatsoever from viruses. If a file infector virus runs from ANY of the computers from ANY of the partitions then it could easily "escape" the partition if it is written to. Of course it won't jump across PCs; the other PCs would have to also run a infected file.

Files don't get infected anyway- Programs do. Sure, an infection could be inside a file, but it cannot spread unless it's executed, so it needs to be in a executable or dll of some sort. Pictures cannot be infected at all.

Basically, if all the PCs have a Anti-virus program and you keep it up to date and you don't download odd files, you should be fine. Partitioning is a good way of organizing the data but it hardly constitutes a PREVENTATIVE measure against viruses or malware- that's what Anti-virus programs are for.

And Allan has thoughtfully outlined some requisites to a strong defense in that category- I might add another entry though; basically, rather then believe everything you read or hear from somebody such as us on the forum or a respected colleague- make sure to do a little research to try to back them up; for example, the idea that partitions serve as some sort of barrier to viruses sounds like it was made up by a best buy employee or something; and content that refutes that can be found with a google search. This way, you won't get burned later or find out the hard way that it wasn't actually the case.In your last post you said that a picture can't be infected. I assume that you are talking about a picture taken from a camera can't be infected. My wife down loaded some pictures of kittens palaying with yarn and they caused me a great deal fo trouble. I had to redo her computer twice becausse of them. The second time I changed virus protection to Avast from Windows One Care and Avast said that the pictures were infected. I deleated them and have had no problems sence. Avast has cought other things that she has tried to down load and kept them out. So I know that pictures can be infected. As for the partition thing I understand that the way you are looking at things they are no protection what so ever from viruses. In my way of looking at things the more I can keep thing apart the better off I am. I know that a partition can't keep a virus out. Thank you much for your time and information.

Solve : Quetion about external hard drives.?

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