New laptop hard drive

I really don't need a hard drive for my laptop but its only 40 GB, and as of right now I have about 20 gigs left.
i was wondering if I get a new hard drive for the laptop do I need to buy windows too?

Good idea Drew, if you are simply storing music, pictures, videos and documents, an external hard drive would be a good solution.
Adam
Best Buy Community - Retail, Americas
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Restoring backed up files to new laptop hard drive

I recently upgraded from 10.3 to 10.5 (skipping Tiger), all the while backing up to an external Maxtor drive. Then my hard drive started dying. So I bought a new hard drive and put it in an external 800 FW enclosure. I formatted the new drive and installed 10.5, by-passing the dying drive but using the install CD. Then I installed the new drive into my laptop. Now I want to copy the backed up files on my Maxtor HD onto the new hard drive. I've spoken to an Apple guy, couldn't help. Went to Genius Bar, got wrong advice. Went to Maxtor web site, couldn't find answer. I have used the application "Backup" that came with 10.3 while doing backups; continued using this after upgrading to 10.5. Have not used Time Machine! I was able to copy and paste from the old drive which I put into the external enclosure, but couldn't read all the files. Home folder wasn't even listed. All my iTunes library is on Maxtor, but can't get to it. Need help on this, please!

I believe that Apple's "Backup" application uses a special storage scheme that normaly requires Apple Backup to restore the backup items. There may be a problem, though, because your screenshot shows the backup items as ordinary folders. I don't use Backup any more, but I have some old storage items made with Backup 3, and my full and incremental backup items look like single files in Finder. They actually are packages, "special" folders with the same internal structure as the one you posted, but which look like single files in Finder. Maybe you used an earlier version of Backup that creates folders instead of package files.
I don't know if Backup 3 will be able to open and use the "normal-looking" folders that you do have, but it's worth a try. If you don't have Backup 3 on your current Leopard installation, you can download it at
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL184
You need a MobileMe subscription to make new backups, but I think you can restore old backups even without a subscription. There is a Help menu in Backup 3 which includes instructions on how to restore things when you no longer have the backup plan used to make the backups. You would normally use Backup 3 to open the most recent IncrementalBackup file if there is one, otherwise the FullBackup file. In your situation I would try to open the folder with those names, not the folder contents.
If this doesn't work try double-clicking the "backup.sparseimage" files in the Folder>Contents>Contents subfolders. If the disk image mounts, look inside the mounted disk for your stuff and drag the contents back to your internal HD. Don't try to restore "settings", just datafiles.

I need to replace my laptop Hard drive. How do I get my iTunes off the old hard drive to an external so I can put it back on the new hard drive?

I need to replace my laptop Hard drive. How do I get my iTunes off the old hard drive to an external so I can put it back on the new hard drive?

Type move itunes library into the google serach bar.
It has always been very basic to always maintain abackup copy of your computer. Do you not have a backup copy?

My laptop hard drive with my itunes library died and now itunes won't sync my ipod to the libary on the new drive without first deleting everything on my ipod. What can be done?

My laptop hard drive with my itunes library died and now itunes won't sync my ipod to the libary on the new drive without first deleting everything on my ipod. What can be done?

Sync with new computer
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3141

Problem installing Mac OSX on my new MacBook hard drive...

Hi,
i am beside myself again...(i just visited my local Genius bar this afternoon). Any help would be most appreciated! :o)
i purchased a 2.5 inch SATA Fujitsu 120GB laptop hard drive for my new MacBook. Followed the awesome* instructions on "how to replace/upgrade hard drive", and took out the original Toshiba HD. What the instructions* failed to mention was that i would eventually need to use a Torx screwdriver (star-shaped) to remove the caddy/carriage from the Toshiba HD. Got that the next day and replaced the Toshiba 80GB with my new 120GB Fujitsu drive..., it slipped into place nicely but i did notice that the Toshiba had four short wires protruding out to the right of the contacts, which my new Fujitsu didn't have... hmmmm...?!
anyways, tried to install Mac OSX on the new drive, booted up with the install disc... went thru' chosing the language (English), agreed to the second step... but when it came time to install, there was NO icon at all in the box where i am asked where i want to install it!!!
so i go to disk utilities, and see that my Fujitsu HD is indeed recognized, but none of the buttons in first aid are active... so i can't check it.
i figured that had to do with the four little wires, so i replaced the original Toshiba and made a reservation with Genius Bar to ask for assistance.
this afternoon, i explained my problem and was told the four wires have NOTHING to do with it... Lawrence (the genius) told me to (actually, first he said Apple does not recommend my doing this... and that i should go to a 3rd party computer store such as Dino to get help!) go back to disk utilities and partition, then erase this drive and then i will see the icon for this drive in the install box.
Well i did everything i was told to do and... still, there is no icon for my Fujitsu HD! :o(
I was able to partition, after which there was a disc0 under the Fujitsu drive on the left side of the disk utilities. When i go to system profiler, and click on ATA... it too shows the Fujitsu drive... but i cannot install because there is NOTHING to click on at the installation step! the "continue" button is not active and only the "back" button is actively mocking me!!!
i know many of you have successfully upgraded your hard drive... what am i doing wrong? Would a different brand work better? I know Seagate is quite popular, and OWC sells a Western Digital version as well as a Hitachi... do those four little wires make a difference? Would the Seagate come with those wires???
i am going crazy... thanks, and sorry for the long post, just wanted to let you know what i've done!
blue skies,
ps. please feel free to email me at [email protected] if you think that would be better! :o)

Hi,
...after getting back from school, my MacBook was STILL in the process of verifying and "supposedly" repairing... since i was gone for over 10 hours, i finally assumed the drive was either defective or just incompatible, and quit disk utility.
...this morning i went out and bought a new Seagate 120GB SATA (they didn't have 160GB SATA drives, only 160GB ultra-ATA drives) 2.5 inch HD. This one DID have those four wires to the right of the contacts... (i don't know how important they are), and after changing and exchanging the Toshiba/Fujitsu HDs, it was a breeze putting in the new Seagate drive.
Erased > patritioned > and sure enough, the icon showed up and the biggest smile showed up on my face as i finished installing! :o)
I contacted the original seller of my fujitsu hd (it was a 2.5 inch, 120GB, serial ATA notebook drive) and he was kind enough to say "just pack it up and send it back for a refund!" (minus shipping and re-stocking fees of course! :o)
Just wanted to mention that, the fujitsu hd WAS recognized by disk-utility and at the bottom left of the window it said that the fujitsu was "GUID partitioned"..., so i am still scratching my head as to why it didn't work?!
I want to thank everyone that offered advice, it was helpful and i feel more comfortable with my MacBook after this trying and very frustrating episode! :o)
blue skies,

My laptop hard drive crashed - when I go to sync my iPhone it says that my phone is already synced with another computer and can only be synced with one computer at a time.

My Dell laptop hard drive crashed - when I go to sync my iPhone it says that my phone is already synced with another computer and can only be synced with one computer at a time. When I hit sync is says it will erase my phone and sync with the new computer which is blank. How do I get my phone to sync my contacts, pics, apps etc. over to my new hard drive without losing anything.

Yes, so what's confusing... Did you not restore the backup of your data, contacts, pics, apps, music, etc. to the new hard drive after you replaced it or reformatted it or whatever you did? If so, then you can just sync your data back.
If not, please try searching the forum. This has been addressed hundreds of times here.

New Computer and New External Hard Drive - why do folders and photos not show up?

I replaced my desktop with a new laptop and external hard drive. I transferred photos from the desktop to the external hard drive. Lightroom 2 only shows the mapped hard drive, but does not show any folders or photos. Can Lightroom be set up to house all the photos on an external hard drive rather than using space on the internal laptop hard drive? Do the photos and folders need to be imported again into LR2? The photos are available for viewing when you search folders, but they open up in Photoshop not LR2.
What should I do to configure imports to be housed on the external hard drive? Is this wise? I will not be able to hold all the photos on the laptop internal hard drive. Photos used to be JPEG and DNG from D700. I am starting to see NEF. Does this replace DNG? Besides RAW I also need to have JPEG for other family members to access photos on other computers connected to the network. I am watching a tutorial DVD and slowly picking up how this all works. Let me know if I am not using the correct terms.
Hardware: HP laptop w/64bit, Buffalo 1TB RAID hard drive.

Lot's of questions here. I'll do a few.
Yes Lightroom can work with images on external drives. As many drives as you want.
I assume from what you said in your original post that you have had lightroom installed on the old desktop and now wish to transfer your catalogue and all files to the external drive and work from that.
So what you would do would be to transfer the entire contents of the lightroom folder on your old computer, except for any images, to the same location on your new laptop. This would include the catalogue files and any folders containing previews. Then you would copy all your image files to the new external hard drive. When you open lightroom you can then select the catalogue you copied from the old computer and open it. In the the folder pane in the library module you can then right click on one of the folders and select "locate missing files". Then you just need to point light room to the new location of your images. You may or may not need to regenerate all your previews.
I store all my images on external hard drives and I even run the catalogue and previews from the same external drives. I have backups of all my images of course. I have light room make backups of the catalogue to the C drive on my laptop so that the original and the backup are stored in different locations.
NEF is the proprietary file system for raw images used on Nikon cameras. DNG is a universal raw file format developed by Adobe. You can convert your files from NEF to DNG on import, but as Lightroom can read both types of files it is not necessary. At this point in time if you are using lightroom you should get similar results from either type of file.
To store imports on the new external drive you can you tell light room to copy the files to the new drive or you can manually copy the files to the new location and have light room import From the current location.
Hope this helps
Gordon

I have moved all my songs onto a new external hard drive but it has wiped my iPod clean. Although when I connect my iPod it's starts teh process of sync'ing - so many songs in I get a pop up advising the siong could not be read or written to?

I have moved all my itunes onto a new external hard drive to free up space. It has wiped my ipod clean! I can still see the itunes on the new hard drive so I restored my iPod and tried to sync. Although when I connect my iPod it's in the process of syncing, so many songs in I get a pop up saying could not copy to my iPod as xyz song title could not be read or written. I click ok for this pop up to dissapear and then another pop up appears saying could not coyp to iPod because of unknown error.!!! Help I'm going crazy.

Did you go into iTunes to change the location of your media files? if not you will need to go into iTunes and click on preference and select the advance tab then click the iTunes Media folder location. Select the location of your on external hard drive.

Data Recovery of data from laptop hard drives

This hard drive is from a T60 laptop - please read below, thanks
1. Working laptop with a working hard Download drive ( I know this is the case as if you insert the drive into the laptop , power it on, it loads windows xp, you can use the laptop as per normal without any errors / issues etc )
We have an external hard drive kit ( again which I know that works as I use it to connect a multitude of other hard drives via USB to a desktop PC ) and I have another hard drive kit different to the first USB to SATA hard drive recovery kit and it does the same when trying to access the data off of the laptops hard drive
If I connect the laptop hard drive to my desktop PC it refuses to show up in my computer yet if you right click my computer --> Manage --> Disk Management
The drive shows up in here as un-initialised and if you attempt to initialise the drive it fails stating it has CRC error(s) and it will not assign it a drive letter.
Is there a quick way to access the data on the drive ?
As far as I am aware the drives are not encrypted as when loading after the POST from bios you do not get any blue / purple progress bars loading, these are Windows XP SP 3 so not using bit locker or anything like that.
What do I need to do to get access to the data as quick as possible without doing too many steps or waiting for utils to recover data etc.
Also what do Lenovo do to the hard drives that cause this many head aches ??

Disabled this option in regards to the hard drive password, saved this by pressing F10 and exited the bios until it prompted me for the startup bios password. Powered the laptop off, took the hard drive out and connected it to the desktop pc and it mounted the drive straight off the bat.
What I would like to know then is what does it change on the hard drive to stop you from mounting or accessing the data
I haven't played with the build in security of lenovo for a few years, too much trouble. Basically I think the security chip build into each lenovo will modify certain fields on the harddisk chip. Hence the data are soft 'encrpted' this way. There is an official lenovo software that you can install on the desktop to simulate the security chip, so I guess the data is not hard 'encrpted', just scrambled. When you removed the user password, it probably reset those fields so there is no more scrambling when connected to the desktop
If you turn on security chip, lenovo client security solution, adminstrator password, master password and all those junk, then it will be a different story.
Glad that your problem is solved B-)

I have been storing my Aperture and IMovie Libraries on an external hard drive that recently died. Fortunately I've been using Time Machine to back up to a 2nd external drive. How do I restore my libraries to a new external hard drive?

I have been storing my Aperture and IMovie Libraries on an external hard drive that recently died. Fortunately I've been using Time Machine to back up to a 2nd external drive. How do I restore my libraries to a new external hard drive?

This is a tricky one.
Open up Time Machine and go back to a date using the timeline on the right side of the window when you know the drive was working and was backing up as part of Time Machine backups.
Click on the name of your Mac under the Devices heading on the left side of the window in Time Machine, and if things are working correctly you will see Macintosh HD (or whatever you have named it) and the name of the external hard drive that was backing up in the past.
Right-Click on the name of the external hard drive and then click on "Restore (name of drive) to....." You may be asked for your adminstrator password at this point.
It might be easier to restore the drive contents to your desktop if you have room on your Mac, and then copy things over to the new external drive where you want to store the Aperture and iMovie Libraries.
Once the libraries have been moved over the new external hard drive, you will likely need to "point" Aperture and iMovie to the location of the libraries on the new external hard drive.

I bought a new external hard drive for backups, but time machine won't do a full back up. I think it is remembering backing up onto previous external hard drives, which I don't own anymore. How do I do a new full backup?

I bought a new external hard drive for backups, but time machine won't do a full back up.
I think it is remembering backing up onto previous external hard drives, which I don't own anymore. How do I do a new full backup?
When I bought the new (used) iMac, I also bought an external hard drive for backups. It worked fine, but my husband stole it.
Then I bought a new external hard drive (Seagate) and it worked fine for three weeks, then died.
So I just got a new external hard drive, which was put together from an internal hard drive and a hard drive enclosure.
Time machine did the first backup today, and it should have taken 9 hours like it did on the previous first time full back up. Instead, it took 30 minutes. That can't be right. I want to start over and do a full backup to make sure everything gets onto my new external hard drive, but I can't figure out how to do that. Please help.

Triple-click anywhere in the line below to select it:
tmutil compare -E
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C).
Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
Paste into the Terminal window (command-V).
The command will take at least a few minutes to run. Eventually some lines of output will appear below what you entered.
Each line that begins with a plus sign (“+”) represents a file that has been added to the source volume since the last snapshot was taken. These files have not been backed up yet.
Each line that begins with an exclamation point (“!”) represents a file that has changed on the source volume. These files have been backed up, but not in their present state.
Each line that begins with a minus sign (“-“) represents a file that has been removed from the source volume.
At the end of the output, you’ll get some lines like the following:
Added:
Removed:
Changed:
These lines show the total amount of data added, removed, or changed on the source(s) since the last snapshot.

I move all photos to a new external hard drive. Now all folders have a question mark in them. How do I find ALL PHOTOS at one time instead of having to find each picture. I have about 30,000 photos. Using Mac. LR5

I have set up a new external hard drive and Im trying redirect LR to the new hard drive. I have over 30,000 photos and Im trying to see to see if there is a way to all photos located without having to go thru each folder at a time

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htm
See Figure 4

I just had to have my toshiba laptop hard drive replaced and I am unable to move my itunes library from my ipad back to the laptop. It says it is linked to another library and I can only transfer purchased music etc and not the rest of the library.Help!

I have just had my Toshiba laptop hard drive replaced. This has resulted in all previous content held on the laptop to be lost. I wanted to try and transfer my music library from my ipad to the laptop, but it will not allow me to do so. The message is that the ipad is linked to another computer and it will only allow the transfer of the items purchased on through the ipad and nothing else. Does anyone know if the full library can be transferred back to the computer?

You need to transfer the iTunes Library from the most recent backup you made before the hard drive was replaced.
You can't transfer the full iTunes Library from the iPad back to iTunes.
There are third-party Windows applications that will transfer data from an iOS device, but they don't re-create the iTunes Library exactly as it was before.

How do I copy an iPhoto library, which is on an external hard drive, onto a new external hard drive?

I'm running out of space on my external hard drive, so I was advised to buy one with triple the amount of space. So, I need to copy my current iphoto library, which is on an external hard drive, onto a new external hard drive. I thought I could just drag and drop it in, but that doesn't seem to be working.

Make sure the external drive is formatted MacOS Extended (Journaled) and then drag the iPhoto Library to that drive using the Finder.
Then double click the library in its new location to open it in iPhoto. Test it thoroughly, if it is working, before deleting the original library on the internal drive.
To check the format of the drive, see (it says Aperture, but the same applies to iPhoto): Format external drives to Mac OS Extended before using with Aperture
iPhoto: Issues with FAT32-formatted drives

How do I transfer an existing Aperture library to a new external hard drive

I have a new external hard drive where I want to store my pictures to free up room on my iMac
How do I take an existing Aperture library and move it to the external hard drive so that Aperature can find and use it? Once it is moved can I delete the library from my iMac without causing problems with my new hard drive library?
thanks

Hello Barty,
is your library referenced or managed?
If your Aperture Library is managed, then you can simply copy it to your new external drive using the Finder. Make a backup of your old library and convince yourself that the backup is working.
If your library is referenced, then use Aperture to relocate your master image files to the external drive (select all images, then File -> Relocate Master), then copy your Library to the external drive using the Finder.
To point Aperture to the new library location, double click the new Aperture Library to open Aperture with it. Test it thoroughly, before you delete the original library.
You might consider only to relocate the master images to your external drive and to leave the then much smaller Aperure Library on your system drive. That way Aperture will work faster, and you will be able to browse and share your images, even when our external drive is not connected.
Regards
Léonie

New laptop hard drive

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