[CommanderDJ]

Hey guys,
So I recently made my debut into the world of laptops, and after setting my new one up, I foresee that syncing it with my main PC will likely become annoying after a while. My uni provides all CS and engineering students with their own SVN space so keeping my uni stuff synced isn't a problem, but with regards to my personal files I don't feel like copying stuff over to a USB stick then copying it over to the computer I'm updating several times a day. So yeah, thoughts? Should I buy an external HDD and just put my stuff on there? Are there syncing programs I can install that work over a network or something similar? Other solutions?
Thanks,
DJ

[Nuke]

get yourself a gigabit rated crossover cable, you wont regret it.

[Klaustrophobia]

i WAS a fan of using external drives for such purchases, until i discovered the one i got munches on the data i give it.  it's a seagate 3TB, i'd recommend not getting one of those if you choose that route, or really ANY seagate based on the support forums.  they may be significantly cheaper than everything else, but it seems a true case of you get what you pay for.

[z64555]

i WAS a fan of using external drives for such purchases, until i discovered the one i got munches on the data i give it.  it's a seagate 3TB, i'd recommend not getting one of those if you choose that route, or really ANY seagate based on the support forums.  they may be significantly cheaper than everything else, but it seems a true case of you get what you pay for.

I think that's actually due to OS limitations, but I'm not sure.

I have a 1TB drive that I use for backup files. If I was you, I wouldn't put anything on your laptop that you wouldn't be using...(if that makes sense? grammer has slipped away from me for the moment )

In fact, if your not using data on your internal hard drive, there's no reason you shouldn't put it on an external.

[Nuke]

i dont really like dedicated externals, but what i do like is a standard drive in an external enclosure, preferably with an esata interface. so it will be as fast as any of your internal drives. externals can be a pain in the ass though, you have to lug em around and all the cables and adapters that go with them. i do like to have a second drive in my desktop (because i never put the os and data on the same partition) and put all my files there and set up a network share. then i copy the ones i need to the laptop (which likewise has a data partition). you can use software like winmerge to identify and update files that have changed on one drive or the other and update them if neccisary.

[z64555]

i dont really like dedicated externals, but what i do like is a standard drive in an external enclosure, preferably with an esata interface. so it will be as fast as any of your internal drives. externals can be a pain in the ass though, you have to lug em around and all the cables and adapters that go with them. i do like to have a second drive in my desktop (because i never put the os and data on the same partition) and put all my files there and set up a network share. then i copy the ones i need to the laptop (which likewise has a data partition). you can use software like winmerge to identify and update files that have changed on one drive or the other and update them if neccisary.

Huh? I've got a Seagate external drive. It has an adapter of some sort that plugs into the drive on one end and a USB 3.0 cable on the other.

[Nuke]

when using an external i just buy a regular internal drive and a drive enclosure, and you have an external thats as fast as an internal. usb 3.0 might be better though im not sure. i just dont like having an external that can only be an external.

[BlueFlames]

get yourself a gigabit rated crossover cable, you wont regret it.

I'm with Nuke on this one, except that you might consider taking it a step further and set up a small local area network in your room/apartment.  That will offer you the ability to expand if you get another computer, a file/media server, a network-capable printer, or anything else that you might want to pile onto the network, at a later date.  A single crossover cable, though, is probably the cheapest of all available options, if budget is your primary concern.

[Klaustrophobia]

it's possible the large drive size is contributing, and yes i wouldn't recommend breaking the 2TB mark until this kind of crap gets sorted out.  i would have liked eSATA also, but USB 3.0 isn't a lot slower, and it stays compatible with my laptop. 

[Nuke]

get yourself a gigabit rated crossover cable, you wont regret it.

I'm with Nuke on this one, except that you might consider taking it a step further and set up a small local area network in your room/apartment.  That will offer you the ability to expand if you get another computer, a file/media server, a network-capable printer, or anything else that you might want to pile onto the network, at a later date.  A single crossover cable, though, is probably the cheapest of all available options, if budget is your primary concern.

i have a wireless network, but with 2 floors im not about to run cable everywhere. wireless networking file transfers are really ****ing slow. especially when people want to use the internet. crossover cable gives me the freedom to have a dedicated file transfer line between 2 machines when i need it for backups and bulk transfers. small files are easily transferred over the wireless.

[BlueFlames]

If he's in an apartment or residence hall (as I suspect CommanderDJ is, being at university), then chances are, his physical confines means he won't have to run tons of cable to set up a LAN.

[Klaustrophobia]

i dont really like dedicated externals, but what i do like is a standard drive in an external enclosure, preferably with an esata interface. so it will be as fast as any of your internal drives. externals can be a pain in the ass though, you have to lug em around and all the cables and adapters that go with them. i do like to have a second drive in my desktop (because i never put the os and data on the same partition) and put all my files there and set up a network share. then i copy the ones i need to the laptop (which likewise has a data partition). you can use software like winmerge to identify and update files that have changed on one drive or the other and update them if neccisary.

Huh? I've got a Seagate external drive. It has an adapter of some sort that plugs into the drive on one end and a USB 3.0 cable on the other.

the new seagate drives kinda are like external enclosures.  they just put a plastic box around a standard 3.5" drive and have a little dock thing that goes in the sata ports.  you can use it as an internal if you're willing to break the case off.  unfortunately they made it so you can't stick standard SATA power and data cables into the drive just by taking off the base.  the corruption problem with mine seems to have calmed down a good bit, but i was thinking about breaking the case and just using it as an internal to get around that if the problem is with the USB link and not the drive itself.

If he's in an apartment or residence hall (as I suspect CommanderDJ is, being at university), then chances are, his physical confines means he won't have to run tons of cable to set up a LAN.

i used a switch when i was in college for this purpose.  cheap and faster than wireless.  but honestly a basic wireless router now isn't a lot more, and then you have the option of going wireless when you don't mind it being a little slower.

[Nuke]

If he's in an apartment or residence hall (as I suspect CommanderDJ is, being at university), then chances are, his physical confines means he won't have to run tons of cable to set up a LAN.

if hes in a dinky little dorm i cant imagine him needing an entire network

[BlueFlames]

if hes in a dinky little dorm i cant imagine him needing an entire network

I had three computers and a networked printer, by the time I left university....

[Nuke]

lol. im glad i never lived in the dorm.

[BlueFlames]

It's not bad, once you learn how to drive off your roommates.....which is a shockingly easy task, when you're a shut-in nerd with three computers constantly running.

[Klaustrophobia]

you say "drive off my roommate"

he's saying, "get away from my roommate"

 

[CommanderDJ]

I'm actually still living at home with my parents. IIRC, not all that many universities in Australia actually have dorms. At home I'll be trying to keep laptop use to a minimum, just using my desktop. My laptop will be for when I'm actually at classes or working on campus. So I'll pretty much be syncing whenever I get home from a day at uni so I can continue working on stuff on my desktop. From the discussion here, it seems a crossover cable or LAN is the best way to go, so I'll look into those.
That said, do people have any particular syncing programs they'd recommend, or would it be best if I did it manually?

[jr2]

As far as wireless being slow, they shouldn't really be anymore if you have an 802.11n or even better, n+ router and card.  Unless there is lots of interference, which shouldn't be too much of a problem if you're close to the router.  Also, you can change the wireless channel to something more uncommon, and ofc be sure to put a password on it if you don't want anyone in the surrounding area using your network without your permission.

As an added bonus, you get a wired router out of the deal so you can always use the wire ports if the wireless does indeed turn out to be too slow.

[Nuke]

my wifi is in dire need of an upgrade. but a wired network does give you the added bonus of using a switch to ensure maximum throughput so that a connection between 2 machines can have a dedicated line that wont interfere with everyone else. where as with wifi you have a shared media (shared with more than just clients in your network, adjacent networks can slow you down). so if your moving half a terabyte between 2 machines, everyone in the radius of your router is affected.