Complete noob here...some questions about using ext drive

WD External Drives WD Portable Drives
1

I am about to buy a new HP15T Pavillion laptop. I have an existing Dell 1545 Inspiron laptop. I wish to back up from both machines. The Dell runs Win7, the HP will run Win10. Compatibility issues? Any software required? Are there WD models that will operate with both USB2 and USB3?

WD model recommendation?

Thanks for your patience.

DF

2

Big subject with many options depending how deep your wallet is.and how much you want to tinker, and being a self-proclaimed noob, not much I would suspect; at least for now.

Plan 1, Keep it simple, and get a drive for each machine. Back up each from the specific PCs.

Plan 2, Look into a WD NAS connected to the home network with enough capacity to back up each PC on drives in NAS. Added benefit, both PCs can access some of same data – depending upon how you set things up, the data on each and what you want to access data with. All this equals more time, more money and more tinkering.

You need to let us all know some more details of what your data is, and how you want to access it. MANY people opt for Plan 2 because they want to be able to access their data from anywhere; data such as media files, work files, etc.
So. put on your thinking cap, look into the various devices at wdc.com for ideas.

3

Thanks Mike. Homework needed and undertaken…

4

Great Dennis. I like helping people who have done their homework vs people who want me and others to do their homework for them! :wink:

5

My fuel injected BMW boxer motorcycle engine as well as the CAT diesel in the RV coach hold little mystery for me (ME, ASU. Go Sundevils). But, I have never really gotten into the digital world. I operated and maintained Gunfire Control RADAR aboard ship (US Navy) years ago (it was all vacuum tubes and the gun orders were generated in a mechanical computer full of gears and servos). My last good cellphone was a Motorola bag phone. So, you see, I’m from a generation long since passed over by the technological steamroller…steam…now there’s an idea! Much of our electricity is still generated by squirting steam into a turbine…we’re a long way from massive generating capacity using solar…I’ll take some coal, a boiler, a turbine and a rotating generator any day.

6

Dennis, I will bet I am older than you, so there. I had USAF training in, and practiced, electronic tech there. Gadgets of the 60s and early 70s Things filled with tubes and transistors, like radar, computers, mechanical things you name it’ all in two large transportable trailers to simulate enemy radar, and score the jamming of it. So no excuses other than tech did not interest you after you got out of military. Now, you have all this tech stuff, so who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!