How to get 2 pc's to use external hard drive

[raptormonkey]

Just bought a Western Digital My Book and want 2 PC's to use it for backups. How do i do that?

Step by step help needed!!! Thanks

 

[rpstewart]

Simplistically, plug it into one PC, copy the stuff you want to backup onto the MyBook then disconnect it and repeat with the other PC.

Unless it's a network connected one then you can only connect it to one machine at a time.

 

[Terrier_Jimlad]

or keep it fixed in to one machine via USB, then share the drive, and then you can access it via the second computer ... dont expect it to be lightning fast though

 

[raptormonkey]

or keep it fixed in to one machine via USB, then share the drive, and then you can access it via the second computer ... dont expect it to be lightning fast though

How easy is it to set it up to share with 2nd PC?

 

[theheyes]

How easy is it to set it up to share with 2nd PC?

Fairly easy, what OS are you using?

 

[raptormonkey]

Windows 7

 

[Terrier_Jimlad]

On Windows7, right click on the drive, click Share With > Advanced, then click the Advanced Sharing button, tick "share this folder" and give it a name"

Then on your second machine, click start > run > and type in the name of the pc followed by the share name, for example:

\\Computer1\sharename\ ... it'll either show you the share, or usually prompt for login credentials, so you'll need to enter some valid credentials from PC1, although it's probably best you setup a local account on PC1 that you login with on PC2 so its passive

Once you can see the share as normal, map a network drive to it

 

[raptormonkey]

Sorry, it is XP i want to use them on!

 

[asim18]

You can hook it up to your existing network using a "network storage adapter".

 

[raptormonkey]

Thanks but that is extra cost for me. Just want to be able to share the external 'My Book' hard drive with another PC. As easily as possible without spending more money.