Complete idiots guide of how to transfer files to an external hard drive

[astondog]

I have just brought a WD Elements 500GB external hard drive which came with no instruction manual. I have looked online, including the WD website, and found very little and what I have found is going straight over my head.
Could anyone help me with simple instructions that an idiots brain can follow.
Thank you

[sara3]

if you plug it in and attach it to your pc, you'll probably find a window will open with some basic instructions.

[VHG]

As you probably know the hard disk on your computer is probably your "C" drive, you may also have a D drive and E drive etc (one will be your CD/DVD drive).

When you plug in your external hard drive Windows will allocate a letter to it (maybe G or H or whatever). You need to go into "My Computer" or Computer and see what drive letters you have and what letter your external drive has been allocated.

Moving files from your main computer to an external hard drive comes under the basic heading of "Windows file management".

Windows file management covers things such as creating folders, moving files from one folder to another, copying files from one folder to another, deleting files, deleting folders and so on.

To move files you use techniques like cut and paste, copy and paste, drag and drop and so on.

So if you want to work with your external hard drive you need to know a bit about Windows file management and feel comfortable moving files around.

Once you know the drive letters of your various hard drive you can then use Windows file management to move or copy files to your external hard drive.

[dizmouk2009]

I bought one of them a month back, nice to throw around in the back of the car. Windows xp/vista/7 will automatically detect and autorun the HDD, bringing up an annoying but sometimes helpful window asking what you want to do with it. VHG has it spot on although you can do most of what is required by just dragging and dropping and using the right mouse button to create new folders. Personally I prefer to just hit the start menu > run > (drive letter):. I'm going to shut up now lol

[VHG]

As a follow on to my reply above.

It is very hard to explain "file management" in a text reply.

Here is a simple video explaining a bit about Windows file management (only a small part).

The video shows only ONE window open but to use external hard drives you can have TWO Windows open (one for the main drive, the other for your external hard drive).

Then you can "drag" files or folders from one window to the other to move or copy them (or select copy in one windows and paste i nthe other).

The only way to "learn" is to practice. Practice creating and deleting folders, practice moving files between folders, practice copying files between folders and so on.

Do this with NON important files in case you make a mistake and delete them.

DONT move or copy important Windows files or program files, only move or copy your personal files.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWJcBuEPEfk

Windows files and folders