Need more disk space? Handy with a screwdriver?

Mass storage is cheap these days...especially for the drives you see in the stores labeled as "IDE" or "internal". We've seen recently ads for 200Gb internal drives as low as $60 with discounts and rebates. That's a lot of bits for the buck, folks!

Packaged external drives cost a bit more, because after all, someone else has done all the work for you. Expect to pay over $200 for a similar sized drive that is "plug and play" out of the box.

But, if you are handy with a screwdriver, here is the least expensive solution: Most of the computer stores sell external cases for as little as $35 which have built in interfaces for both firewire (IEEE 1394)and USB 2.0, each of which will transfer at rates high enough that your processor will think it is using an internal drive. (NOTE: Do not try this with the older USB 1.0 interface...it is way too slow!)

So our simple solution is to go to your favorite computer store and buy the biggest drive you can find for the lowest price. Be sure to get one that runs at 7200rpm or higher for best performance - it will tell you the speed on the box. Then go back to the section where the real nerds hang out, the DIY section where you can find these afore-mentioned external housings. Buy the smallest one you can find that will support a 3" drive...you don't need the 5" size for this purpose. For best flexibility, get one with both interfaces, firewire & USB 2, check with the sales rep (if you can find one) to be sure you are on the right track, and buy it.

When you get home, don't panic! These cases open easily, and you will see large connector for data and small one for power. These match perfectly with the connectors on the back of your new drive. Be aware that the long connector should only go one way, and it will be marked to show you which side to plug in...most of them will prevent you from doing it wrong, but just be sure you are adhering to the right polarity.

That was the toughest part...now it is all mechanical. There will be some little screws in the package which you can use to mount the drive directly into the base part of the case. Once done, simply attach the cover, and you are good to go.

There is some software included with most of these drives, however if you are running Windows XP or Mac OS X you should just be able to plug them into either interface, and your system will recognise them immediately.

One further note is that there is a very nice variation on this theme in which you can add an external combo CD/DVD writer. For that you will need the larger 5" housing, but everything else is pretty much the same. Look for a DVD recorder that handles all the formats: DVD +/- R/W. Also, the newest ones will write what is called "double layer" which, although not a true standard yet, will allow you to double the amount of stoage space on the appropriate DVD. It is not a bad choice if the price premium is not too high.

Once again, most software will support these in "plug and play" mode. One caveat: If you are in the Mac world, you will need a copy of Roxio's TOAST (see below) or a similar program that supports external drives. Apple's included iDVD only writes to internal drives.

Happy writing!!!