Matt’s Desk: Editor’s Blog

My main office computer is a dedicated Windows machine of my own making.  I know building your own PC is so 2002, but I like having complete control to include, add and upgrade exactly as I see fit – and if you want a high-end machine, you can save a load of cash doin’ it yourself.

Chances are your PC is a big box purchase (Dell, HP, etc.), so your overall hardware options are more limited than a do-it-yourselfer’s, but you still have complete control over at least one component in your machine: the hard drive.  This being the case, I wanted to share a drive setup that works very well for me and hopefully will for you, too.

Western Digital makes a family of high speed 10000RPM drives called VelociRaptor; these drives are very fast, and make quick work of booting Windows and running large, slow-loading software (such as games).  But the Raptor is only available in 74GB, 150GB and 300GB capacities, and they’re considerably more expensive than slower 7200RPM drives with comparable storage.

What I wanted for my office PC was the speed the Raptor provides (for booting Windows and running large applications), but with lots of extra storage.  The solution was simple: use a Raptor as my boot and program drive (C:), and a larger, slower, cheaper drive for storage (D:, E:, etc.).

I call this the Two Drive Solution.  Creative, right?

Moving to the Two Drive Solution is fairly straightforward.  If your PC came with a large hard drive, you only need to buy one  drive, a VelociRaptor, since you can use the existing drive for storage.  If you want a larger drive than the one you already have, you can also purchase a new large-capacity hard drive for storage and sell the old disk (after you’ve wiped it, of course).

Once you have the Raptor in hand, you have two choices: (A) Clone & Keep or (B) Start Fresh.

Clone & Keep: Since your OS and existing files are already installed on the older, slower drive, you can copy its contents to the new Raptor (retaining all of programs, settings, files, etc.), then wipe the old drive for storage.  Once you’ve booted back into Windows from the new Raptor, you can copy your files (photos, music, documents, etc.) to the now-blank storage drive.

My favorite disk cloning tool is Acronis True Image, but there are many other solutions. Acronis allows you to connect a new drive to your PC, run the software, and have the entire contents of the old drive copied to the new one, which is then swappable and bootable.

Start Fresh: Alternatively, you can backup your existing files to an external drive or DVDs, install the OS from your System Restore disc(s) onto the clean Raptor and format your old drive for use as a storage drive. You can then restore your backed-up files to the storage drive.

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The Two Drive Solution has a fantastic side benefit; since the OS and programs are installed on one drive and all files are stored on a second, if the OS fails, you re-install Windows, or you want to upgrade the OS drive, all of your data remains intact on the second storage drive.  You can even change default locations for folders like My Documents to the storage drive so files are automatically stored there.

There are esoteric concerns and/or tweaks one might have or wish to make, which are far too numerous to list here.  What is presented above is a basic concept.  If you think the Two Drive Solution might work for you, but still have questions, email me.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their consciences.” 

- C.S. Lewis, British Author, Academic and Theologian.

The Microsoft team working on the Windows Live suite of software and utilities are doing some very interesting work these days; too bad there aren’t more tie ins with Windows Mobile.  Imagine a Cloud-based syncing and data management solution for Windows Mobile via Windows Live: Live Mail, Photo Gallery, Live Writer, Spaces and Even SkyDrive, all right from your handheld. 

I propose integrating ActiveSync on the handheld with some of these Live services for a fully-wireless syncing slash Push technology functionality with all wireless Windows Mobile handsets.  It’s very doable.  What do you think?

The Windows PC in my office has nine USB 2.0 ports (six in the rear and three in the front) along with an external USB hub which adds a net six ports.  Between Pocket PCs, Smartphones, MP3 players, storage devices, chargers, etc., I require a lot of USB connectivity and I want it as easy, accessible and organized as possible.  I think I’ve managed to get easy and accessible down – but organized is another matter entirely.  The rats’ nest of wires behind my PC could easily provide a home for heat-loving creatures looking to get away from it all. 

Enter Belkin’s new Wireless USB Hub, which promises a wireless USB experience that’s as stable and usable as a direct connection… just without the direct connection.  The hub works by connecting wirelessly to your PC via a USB dongle, thus allowing you to keep the hub anywhere you like (within range) and use you favorite USB devices without having to add to the behind-the-PC wire jungle.  I’m not sure if this is a viable technology, at least in the first or second generation.  Can wireless USB deliver?  I hope so.  I’m expecting Belkin to send me a review unit so that I can put it to the test.  Stay tuned.

M.N.

My name is Matthew Nichols and I’m the Editor of Pocket PC Central.  I’m responsible for a good bit of the content you see on the site, along with all of the reviews.  If you’ve submitted questions or comments to the site, we’ve likely exchanged e-mails, so – hello again.

Over the past few years, I’ve been asked more than once why I don’t have a blog.  After all, I spend hours every day pouring over gadget news, rumors, reviews and goodness knows what else – why not write about things that interest me (and hopefully, if you’re reading this, you).  Well, after a good while, I’ve decided to take the plunge and start this blog, which I will call (for now) Matt’s Desk. 

I’m toying with a few ideas, trying to figure out exactly what I want this blog to be, but in the meantime, I’m posting this short (and rather pointless) introduction so that if you stumble onto this page you won’t think you’ve lost your way.

If you have any suggestions for my next blog entry, please send a note.  I’d love to hear from you.  Until next time.

M.N.

P.S.  Yes, I know the current WordPress theme is tired and doesn’t go at all with the Pocket PC Central theme.  I’ll get around to changing it… someday.