My laptop is running out of HDD space, Can I use a USB Dock + External Disk (as opposed to upgrading the laptop HDD)

[tbird000]

My Lenovo laptop HDD is running out of space (popups on low or lack of storage space - sometimes facing issues of updating/saving files).

Rather than sending my old laptop (5 years) to get the internal hard disk upgrade (disruptive to my work), can the use of a USB Docking Station coupled with an external hard disk be used as expanded space?
- specifically can the external disk be used like the internal one to map Synology shared folders?
- if so, any recommended Docking Stations?

Humbly seek guidance/help on this.

 

[naked123]

just buy external hdd if you dont need the speed

 

[tbird000]

just buy external hdd if you dont need the speed

Thanks for your response.

I think the speed is needed to ensure no frustrations in readily accessing the external disk.
But the key info is whether the Synology drives can be mapped that way?

 

[Vanyel]

ur laptop no M2 slots?

 

[MangoCAT]

Or cloud storage for backups?

 

[alamakazim]

Upgrade the internal

Clone to a larger capacity, then expand partition

 

[86technie]

Long term wise is best to upgrade the internal storage.
Cuz even if you use a external HDD.
Day to day Windows still need to update cuz need more space as well as
programs etc.

If your laptop currently is 128GB or less is not enough by today's standard.
At least must 250GB bare minimm just hope the laptop is not using M.2 SATA drive
which is impossible to find brand new.

 

[-Synchronicity-]

Long term wise is best to upgrade the internal storage.
Cuz even if you use a external HDD.
Day to day Windows still need to update cuz need more space as well as
programs etc.

If your laptop currently is 128GB or less is not enough by today's standard.
At least must 250GB bare minimm just hope the laptop is not using M.2 SATA drive
which is impossible to find brand new.

Hmm no? It's definitely possible. Just not worth the price. All the good ones with dram though sadly no longer exist.

 

[it_geek]

My Lenovo laptop HDD is running out of space (popups on low or lack of storage space - sometimes facing issues of updating/saving files).

Rather than sending my old laptop (5 years) to get the internal hard disk upgrade (disruptive to my work), can the use of a USB Docking Station coupled with an external hard disk be used as expanded space?
- specifically can the external disk be used like the internal one to map Synology shared folders?
- if so, any recommended Docking Stations?

Humbly seek guidance/help on this.

u nvr mention anything about the current HDD or the lenovo laptop that u are using. v hard for us to advise frankly.

anyway. the small downtime that u incur over the weekend can save u countless hours in the future.

it might be exaggeration but u lose about a MONTH's worth of productivity working off a HDD vs SSD.

 

[deepblue_82]

for long term upgrading the internal hdd or ssd or m.2 is the way to go...
then get a external hdd and move the less impt or files that u dont use much off the internal hdd/ssd/m.2

 

[wwenze]

24TB so cheap nowadays just whack

Seagate 24TB check is 3 years warranty one those have EXOS inside

 

[peterchan75]

It's cleaner just to upgrade the internal storage to a higher capacity. A 2TB Crucial SATA SSD cost about $200 from Amazon and a 2TB m.2 NVME SSD cost $180. Your decision will depend on which format your laptop support. You need to clone your old SSD to the new one and physically swap the SSD. If you don't have such skill then you can do it at Nigel SLS #02-32.