|
|
|
|
| Author |
|
|
I see you
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: NJ
Posts: 30,019
|
Use older laptop as additional storage for new laptop?
I am using an Inateck SATA docking station with two old hard drives inserted. I also have a bear skin/stone knife laptop that can't be updated. Is there a way to use it's memory with my current desk or laptop?
__________________
Si non potes inimicum tuum vincere, habeas eum amicum and ride a big blue trike. "'Bipartisan' usually means that a larger-than-usual deception is being carried out." |
||
11-29-2025, 07:03 AM
|
|
|
Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,613
|
The only thing that I can think of would be for the old LT to "share" it's drive, and then map that drive to the new LT.
__________________
Steve '08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960 - never named a car before, but this is Charlotte. '88 targa  SOLD 2004 - gone but not forgotten
|
||
|
11-29-2025, 07:06 AM
|
|
|
Driver, not Mechanic
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 3,019
|
^ what he said.
I just Googled how to turn an old laptop into a network attached storage and that is the simpler way, assuming the old laptop is on Windows. The other way is to install a NAS OS. Not sure if the old laptop will support it, or whether you are so inclined. |
||
|
11-29-2025, 08:40 AM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,405
|
Old laptop will likely run Linux well. Set up the drives as a RAID-1 volume for redundancy, install Samba, define a share or two, and off you go.
__________________
“IN MY EXPERIENCE, SUSAN, WITHIN THEIR HEADS TOO MANY HUMANS SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE MIDDLE OF WARS THAT HAPPENED CENTURIES AGO.” |
||
|
11-29-2025, 10:29 AM
|
|
|
Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,613
|
Exactly
Simple method - share the drive from the old LT (assuming Windows) Less simple, but likely more stable version - install Linux and setup as a NAS as Id10T suggests. This is likely the solution that will run the best long term. A Linux build will require fewer resources just to run, and is likely to be more stable, and more secure than just about anything running Windows.
__________________
Steve '08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960 - never named a car before, but this is Charlotte. '88 targa SOLD 2004 - gone but not forgotten
|
||
|
11-29-2025, 11:04 AM
|
|
|
I see you
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: NJ
Posts: 30,019
|
Thanks guys. There will be follow up questions.
__________________
Si non potes inimicum tuum vincere, habeas eum amicum and ride a big blue trike. "'Bipartisan' usually means that a larger-than-usual deception is being carried out." |
||
|
11-29-2025, 06:19 PM
|
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: NY
Posts: 7,124
|
How much storage can an old laptop have - vs [say] an external SSD. You can get 512G for sub $50 and a Tb for a boat dollar.
I’d do that long before screwing around trying to format a spinning lump of rust and install a Linux distro on it. Life’s too short. |
||
|
11-29-2025, 07:00 PM
|
|
|
Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,613
|
Quote:
If it’s space that several devices can access or just a desire to do something for the sake of learning something and accomplishing something new, then that’s not a bad reason Or maybe the goal is to have access to the stuff that’s currently on the two drives in the docking station for the old laptop. If that’s the case then the best route until the stuff can be copied to a new storage device is probably windows sharing Last edited by masraum; 11-29-2025 at 10:08 PM.. |
||
|
11-29-2025, 10:04 PM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 31,716
|
This popped up:
https://www.howtogeek.com/turned-old-windows-pc-into-inexpensive-nas/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us
__________________
1996 FJ80. |
||
|
11-30-2025, 08:23 AM
|
|
