Switching protools from system disk to external hard drive -- need basic instruction

[sberg]

I've been using ProTools LE with an Mbox for a few years, recently got a new computer and installed v. 8.04 on my system disk -- I know, not recommended, and now that the internal hard drive is starting to get crowded I'm seeing why. I've saved up to buy a 2T external hard drive, and will be switching all my recording to that (and upgrading to v. 8.05). Does anybody know of a basic step-by-step instruction for doing this? For example, should I uninstall PT from my computer then reinstall on the hard drive? Or can I just drag and drop the folders? etc. -- I'm not even sure what questions to ask.

[Bill Denton]

I'm afraid you got some bad information...

Actually, the Pro Tools program should be installed on your system disk.

It is the Pro Tools sessions you create that should be installed on a drive other than your system drive.

As far as existing sessions go, you can just move the folders to your new drive. It's been a while since I did that, but IIRC, when you first open an existing session, Pro Tools will want you to point all audio files to their new location. Perhaps someone who has recently moved some sessions can chime in with any corrections...

[albee1952]

Bill is correct. Pro Tools(the program) should be installed on the C: drive. As for moving sessions to your new drive, there is the easy way, and the safe way. The safe way is to open the original session from the original drive and go to File>Save Session Copy and check the box for Copy All Audio Files. The easy way is to drag the original session folder to the new drive. That can work fine, as long as all your audio is where you THINK it is(sadly, this is not always true). To be doubly sure, copy(don't move) sessions to the new drive. Then disconnect the old drive and open each session from its new drive. Once each sessions opens and finds or relinks all the audio, then you can go back and delete the files from the original drive.

[sberg]

Thanks, so this answers a basic question, the programs (including plug-ins?) stay on the c: drive, the recorded files go on the external drive. What about samples?

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by sberg

Thanks, so this answers a basic question, the programs (including plug-ins?) stay on the c: drive, the recorded files go on the external drive. What about samples?

That's correct. With desktop machines, many will add a 3rd drive for sample libraries. If you can't do that, put them on the C: drive. The idea is to let the recording drive(whether internal or external) do nothing but record(stream audio in/out of Pro Tools). Most desktop machines have space and hookups for several internal drives. That's the cheapest route, AND gives the best performance. Even iMacs can swap the optical drive for another internal recording drive(and external DVD-RW drives seem to work fine).

Back to the samples thing. I run ezdrummer and SD2. Ezdrummer only allows install to the system drive(AFAIK) and I have installed the SD2 libraries to a separate drive. Honestly, I can't say I notice any difference in performance. More expansive libraries with orchestral stuff might be a different story(my needs are simple)