PC idea...sorta Options

[bannik]

hello fellas I wanted too ask something is it possible too build a very simple pc thats small, my idea is this
the operating system is installed on a 20gib hardrive (a good one with anti virus mumbo jumbo) and then not have anything else installed on it, like keep it closed...simple and small

no cd drive
no hard drive etc

I wanted too know is it possible too buy external parts for the pc ...so i can have a simple pc with no big parts (so it can be small) and just buy external hard drives and cd drives for all my needs.....(and keep em out of reach and safe)

I ask because apparently they are making an external graphics card and I thought it would be cool

you know a simple pc with most of the parts external..... i know it sound silly but it would make my life easier for example using only external hard drives i can keep all my games on 1 hard drive and all music on the other so I can keep em safe when not using them.....so even if my pc catches a virus i know that my other files are safe and can use back up pcs etc....

this also leads too the question what other pc parts i can make external
sound cards?
graphics cards?
modems?
usb ports?

and anything else....

[Grasshopper]

There are some obvious holes in your strategy.

If your PC catches a virus and the anti virus software detects it and removes it then it is irrelevant whether your drives are external or internal because no harm is done. But if the a/v software doesn't detect it then the chances are you won't know that it is there and will therefore merrily connect your hard drives and expose them to it.

Also whilst it is easy to have data on external drives i.e. music, programs such as games are more problematic. All programs need to create entries in the Windows registry so expect to be installed in the same drive/partition. theoretically you could have the bulk of the program on another partition but in practice most programs either won't let you do this or you take a performance hit (certainly if the drive is external).

The cleanest installation is always to have Windows & programs on one partition and data in another (or several). That way you can reinstall Windows & programs without disturbing your data.

I also don't see the point in making things like sound cards external. Most of this stuff is now integrated on the motherboard and I would have thought that would be the ideal if you want to go small.

Have a look at itx based systems & components:

http://www.itx-warehouse.co.uk/productlist.aspx?Cid=42

[bannik]

There are some obvious holes in your strategy.

If your PC catches a virus and the anti virus software detects it and removes it then it is irrelevant whether your drives are external or internal because no harm is done. But if the a/v software doesn't detect it then the chances are you won't know that it is there and will therefore merrily connect your hard drives and expose them to it.

Also whilst it is easy to have data on external drives i.e. music, programs such as games are more problematic. All programs need to create entries in the Windows registry so expect to be installed in the same drive/partition. theoretically you could have the bulk of the program on another partition but in practice most programs either won't let you do this or you take a performance hit (certainly if the drive is external).

The cleanest installation is always to have Windows & programs on one partition and data in another (or several). That way you can reinstall Windows & programs without disturbing your data.

I also don't see the point in making things like sound cards external. Most of this stuff is now integrated on the motherboard and I would have thought that would be the ideal if you want to go small.

Have a look at itx based systems & components:

http://www.itx-warehouse.co.uk/productlist.aspx?Cid=42

thanks for the link those look tasty

[Ben_Mott]

hello ,
useful info:
http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/2004/12/15/how...act-flash-card/

Ben