Question If PC is faulty, how to continue work immediately?

[USAFRet]

If I am manually saving a data file I created myself (e.g. txt, docx, xlsx...), I would save it into a folder I named myself in the WD 3.5 internal hard disk E: drive. I was thinking if one day I were to format windows C: drive (in ssd), I could just reinstall windows and the data in on the WD 3.5 internal hard disk remains intact untouched.

Yes.

 

[smalltech]

Yes.

If I format windows C: drive (in ssd) and I reinstall windows (in ssd) and the data in on the WD 3.5 internal hard disk remains intact untouched, then in the PC desktop newly installed windows, the default location of C: drive [Documents] folder was changed from C: drive to the WD 3.5 internal hard disk E: drive (by following option 2 method http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html ), can I access the old existing [Documents] folder (documents there are saved before the reinstall) (on the WD 3.5 internal hard disk) correctly without any problems? Is it correct?

 

[stonecarver]

To keep you from running into future complications. Simple plan for you.

External USB hard drive.

https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Professional-G-Drive-ArmorATD-SDPH81G-005T-GBA1D/dp/B0C9YLX21T/ref=sr_1_17_sspa?crid=64MQOUEDSSWO&keywords=external%2Bhard%2Bdrive&qid=1695570875&sprefix=external%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-17-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad0&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Desktop-Drive-Compatible-WDBWLG0160HBK-NESN/dp/B08KTRKB6S/ref=sr_1_18?crid=64MQOUEDSSWO&keywords=external%2Bhard%2Bdrive&qid=1695570875&sprefix=external%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-18&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.c3015c4a-46bb-44b9-81a4-dc28e6d374b3&th=1

With your future external hard drive plug it in and on your own, just create your own
folders as we always do . Right click make new folder and name it.

I like to make a folder called MASTER SAVES and than open it and than make the folders below

Documents
Picture
Video
Downloads
Desktop
C Drive

You will have to manually drag and drop whatever you want to keep yourself to that MASTER FOLDER and it's sub folders.
AND to be clear these folders have no ties to the Windows created same folders on your "C" drive.

SO if your main PC takes a sick day all you need to do is unplug the USB cable from main PC and plug into your laptop You have all your important work and you keep rolling forward.


But I will say again YOU have to make sure You move your daily work over to the external hard drive.

The best part is no matter what happens to you main PC or your laptop the heart of your work "data" is on that external hard drive.

 

[USAFRet]

If I format windows C: drive (in ssd) and I reinstall windows (in ssd) and the data in on the WD 3.5 internal hard disk remains intact untouched, then in the PC desktop newly installed windows, the default location of C: drive [Documents] folder was changed from C: drive to the WD 3.5 internal hard disk E: drive (by following option 2 method http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html ), can I access the old existing [Documents] folder (documents there are saved before the reinstall) (on the WD 3.5 internal hard disk) correctly without any problems? Is it correct?

As mentioned....
If you use the default Windows Libraries - Documents/Music/Vides/Downloads/etc....those places are tied to the original user.

If you make your own folder/subfolders....those are NOT tied to the original user, and can be accessed by anyone with access to that system or drive.

 

[falcon291]

Two PCs, one desktop, one laptop.
Desktop is also to play games, have a good GPU.
Laptop is at the weaker side, weaker CPU and does not have a secondary GPU.

When one of them fails, the other can take over for business issues. Files are already shared via OneDrive.

 

[smalltech]

To keep you from running into future complications. Simple plan for you.

External USB hard drive.

https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Professional-G-Drive-ArmorATD-SDPH81G-005T-GBA1D/dp/B0C9YLX21T/ref=sr_1_17_sspa?crid=64MQOUEDSSWO&keywords=external%2Bhard%2Bdrive&qid=1695570875&sprefix=external%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-17-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad0&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Desktop-Drive-Compatible-WDBWLG0160HBK-NESN/dp/B08KTRKB6S/ref=sr_1_18?crid=64MQOUEDSSWO&keywords=external%2Bhard%2Bdrive&qid=1695570875&sprefix=external%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-18&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.c3015c4a-46bb-44b9-81a4-dc28e6d374b3&th=1

With your future external hard drive plug it in and on your own, just create your own
folders as we always do . Right click make new folder and name it.

I like to make a folder called MASTER SAVES and than open it and than make the folders below

Documents
Picture
Video
Downloads
Desktop
C Drive

You will have to manually drag and drop whatever you want to keep yourself to that MASTER FOLDER and it's sub folders.
AND to be clear these folders have no ties to the Windows created same folders on your "C" drive.

SO if your main PC takes a sick day all you need to do is unplug the USB cable from main PC and plug into your laptop You have all your important work and you keep rolling forward.


But I will say again YOU have to make sure You move your daily work over to the external hard drive.

The best part is no matter what happens to you main PC or your laptop the heart of your work "data" is on that external hard drive.

I am already doing similar like what you have mentioned, except that is it on an internal 3.5 WD hard disk drive instead of an external disk. Those files that I created myself I already save them in an internal 3.5 WD hard disk drive that is used for saving data only. I think "unplug the internal WD 3.5 inch hard disk from my desktop PC then connect the internal WD 3.5 inch hard disk to my laptop via an external USB hard disk reader docking station" will act the same like storing on an external drive, is it correct?

These folders Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos created by windows tends to have some files new appearing by itself due to software auto save to these locations (usually the software default locations will auto save it to these locations. e.g. if I click on a pdf in my browser it might just auto save to Downloads folder, some video or photo software might just auto save to Pictures or Video, a document scanned will auto be saved to Pictures, screenshot software auto save screenshot to Pictures, etc), so usually some data will "appear by itself" in Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos so I wanted to change the default location of C: drive [Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos] folders from C: drive to the WD 3.5 internal hard disk E: drive (by following option 2 method http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html ) to prevent losing those data in these folders. Software likes make folders or save data in these folders by default. How do you prevent data "appear by itself" in Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos? Do you visit these folders everyday then manually move the data that "appear by itself" to external drive?

Thanks.

 

[TripleYoThreat]

That is absolutely not a given outcome.

Plugging an OS drive into some random set of hardware and expecting it to just boot up is.....a recipe for failure.

I've had success with it more often than not. In fact, it's never been unsuccessful. But I can see why it's a recipe for failure

 

[USAFRet]

I've had success with it more often than not. In fact, it's never been unsuccessful. But I can see why it's a recipe for failure

And I've personally seen it fail.

Both completely as in not booting at all, and partially, as in chasing little issues for weeks.