# E-Sys and Running Data From External HDD



## spliffic (Mar 24, 2015)

I would like to get started with coding, but I have a bit of a problem. I only have Macs in the house!

I'm not overly keen on installing Parallels as I've used it before and it really messed up my computer. I'm thinking of buying a cheap Windows laptop to do the job, however the one I'm looking at only has a 32GB HDD.

A couple questions:

I assume I'm able to run E-sys with XP, but just want to confirm

Am I able to run the data off an external HDD or thumbdrive?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much! :thumbup:


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

You can make it work.

XP is fine.

Install E-Sys to primary Hard Drive as it is only around 200 Mb.

You should leave local psdzdata folder empty and put psdzdata folder extracted from PSdZData archive on an external drive, and then use Windows MKLINK command to create a Windows Symbolic Link, for example from C:\ESysData\psdzdata to E:\psdzdata.

You can use one of these MKLINK GUI utilities to simplify creation of the Symbolic Link:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/symlink-creator/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/windowssymbolic/


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## spliffic (Mar 24, 2015)

Wow Shawn thanks! You're like an encyclopedia of information for this stuff! Appreciate the help on all this!


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## spliffic (Mar 24, 2015)

Shawn, is it possible to map the data from E-sys itself rather than creating a Symlink? Within Options, it looks like you can input or change where PSdZData is located. If my external drive is simply e:/psdzdata, can I just change that directory within E-sys rather than running it off the directory that E-sys was installed?

Reason I ask is because I'm running an old version of XP (I had to download SP3 in order to be able to connect to my WPA enabled network!), and am having a bit of trouble creating the Symlink through the Symlink GUI program. Sorry, I know you're not like some dedicated tech support for this, but your insight is really appreciated.


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

spliffic said:


> Shawn, is it possible to map the data from E-sys itself rather than creating a Symlink? Within Options, it looks like you can input or change where PSdZData is located. If my external drive is simply e:/psdzdata, can I just change that directory within E-sys rather than running it off the directory that E-sys was installed?
> 
> Reason I ask is because I'm running an old version of XP (I had to download SP3 in order to be able to connect to my WPA enabled network!), and am having a bit of trouble creating the Symlink through the Symlink GUI program. Sorry, I know you're not like some dedicated tech support for this, but your insight is really appreciated.


Yes, but not as you wrote.

When E-Sys Installs, it creates a Data Folder (i.e. C:\Data) with numerous subfolders in it. The psdzdata is one of the subfolders.

The Directory within E-Sys Options is not just for the psdzdata folder, it is for one level up (C:\Data).

So, you would have to copy the E-Sys Data folder (C:\Data) to an External Drive (E:\Data), then put your extracted psdzdata folder in E:\data\psdzdata, and then set E-Sys options for E:\Data.


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## ap90500 (Oct 23, 2013)

The whole data directory can be on external hard drive, then there is no need for symbolic linking.


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