2 Questions regarding a Hitachi 500 GB external HDD

I have 2 questions regarding this HDD: http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-XL500-500GB-External-0S02483/dp/B0039ZT324/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1319048940&sr=8-13
1- I know I can’t use the full capacity of a PC’s HDD because the system has to allocate a certain amount of the storage capacity. By having the 500 GB external HDD hooked up to the TV do I still end up getting less than the full capacity for the HDD or not?
2- The external HDD does not have an on/off switch. Is there any way that I can purchase a switch for the HDD or not?
~lionden~
Answer #1
full capacity will be available but you should still leave a little head room, say 5% or 20mb
I try to keep 20mb free on my media drives
putting a switch between the power adapter & the wall socket an option ?
like an extension cord with a switch
Answer #2
I was thinking along the lines of purchasing a switch for the HDD itself. When I use the HDD for the PC I go to remove device but when I have it hooked up to a TV and I just shut off the surge protector its connected to wouldn’t I lose any data?
Answer #3
Unless I purchase an external HDD enclosure that has an on and off switch. That way I can remove the HDD from its enclosure and put it in a new enclosure.
Answer #4
You will actually only get 465GB of usable space once the partition is allocated.
Answer #5
Thanks!
Answer #6
Unless I purchase an external HDD enclosure that has an on and off switch.
then just buy a bare drive to go with it
Answer #7
The only external hardrives i know that have a On/Off power switch is “Iomega” and “Freecom 250gb”
I actually own 4 Iomega external hardrives and 1 Freecom external hardrive
For example
Iomega
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Iomega-Prestige-Desktop-Hard-Drive/dp/B003IHH79E/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1319065074&sr=8-8
The freecom only hav the power switch on the 250gb and 500gb model
The 1tb-2tb dont hav power switchs