Easily upgrading the Surface Pro 3 drive space

[Sunstorming]

I own a SP3 i3 64GB. I am not ready to dump $1200 on a new SP4, as this works just fine, but has limited storage. After getting the new SP4 keyboard, it was like a total upgrade to a new machine.. its that good.

However I was still always cleaning out my main drive... just isn't big enough. So ...

(1) Go to amazon or something and get an external USB 3 SSD. I found a 500GB SSD by Samsung for $120 (!!!) and it has the same internals as my internal Samsung 850 EVO SSD (on my main PC). Very nice deal.
(2) Plug drive into SP3
(3) Tell Windows to install everything there... the external SSD is actually faster than the internal drive.
(4) Mount professionally. please click the link below to see this, as this crappy site is still mostly busted regarding uploading images.

http://1drv.ms/22XEmNa

** please note -- although you can install apps to the external drive, some will not play from it. Asphalt 8 is one of them that does not work all the time from the external drive ... so you can move that to the main drive after install if it doesn't work. **

 

[pgg101]

lol. Very professional tape job. Looks better than the presents I try to wrap.

I have a 64gb SP3 but I just plugged my external HD to my router. I also have a 64 SD card. I also picked up an SP4 keyboard mainly because of the inclusion of an Insert Key. I also picked red to match my phone. Oh the vanity.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android on my BlackBerry Passport

 

[Insti Gator]

Wow that literally looks atrocious. :crying:

Not to mention that there is no way it is faster than internal storage - Since internal is using faster channels and connections to MOBO. I'm sure it is extremely fast - Possibly very close to internal but not faster.

Lastly - How is this useful? When I pull the keyboard off and take notes as a tablet on the table how will this balance with a brick scotch taped to the back? When I slide it into my bag how does it slip in with the protrusion sticking out? (Again scotch-taped)

There are 128GB SD Cards available that slide perfectly into the card slot on the back. It is not as fast - So you put pictures, video, movies, documents on the SD card and anything that needs to be fast on the main drive problem solved. And a LOT more elegant than this abomination pictured.

 

[anon(7901790)]

You can always get a 128GB microSD card. I store most of my files on OneDrive and put my OneDrive folder on the SD card. That leaves my main driver open for apps.


I also have a 2TB WD wireless drive that I can connect to via WiFi.


Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[William Sanderson]

You can always get a 128GB microSD card. I store most of my files on OneDrive and put my OneDrive folder on the SD card. That leaves my main driver open for apps.


I also have a 2TB WD wireless drive that I can connect to via WiFi.


Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

What brand and model of wireless drive did you get? Is it an SSD?

 

[anon(7901790)]

What brand and model of wireless drive did you get? Is it an SSD?

It is the Passport Wireless. No it is not an SSD.

My Passport Wireless - Wi-Fi Mobile Storage

The cool thing is that you can set it up as a wireless router. For example, if you are in a hotel with wireless internet, you can set the Passport to connect to the hotel's WiFi (which is usually not secure), then connect to the Passport with an encrypted connection. The Passport acts as a firewall making your hotel WiFi connect more secure.

 

[William Sanderson]

It is the Passport Wireless. No it is not an SSD.

My Passport Wireless - Wi-Fi Mobile Storage

The cool thing is that you can set it up as a wireless router. For example, if you are in a hotel with wireless internet, you can set the Passport to connect to the hotel's WiFi (which is usually not secure), then connect to the Passport with an encrypted connection. The Passport acts as a firewall making your hotel WiFi connect more secure.

Nice unit and I like the ability to use it as a firewall. In my position I need to use firewalls. Traveling would be safer with that feature and the battery operating capability would nice to have when your short on outlets in the hotel room.

 

[anon(7901790)]

It also had an integrated SD Card reader built in.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Sunstorming]

I have since retired this custom mod, which took much time and skill. SD Card seems a bit nicer for aesthetics but its speed is terrible

 

[Sunstorming]

Wow that literally looks atrocious. :crying:

Not to mention that there is no way it is faster than internal storage - Since internal is using faster channels and connections to MOBO. I'm sure it is extremely fast - Possibly very close to internal but not faster.

Lastly - How is this useful? When I pull the keyboard off and take notes as a tablet on the table how will this balance with a brick scotch taped to the back? When I slide it into my bag how does it slip in with the protrusion sticking out? (Again scotch-taped)

There are 128GB SD Cards available that slide perfectly into the card slot on the back. It is not as fast - So you put pictures, video, movies, documents on the SD card and anything that needs to be fast on the main drive problem solved. And a LOT more elegant than this abomination pictured.

I intended this to be a joke. It seems to have escaped most.

Still, the external SSD got faster writes than the internal drive and equal read speeds. The SATA based SSD in the SP3 max out in the same range as usb3

 

[Sunstorming]

I forgot, even though this highly profitable mod business of mine is now closed, I need to show you the ultimate expansion. WIth Ethernet and 3x USB 3 ports!!!

http://1drv.ms/1Qzcudz

 

[anon(7901790)]

I forgot, even though this highly profitable mod business of mine is now closed, I need to show you the ultimate expansion. WIth Ethernet and 3x USB 3 ports!!!

http://1drv.ms/1Qzcudz