How to make external hard drive the main download drive?

hey everyone! This is just a simple question. I have a two terabyte external hard drive on my xbox one console. It already has games on it. When I formatted it quite a few months ago, I didn't click the option "Install new things here!". At that time I
didn't think it was necessary because I didn't have a lot of games. But now how do I changed it now that I want to make it to main drive for downloading and installing new stuff there without reformatting it? I thought I saw the option before but I can't find
it now.

:)

 

Can Xbox Live Monthly Free Games Be Downloaded To A External USB Drive?

Hello,I have a Xbox360 S Console with a 500GB hard drive and a 1GB External USB hard drive connected to the console.My question is.Can I download the free games from Xbox Live to the external drive,instead of the 500GB drive inside the console? The main
drive is getting full,and I'd like to download the free games to the external drive,and be able to see them and play them through the Console? can this be done in settings some how? Thanks for any info on how to do this if possible.

 

add another hard drive

Considering PS4 will never support external media leaving you to have to swap your main hard drive and download everything any time you want an upgrade... I'll take externals later from MS, thanks.

 

Hi DogRox1,

you can manage storage via > Settings > System, then select Manage storage.

Also as an extra tip to manage existing games in My games & apps highlight a game or app, press the Menu button on your controller, and then select Manage game. You will then be able to move or copy content between storage devices.

That should help you sort stuff out!

 

thanks for the reply, as before I went to the >Settings>System>Manage Storage, that's where I thought it was also, but when I select the external hard drive the only options I get, are just View contents and format. It does not give me the option to select
it as the main download drive. so I'm not sure exactly where the setting is to set it as the main drive.

as far as copying and moving gamed and files back and forth I already know how to do that I've been doing that since I've had it.

 

Hi DogRox1,

in the manage storage section the drive where installs go to by default should have a blue triangle in the corner. I have the same setup - when i select the internal drive I get the 'install here by default' option as my external is default.

If you don't get that option when you select it and the blue triangle is on the internal drive please post back as we might have to see if other troubleshooting will help.

 

yep, you are RIGHT!!! Well, except it's not blue, it's green on mine, cuz I never changed the colour theme of my dashboard. Haha .... and the external drive has the triangle on the top right hand corner. apparently I may have already set it and
didn't realize it, that's why it wasn't showing me the option to change it. but the internal one has the option because it doesn't have the triangle. I just don't remember ever changing it. THANKS Doode!!!

 

hi, I'm just up dating my post about the external hard drive., as found a new issue. It seems that when I set the Power and Startup set to "Instant On", and the setting "When Xbox is off turn off storage", is unchecked, and I'm using the external hard drive
at the main download hard drive. When I'm downloading updates, games or DLC it seems to NOT want to work automatically in sleep mode when I shut the Xbox off. Although the power light stays on the power supply, and still connected to network, as I can see
the light on my switcher, i notice the external hard drive power is off. and nothing is getting downloaded. updates and DLC do not get downloaded to the external hard drive in instant on mode? it seems I have to put it back into energy saving mode before
I start downloading, and let the Xbox stay on the whole time. is there another setting that I missing to fix this?

 

Hey again!

If the light on the power brick is white then instant on should be set up (it is orange if you use energy saver).

A couple of things to try. First switch the default install drive back to the internal one in settings then switch off (to instant on mode). Then head to store.xbox.com and 'buy' a free demo for something. You should hear your xbox start do do something
once it receives the download details. Wait a few mins then turn the xbox back on and check your download queue.

If whatever you chose from the store is there and downloading then its the HDD, otherwise its a setting somewhere!

Some HDD's seem to have problems with sleeping/waking so - its not consistent and probably related to the drives firmware. I would suggest you have a quick look online with your make/model number to see if other xbox users have had issues. There might be
a firmware update available to sort it.

Hope that helps!

 

okay instant on mode is already off because that's your way to get it to work with external hard drive it's an energy mode right now. And I have to keep the x box on in order for it to download to that hard drive. So you're saying leave the instant on mode
off and keep it on energy mode, and try to download to the internal hard drive? if it works with the external hard drive then it should work with the internal hard drive doing it that way shouldn't it? Because it does work with the external hard drive with
it on energy mode

 

OK to clarify, below are the power modes you can choose from in settings:

The Save Energy option uses less power. However, the console powers down instead of going into sleep mode. Therefore:

• The console will take longer to turn on.
• You cannot turn on the console using voice commands. It will only turn on when you press the Xbox button on the console or on the controller.
  
• The console cannot automatically download system updates. You must manually accept system updates when you turn on the console, then wait while the system downloads and installs system updates.
  

The Instant-On option uses more power. However, the console goes into sleep mode instead of turning off. Therefore:

• The console “wakes up” much faster (2 seconds).
• The console automatically downloads and installs system updates. You don’t have to wait for updates to download and install.
  
• You can “wake up” the system just by saying “Xbox On” as you enter the room. All the devices needed (TVs, audio receivers) will turn on, the Kinect sensor can identify you for sign-in and you can enjoy your Xbox One experience immediately.
  

You need to be in Instant On mode for downloads to work when the box is 'off'

Note When you choose Instant-On, you’ll have additional power management options:

• Wake up Xbox by saying “Xbox on”. This allows you to use your voice to power on your Xbox One console.
  
• Automatically download updates and purchases. This allows you to download games and apps that you purchased on the web to install on your home Xbox.
  
• When Xbox is off, turn off storage. This setting adjusts the behavior of your external storage device. If you’re seeing problems with your external storage device, we recommend leaving this option deselected.
  

I think the key bit might be that last line!

 

yes that's what I'm trying to tell you, instant on mode does not work. When I put it in instant on mode and I uncheck if Xbox is off turn off storage. That way when I turn the Xbox off I don't want the external storage to turn off but it seems to do that
anyways. When I turn off the Xbox to download the DLCs or updates whatever, the power light on the power supply is white, the network is still trying to download the files because I could still see the network switcher blinking but the external hard drive
is not powered on. So yes I know all about the instant on and the energy mode.