Having been a "geek" since 1978 and being basically lazy, I have developed a keen interest in computers and generally try to find a simple and easy way to achieve the desired result(s).
We all know that safety in redundancy is imperative in hosting karaoke shows. There is nothing more embarassing than to have a catostrophic equipment failure 2 hours into a show. To prevent the humiliation, I have developed a couple of solutions that might benefit my fellow KJ's.
First, a replacement internal hard drive for a laptop is a cheap and easy way to go. You don't need a whopper, just make it big enough for the OS and the Hoster program and files--you don't need all the games and other junk that comes with the original, so just use your recovery disk and then nuke the junk. As an example, a new 100gb 7200rpm SATA replacement drive for my HP laptops is $115. Once it is formatted with the operating system and all necessary software installed, it is a matter of a couple of screws, unplug & re-plug and the swap is complete. I can do it with either of my laptops in less than 5 minutes. These drives are available on the web from a variety of suppliers.
Second, if your LT is older and the hard drive is NOT easily replaceable or you are using a desktop in a semi-permanent installation, then the preparation of a bootable external USB drive is the answer. Most later BIOS settings permit booting from a number of sources, either external or internal. Either way, for less than $200, you can have a fool-proof insurance policy with you at all times.
MTU permits the installation of their software on 2 machines, so the second drive shouldn't be a problem.
Keep 'em singing,
DC
Admin Note: We encourage making a backup copy of your hard drive. We sell a USB 1 TeraByte external hard drive for less than $200.
IMPORTANT NOTE:Using a copy of your Karaoke songs (KMA, MP3+G, ZIP, etc.) on a SECOND system is ILLEGAL. You can loose all your show audio and karaoke equipment, and even the vehicle you use to transport it with, in addition to large fines.