m11x r3- External Drive Management

Ok,
So I got my m11x r3 in, and installed a 100Gb Vertex 2 SSD in place of the 500Gb HDD that came with it. I'd like to play games on my computer, but will run out of space soon. I figure I can put the original HDD in a USB 3.0 enclosure and use as an external drive, and put some of my Steam games on the external. I plan to use symbolic links to direct the Steam folder to the external games.
My question is will Steam have issues if I do this and plug in and out the HDD (not during gaming of course) after gaming is complete? Anybody have perspective on this?
Also, I have all of my media on an external drive as well. What is the best media player to manage a dynamic library from an external drive that is sometimes not there.
Thanks guys, and by the way if you were thinking of getting an m11x r3. Do it! I love mine for what it's designed to do.

 

i suggest looking into steam mover.

 

Right, the process is the same as using symbolic links. But I think that Steam Mover assumes that you have a second internal drive right? Or do you think it would work fine with external drive? I guess only way is to find out :/

 

I have done as you describe on a r2 with the common folder inside steam being linked to another external drive. If usb disconnected before hand and steam started, steam will claim it can't contact the network. If disconnected during game, game will crash.

I didn't realize the r3 had usb 3. Usb 2 is surprisingly working better than I thought, though still contemplating getting a firewire enclosure as the throughput is better and less cpu intensive. Expensive though and you still need a usb for power.

 

I was surprised to when I looked in the manual and saw the two USB ports on the right are both USB 3.0. I was contemplating firewire too, but USB 3.0 is a no brainer. Thanks for you're response. I already ordered an enclosure for the stock drive. We'll see how it goes.