Time Machine Question (2 Viewers)

[Jill Hives]

So, I have an external hard drive that has some stuff on it already but it is no where near full. Could I use time machine to back up on the unused part or should it be partitioned? If the latter, is that something one needs to do in the formatting stage (meaning I would need to wipe clean the external first) or could it be done with items already on it? Apologies, if this is a stupid question.

 

[Psycho Punk]

Re: Time Machine Queistion

Time machine?

 

[rettucs]

Re: Time Machine Queistion

So, I have an external hard drive that has some stuff on it already but it is no where near full. Could I use time machine to back up on the unused part or should it be partitioned? If the latter, is that something one needs to do in the formatting stage (meaning I would need to wipe clean the external first) or could it be done with items already on it? Apologies, if this is a stupid question.

what are you looking to backup? Can you not just copy stuff across to the unused part?

or are you looking at scheduling regular backups?

I don't know what time machine is - some backup tool?

 

[Jill Hives]

Re: Time Machine Queistion

Yes, it's a back up tool that mirrors your computer. I really only want to do it once because my hard drive is full and I want to replace it. The thing is, the stuff on the external drive is some of the stuff I've recently deleted from the computer (to make room) so I don't want to ditch it.

So I'd like to use time machine once. Switch out the hard drives. Move over the time machine copy from the external then add the extra (already on the external) drive then clear the external drive reformat and have it solely as a time machine back-up. Is this doable?

 

[rettucs]

Re: Time Machine Queistion

Yes, it's a back up tool that mirrors your computer. I really only want to do it once because my hard drive is full and I want to replace it. The thing is, the stuff on the external drive is some of the stuff I've recently deleted from the computer (to make room) so I don't want to ditch it.

So I'd like to use time machine once. Switch out the hard drives. Move over the time machine copy from the external then add the extra (already on the external) drive then clear the external drive reformat and have it solely as a time machine back-up. Is this doable?

You should be able to but I'm not familiar with the tool you're using so I'd go consult google or some message boards where its discussed.

The thing is - are you using the external disk as an active mirror? In other words, is it something thats going to be always running in a way that any change made to your internal hard disk gets automatically mirrored (as in RAID 0+1 mirroring). If so then I would suggest this is not what you want.

See if the tool gives you the option of a once-off backup (I don't like the term 'mirror' in this context because I think it refers to an active mirror as per above).

If it doesn't then I would suggest just doing a straightforward copy of your stuff onto the external disk, replace your internal disk, reinstall it, then copy everything over. Might be the easiest thing to do.

 

[Goodbye]

Thats should work fine Jill provided there is enough room on the drive you wish time machine to use - (essentially its just a folder on that drive with all your stuff so other stuff can be on the drive too)
The mac os can back up from a time machine backup.

Its all fine and dandy in theory, but if you want more options, you might want to look into carbon copy cloner instead.

Also, if a lot of what you have archived is music, lash it on a cloud service like google or something so so you can delete it locally and not shuffling about too much...


maybe

 

[Jill Hives]

That takes a good internet connection and that I don't have. It would take forever to upload to cloud. There is enough room for 2 of my computer on my external. Okay, I might give this a go. It's not like I'd be erasing the internal harddrive (just switching out) so I suppose it it doesn't work, it's no harm.

 

[Jill Hives]

Re: Time Machine Queistion

You should be able to but I'm not familiar with the tool you're using so I'd go consult google or some message boards where its discussed.

That's why I'm asking thumped. There are apple geeks here.

 

[Goodbye]

ah sher if you've the space go for it

 

[Jill Hives]

ah sher if you've the space go for it

I'll have to load the same OS on the new hard drive before I transfer over the time machine back, correct? Or will time machine do that automatically? Again, probably a stupid question.

 

[Anthony]

No need for an OS install.
Personally I'd partition the drive and give one to Time Machine.

 

[Jill Hives]

No need for an OS install.
Personally I'd partition the drive and give one to Time Machine.

But can you do that when there is stuff already on it?

Plan:
Use time machine once on the external.
Replace internal hard drive.
Move the time machine back up over to new internal drive from external.
Add the extra bits that were deleted before the time machine back up.
Clear the external and use it solely as a time machine back up.

 

[dudley]

you *can* re-partition an already formatted drive, loads of software out there to do it but usually it's disastrous. has never been anything but a nightmare for me. I'd imagine timemachine has a setting to back up to a folder on your external rather than the drive.

 

[Jill Hives]

you *can* re-partition an already formatted drive, loads of software out there to do it but usually it's disastrous. has never been anything but a nightmare for me. I'd imagine timemachine has a setting to back up to a folder on your external rather than the drive.

Thank you, that's what I was trying to ask but didn't know how to phrase it.

 

[Anthony]

more or less what ian said above but yea, go for it.

 

[Goodbye]

Thats should work fine Jill provided there is enough room on the drive you wish time machine to use - (essentially its just a folder on that drive with all your stuff so other stuff can be on the drive too)
The mac os can back up from a time machine backup.

Its all fine and dandy in theory, but if you want more options, you might want to look into carbon copy cloner instead.

Also, if a lot of what you have archived is music, lash it on a cloud service like google or something so so you can delete it locally and not shuffling about too much...


maybe

cough