Backing up an external HD using Time Machine

[Phil Bishop]

All,

 

Thought I would pass this Q by you as I dare say many of you have been down this path already. I have an external HD using Time Machine for back-up. The HD on my Macbook is rapidly running out of disc space for my itunes library, thus I want to use another external HD for my itunes library. However, obviously I want Time Machine to then back up everything, including the other external HD.

 

Now I thought this should be fairly straightforward (have not tried it yet), but then I read stuff about problems with Time Machine not recognising FAT-formatted drives, etc, etc - all beyond me at the moment!

 

Can anyone provide a simple guide through this matter? If I buy an external HD from the Apple store, would this make things easier?

 

Any advice much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Phil

 

[haiku1]

Hi Phil

 

I`ve got an external Iomega 500GB HD. Plugged it to my Macbook and Time Machine did the rest. Life can be easy sometimes.....

 

[Phil Bishop]

Thanks a lot - have just checked this out on the Apple website and it is pre-formatted for Macs - sounds just the ticket. I reckon 500 GB will be fine!

 

However, just want to check that you are using this to keep your itunes folder on and have a separate external drive for Time Machine? This is what I am trying to achieve.

 

Sounds like you have the same system as me, although I don't use Airport Express (at the moment).

 

Phil

 

[haiku1]

Hey Phil!

 

Go and get the AE, it sounds so wonderful with the optical out!!!!!

To tell you the truth, I use the external HD to back up everything. I`ve got a Macbook 120GB, which contains the music I listen to most of the time. Then I`ve got a Ipod Classic 80 GB as a second ext HD which contains the kind of music I listen to from time to time (for example my whole Miles Davis collection). Works fine!!

Phil, don`t worry about Apple products. I`m sure Time Machine can handle everything. Get the AE and the HD and enjoy yourself!!

You`re a nice guy, let me know about your experiences in the future.

 

[Phil Bishop]

Thanks again Haiku for all your help. Sounds like I will probably have to get the AE at some stage!

 

I have Time Machine working perfectly at the moment with my existing 1 TB HD. Just a bit wary about when I connect another. I assume TM also backs up your ipod?

 

Anyone else out there experience of backing up from one external HD to another?

 

Phil

 

[haiku1]

Phil

 

TM doesn`t have to back up my Ipod, I drag and drop the files.

Have fun!

 

[TimH]

Hi Phil,

 

This may not help you much, but since you were asking, I use a third party freeware application called SyncBack to periodically back up my main external hard drive that is attached via USB to an Airport Extreme (not Express) to another external hard drive that I hook up via USB to my Windows desktop PC. Works fine. (Disclaimer - SyncBack may be Windows only.) If Time Machine is giving you headaches in backing up from one drive to another, there are lots of backup applications out there, from expensive to free. cnet.com is a good place to start for the freeware/shareware varieties, plus they have reviews. Look under downloads.

 

TheOtherTim