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General Mac software discussions: Backing up to existing external drive?
Backing up to existing external drive?
by funops - 2/15/09 2:54 PMThis may be an overlap between hardware and software but I don't want to clutter with duplicate posts so I'll give it a shot here. 
I have an 320 GB external firewire drive connected to my iMac. Got my iMac 18 months ago and during that time I've simply copied docs, large videos, original .dmg files of programs I've purchased, etc., to the external drive. I currently have approx. 200 GB free space on it. My iMac has 25 GB used space. So I was thinking now might be a good time to do a complete backup of the iMac using my external drive as the destination.
That said, I'm not sure about how best to proceed. Lots of options seem available. Since the external drive is one single partition (probably should have partitioned it when I first installed it) and there is now quite a bit stored on it, I don't know if I can:
1) Run a back up program on the iMac with the external being the destination and in the process preserve all of the existing files currently residing on the external drive; i.e. one such program I demo tested warned that the files on the external will be erased.
2) Partition the external drive thus preserving the existing files and creating a separate back up partition.
3) Create a bootable back up using the external drive.
The drive is a WD Book Home Edition. My iMac is Tiger, OSX 10.4.11
Any suggestions or links to read would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Backup
by mrmacfixit
- 2/15/09 4:50 PM
In reply to: Backing up to existing external drive? by funops
If you have a Mobile Me account (dot Mac) then you can download a piece of Apple software called, Backup. This will automat the process for you.
If not, then Retrospect is a decent software that will schedule backups and take care of business for you.
1. I would leave that software alone. There should be no reason for the destination to be erased before a backup. Look for another one. Retrospect maybe.
2. Partitioning your external will DESTROY all the data currently on that drive. There are some third party applications that "may" be able to partition without destroying it though.
3. Carbon Copy Cloner will do this for you
Another method is to upgrade to Leopard, 10.5, which comes with an application called Time Machine. Works well and uses an external drive to back up to. Check it out at the Apple site.
Be aware, that to be considered a "real" backup solution, a hard drive would not be used. Tape or removable media (DVD/CD), stored off site would be considered safer.
Backup to External HD
by ecvde - 2/22/09 6:56 PM In reply to: Backup by mrmacfixit
Try "Silver keeper" a great backup application(freeware).Van
La Cie finally
by mrmacfixit - 2/23/09 4:54 AM
In reply to: Backup to External HD by ecvde
made that piece of software work with OS X.
I used it under System 9 but when I moved to OS X it stopped working.
Nice to see it available again, it was a neat piece of software
Thanks for the tip
P
Carbon Copy Cloner
by funops - 2/23/09 7:32 AM In reply to: Backing up to existing external drive? by funopsHi folks. I have been using Carbon Copy Cloner per reference to my original post and seem to find this program quite good. Plus I like their shareware pitch, "Cloner is released as uncrippled shareware — try the full-featured product until you trust it, then consider a donation to the Bombich Software Tip Jar." I liked that, "try it till you trust it."
But seriously, it seems to me to do it all for me.
(NT) Good Choice
by mrmacfixit - 2/23/09 9:34 AM
In reply to: Carbon Copy Cloner by funops
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