4 libraries on 1 iMac HDD fallin' apart

Hi There!
I have an iMac 2.1 Ghz PowerPc G5 with 2.5GB in RAM and running OS X 10.4.11
I've created (since I bought it) 2 users (for my wife and myself) and we have Aperture and iPhoto libraries for each user.
What would be the best way to consolidate them and back them up on an external hard-disk?
My iMac is getting slower by the day and I'm affraid the internal HDD might die and live us without pics.
Ideally, I would like to end up with one Aperture Library and one iPhoto library, living on an external hard disk and from there, access it using either our iMac (emptied from a lot of files) and our MacBook Pro.
Any suggestions? Any similar experiences?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Gilberto.

Hi Gilberto
I think your priority is to get your data, or copies of it off your iMac
First the Hardware
Last week I purchased through Amazon two 2TB WD Green SATA HDD's ~£60 each and a couple of Lacie USB Empty cases £16 each (the black one by Neil Poulton)
You can easily remove and replace HDD's into these cases with care and they are held in place with four screws.
I am assuming you only have a 250 GB drive on your iMac and similar on your MBP so 1TB drives would be adequate but they are not much cheaper
The software I would recommend is SuperDuper from Shirt Pocket its free
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html
You can use it to make a Clone of your system drive and for a small fee you can get the version that also allows you to schedule backups their documentation is enlightening.
I would partition one of the Drives to give two partitions a 250GB partition and the second what's left, its easy to do and they will appear as two HDD on your screen.
(As you have a MBP it might be as well to get another HDD and just make it two partitions and place a clone of your imac in one and your MBP in the other this is what I have done with my MBP and MacMini )
When you plug the new drive in you will get a warning message just select initialise and it will launch the Disc Utility.
If not go to Applications / Utilities /Disc Utility.app and creat the Partitions (Virtual Drives)
Then use SuperDuper to create a bootable Clone of your system drive onto the 250GB partition and name it say iMacClone.
Next use Aperture to write a Vault and iPhoto however it stores its library to the large partition on the external HDD.
In your situation I would consider having my Aperture working library on your second external Hard Drive and a copy of the iPhoto library (I use superficaly but am not familiar with how iPhoto backs up)
If you find the USB drive is too slow for your working Aperture Library then you could consider using a Fire wire drive which is as fast as you're going to get without possibly using eSATA on your MBP both expensive options.
Then disconnect your first external drive i.e. the one with the clone on keep that in a safe place
My way of working is
1. Make a bootable Clone of machines system drive so you can reinstate your internal HDD data if it becomes corrupt or run off the external if it needs to be replaced. or even use a borrowed machine of similar spec
2. Make copies (BackUp and or Vaults) of your Data files preferably two
2b. Keep one in a different location
3. Have a routine to update so you always have current back up copies
You don't need to buy two USB cases but I would suggest you buy at least two HDD's
If you use bare drives take care with them, I store them inside the antistatic bag with silica gel sachet they came in, inside old VHS cases (plastic ones) a little padding will be required.
Hope this helps
Phil
Message was edited by: digitalparish

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4 libraries on 1 iMac HDD fallin' apart

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