Can I use a MBA external DVD in a vertical orientation?

Can I use a MBA external DVD in a vertical orientation? Will the drive be damaged in the long run?

The vertical orientation won't damage the drive. The only real concern is for discs in the drive. In general there should not be any problem as long as the drive isn't being jostled during use. So you should be OK using it that way. If you find that the drive isn't reading/writing discs properly then try using it horizontally to see if that fixes things.

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HT2801 Can I use a USB external DVD drive for mac pc for a ibook g4 to install tiger

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Many PPC Macs won't boot from USB drives in OSX, but many can be made to...
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20060301112336384
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Can a use a partitioned external hard drive to create a disk image? I tried, doesn't seem to work using disk manager.

Can a use a partitioned external hard drive to create a disk image? I tried, doesn't seem to work using disk manager.

OK, it's very bad computing to use a backup disk for anything but a backup. The reason being is if/when the HD crashes you will have lost not only all your backup but the data files. While I commend you for wanting redundant backup, you really need separate EHDs for doing so. Format each EHD using Disk Utility to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) using the GUID parttition. When you connect, OS X will ask if you want to use that drive as a Time Machine backup drive, select yes and then let it backup. On the second EHD format the same way however do not use TM as a backup, this time I'd suggest an app such as SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner to make a clone of the internal HD. Leave both EHDs connected and TM will backup new or changed files automatically on a hourly basis. The clone you will need to set to backup on the schedule you want. For example I have my SuperDuper EHD set to backup only changed or updated files at 2AM every day.
The advantage of a clone is that if the computers internal HD crashes you can boot from a clone and continue working, TM will not do that but it's great for keeping an archive of all files. So if you want a version of a file from many months ago, TM will help you locate and restore it.

Time Machine: Can I use a smaller external hard drive with larger internal?

Can I use a 250G external hard drive with and 500G unfilled internal drive with time machine? Or will time machine require I a 500G? I don't plan on filling the internal drive for a long time and don't want to buy a new external drive right now.

Yes, but you are very likely to get in trouble very quickly.
The problem is that TimeMachine saves multiple versions of any file modified, and if that file happens to be large, you can quickly fill up your TimeMachine drive such that it is throwing away older versions faster than you would desire.
Also if your boot drive's storage usage gets even close to the 250GB external drive's capacity, TimeMachine is likely to stop working.
If possible, I would suggest an external drive that is twice as large as your boot drive, or at least 1.5 times larger.
I guess you could repartition your boot drive so it is smaller than your external disk so you would be less likely to use more space than could fit on the external.
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Can I use a 2tb external drive with Time Machine to backup my Mac Mini (256gbSSD + 2tbHDD)?

Can I use a 2tb external drive with Time Machine to backup what I have on my Mac Mini?
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Would an external 2tb My Passport Drive by Western Digital work for the backup?
It seems like it would not work because the total storage on the Mac Mini is 2304 gigabytes (SSD + HDD).
And the external Western Digital drive is only 2048 in gigabytes versus 2304 gigabytes the Mac Mini has.

No. A Time Machine backup drive should have at least twice the capacity of the drive it backs up. You would need at least a 4 TB backup drive for Time Machine.
Might I suggest as an alternative that you not use Time Machine but a third-party backup utility that simply overwrites older files with new ones such that the backup drive can be the same capacity as the drive backed up.
Suggested Backup Software
1. Carbon Copy Cloner
2. Get Backup
3. Deja Vu
4. SuperDuper!
5. Synk Pro
6. Tri-Backup
Others may be found at MacUpdate.
Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on backup and restore. Also read How to Back Up and Restore Your Files.

Can I use a usb external hard drive larger than 2TB? I have tried to use a 3TB but it shows up as 800GB.

Can I use a usb external hard drive larger than 2TB? I have tried to use a 3TB but it shows up as 800GB. Even tred to reformat in disk utility but only shows as 800 gb as well. It is a Seagate 3TB harddrive and enclosure. Nothing on the Seagate site about it other than it says Mac os through 10.6 is supported for larger than 2TB (might be old).

You might have better luck in the Snow Leopard community. I'll ask the hosts to relocate your post.
10.6 Snow Leopard

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paolo@spring wrote: How can I use a second external webcam with my MacBook Air 11" 2011?...
Plug it in and launch the app you will use to run it.
paolo@spring wrote: ...Are there specific compatible webcams?...
Yes. In general, any current USB model (will meet the "UVC" standard) can work on any Mac running Mac OS X 10.4.8 or newer.
More specifically:
(1) You have a choice of many Mac-compatible USB cam. Some examples of current compatible cams are described at http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/.
(2) If you want a wireless cam, consider http://ecamm.com/mac/webcam/bt1/
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paolo@spring wrote:... Can both cams be use at same time?...
Multiple cameras can be connected at one time, but asking your Mac to actually use (capture and process) more than one video stream at a time might cause processor and data bus capacity problems. The normal method is to connect your cameras and switch between them as needed, actually using only one at a time.
paolo@spring wrote:... How would I choose which cam would be the active one, for example with FaceTime or Skype?...
The software you use to operate the cameras controls that. For more info, start with the answer in this topic link.

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Using MacBook as external DVD drive?

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Welcome to Apple Forums.
No, but you can do the opposite. It is possible to reboot your old iMac as an external hard drive so the MacBook can install onto it. Reboot the iMac while holding down the "T" key on the iMac's keyboard. When the FireWire symbol pops up on the iMac's screen plug a FireWire cable into it's FireWire port and the other end of the cable into your MacBook's FireWire port. Then put the install DVD into your MacBook. At some stage of the install it will ask what location to install into (or drive if the installer is from Apple). Just make sure that your iMac is selected and not your MacBook (and no, it can't do both).
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Alex

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Hi folks:
Will an iMac core 2 duo system work with Plextor PX-712UF external DVD drive. I'm thinking about buying a used one from a buddy, but want to make sure it will work with my iMAC.
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http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20060301112336384
Works with USB1.1 also, but really slow.

Can Anyone Recommend a Good External DVD Burner?

Does anyone know of a good external DVD burner that I can use with my Powerbook G4 (combo drive)? It seems like most are compatible with windows only. Thanks!

If you're going to get a DVD burner, I would recommend going with a LaCie external drive. I got a 16x DVD+/- with Lightscribe and CD-RW burner from LaCie and I've never had a problem with it. Also, it came with Toast 7 so that was another plus. I got it for $190 at the Apple Store.
However, if you're just looking to buy a simple burner for iDVD, or you want to use the Finder to burn DVDs, just get a cheaper one w/o Toast.
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Can i use a seagate external drive with my mac?

Hi, probably a dumb question but i want to make sure before i buy, can i use this drive-
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=18283 84&Tab=5
with an imac g5? to me,it seems like a good price. i have fceHD and a 1.8 g5 with 512 ram. Thanks in advance. Ben
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The hard drive itself is excellent. I have two external FireWire/USB 2.O drives, both of which contain Seagate drives similar in specification to the one you propose to buy, though both are 300GB in size. My question is whether the drive enclosure is a good buy (i.e. one that will work with your Mac). You want an enclosure with a good FireWire Bridge chip, such as the Oxford 911, which is known to work well with Macs. I looked at your link, but I could not tell which chip is found in the enclosure.
I would not buy this until you find out what kind of FireWire Bridge is in the enclosure.
You may wish to check out the selection at Other World Computing. This is a company that specializes in Mac products, so you know your product will work with your Mac. You'll pay a bit more for a similar hard drive at OWC than the one you are considering presently, but as they say, you get what you pay for. OWC backs it products with a great warranty, too.
iMac Intel Core Duo 20", 1.5 GB RAM, OWC 300 GB FW HD Mac OS X (10.4.5) eMac 1.42GHz, 1 GB RAM; iPod w/ video 30 GB

Can I use a single external drive to maintain time machine backups for two Mac computers?

Hello
We have an older mac mini and macbook air. I have one Western Digital external USB drive. Can I use the same drive to hold and maintain time machine backups for both machines?
I already have the macbook air time-machined on the WD drive. I now want to backup the mac mini onto the same drive. Is it going to over write the time machine backup or is the software smart enough to maintain two separate files, partitions, whatever it does..?

It will maintain separate backups. Note that it's generally advisable to use separate drives for best practice backup, but yes, it will work for both computers, provided you have enough space (need generally 2-3 times the total used file space for both Macs).
Matt

How can I use a remote CD/DVD drive to install MacOS 10.4?

Hello,
My old iBook G3 needs to be updated to MacOS 10.4 however its CD drive doesn't work. I have an retail copy of Tiger and have put it in my iBook G4 but when I open the installer it doesn't allow me to choose my mounted iBook G3 (which I have connected through a wireless network). How can I use my iBook G4's CD/DVD drive to install MacOS 10.4 on my iBook G3?
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'Making matters worse' seems a bit excessive, since it isn't that uncommon for an optical drive to die in an otherwise perfectly good machine. (Ask parents with inquisitive kids, for example!
Plus, this is an iBook, & I don't believe OWC sells replacement internal drives for them, only for PowerBooks, so it doesn't seem that unreasonable to suggest that he first try something that has a good chance of doing what he wants to do, which is install Tiger on the iBook, rather than suggest anything that may or may not be appropriate for his situation.
Since he already has purchased the DVD, the most he is risking with the TDM approach is the cost of a 6 pin to 6 pin FW cable, which he still should find useful no matter what else he decides to do. If nothing else, it shouldn't cost anymore than the exchange of the DVD for CD's, right?

CAN I USE THE SAME EXTERNAL FW HD W/ MY MAC AND PC?

Thanks in advance.
g4 1.25 ghz, 512mb Mac OS X (10.3.9)

if i could at a later date use it to back up files from my PC, by just unplugging it from my mac, then plugging it in to my PC
Okay, that is different. In short, no. Since it seems you're going to be using it on your Mac most of the time, it will have to be in a Mac format in order to write to it. While using MacOpener would allow you to write files to that disk to back up files from the PC, I recommend against doing that.
To clarify. If you're just backing up basic data from the PC onto a Mac formatted drive through MacOpener, then that's fine. But, if you're using something like Drive Image to make a backup image file of the entire PC hard drive onto the external, then it must be in NTFS format. Otherwise, when you would boot to the emergency restore CD of Drive Image to restore the image to the hard drive, it would be impossible for Drive Image to read the external drive, were it in Mac format.
If not, can i somehow network an external fire wire (connected to my mac) to be accessed while on my pc?
Nope, can't do that either. A FireWire chain (or USB) cannot be looped. Worse would be having the drive attached to two separate computers at the same time. Pretty much a guarantee to lose everything on the drive and possibly damage the FireWire controllers on both computers.

Can I use a MBA external DVD in a vertical orientation?

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