Second external hard drive - how to?

I've got an external LaCie HD with 80 GB with three partitions - one bootable, one with other important files, and the third with just backup copies of files (drag and drop). In any case, I am slowly running out of room and would like to get a second bigger hard drive.
What I'd like to do is keep the 80 GB HD for my drag and drop backups of movie files, pics, etc. and make two partitions on the new one - one bootable, the other for important files. That means that I'd have to erase the 80 GB - right?
So, once I have the new one, could I just plug in both (firewire) and drag and drop my backup files temporarily to the new one, erase the old one, put the backup files back, and then proceed to partition the new one? Or would it be better to "park" the backup files temporarily on my internal HD?

So, once I have the new one, could I just plug in both (firewire) and drag and drop my backup files temporarily to the new one, erase the old one, put the backup files back, and then proceed to partition the new one? Or would it be better to "park" the backup files temporarily on my internal HD?
Either way one would do the same.

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I want to use my second external hard drive as a "flash drive"

Forgive my ignorance, but I would appreciate any input before I purchase and set up a second external hard drive....
I have a MyBook that I use with Time Machine and it has been great. However, it's approaching more full than I want it to get and I need to dump all my pictures and music that I would like to keep forever onto a second external hard drive that I can access easily, take with me to friends houses to share music/photos, etc.
My question is: do I want to set up Time Machine on the second "flash drive" external hard drive, or should I only use Time Machine on MyBook and use the manufacturer software on the second drive?
I envision connecting both very frequently -- as I load new pictures, loading them quickly onto the second drive, but then back up on MyBook and Time Machine as I do know, every few days or so.
How do other people navigate this?

Well, you can certainly keep using one for Time Machine and use the other one to back up just your photos, files, videos, etc.
If that is what you want to do, you don't need any included software at all. In fact, Disk Utility (Applications - Utilities) does a great job. Once you get the hard drive, plug it in (firewire is preferred - faster than USB), open Disk Utility. highlight the external hard drive and click on Partition tab. From there you can choose to keep it as is (one partition), or make more than one. Choose the format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled), and, under options, GUID partition table. Click Apply and let it do its thing.
Once finished, your external is ready. You can simply drag and drop whatever files from your internal onto the external. You can also delete them from the external at a later time, copy new ones, etc, etc.

Time machine backing up a second external hard drive

I currently have time machine backing up my imac to an external hard drive.I now want to back up a second external hard drive which contains all of my photographs to create some space on my imac.
Can this be done and if it can how is this done?
Thanks
Peter

First, be sure your TM drive is big enough for all your data (see item #1 in the Frequently Asked Questions *User Tip* at the top of this forum.)
Second, make sure the new external is set up with the GUID (preferred for Intel Macs) or +Apple Partition Map+ (preferred for PPC Macs) *Partition Map Scheme* and the +Mac OS Extended (Journaled)+ Format.
Then all you have to do is, go to TM Preferences > Options, select the drive in the +Do not back up+ box and click the minus sign at the bottom. That will change the +Estimated size of full backup+ under the box.
Once the new drive with the moved photos has been backed-up, and the old ones on your internal HD deleted, you can, if you want, delete all the backups of the old ones to gain some space on your TM drive. See item #12 of the FAQ Tip.

I have an external hard drive set up as a Time Machine backup on my IMac. I want to add a second external hard drive and put my Aperture Photo Library on it. Is there a way to have the photos on this second hard drive automatically back up to the Time Mac

I have an IMac with an external hard drive set up as a Time Machine for automatic backups. I want to add a second external hard drive and load my Aperture Photo Library on to it so that the library can be shared by both me and my wife. Is there a way to automatically backup the photo library that will be on the second hard drive to the Time Machine hard drive?

Open System Preference > Time Machine
Click Options....
Ckick on external disk in list and hit the - button below the list to remove from the Exclusion list
Allan

Hi, I have a hard disk failure so to recover my data I am using disk utility to restore the data on an external drive while booting from a second external hard drive. When I perform the operation it gives me an input/output error and stops. Any tips?

Hi, I have a hard disk failure so to recover my data I am using disk utility to restore the data on an external drive while booting from a second external hard drive. When I perform the operation and after having selected both my destination and source drives, the operation begins but soon fails due to input/output error. If I try to create an image of the drive it gives me the same error message. Any help would be much appreciated.

Disk Utility only creates a image of the drive, so it's no help getting exactly what you want, which is your files. If the file structure is messed up or the drive is failing then it's no help.
If you have a external boot drive and you can't access the internal non-booting drive though the typical Finder and windows to transfer your files via drag and drop methods, then you need to install Data Rescue on the external boot drive and it will do as best as it can to recover your files. (works on non-encrypted/non-Filevaulted drives only)
.Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive
Are you sure you have hard drive failure, or that OS X isn't merely not booting?
Because if the drive is working physically, then there is a host of fixes
..Step by Step to fix your Mac
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro?view=documents#/

My start up disk is full and I need to move my files to an external hard drive, how do i do so?

My start up disk is full and i need to move my files to an external hard drive, how do i do so?

Ensure that the external is correctly formatted
Drag and dropped the files
Test to be sure that the moved files work
Once the moved files work delete the originals
Allan

When I plug in my ipad it automatically tries to back up and download all the contents to the C drive - the PC is too full and I have iTunes on an external hard drive, how do I tell the system to do the backup to the hard drive please?

When I plug in my ipad it automatically tires to back up and download all the contents to the C drive - the PC is too full and I have iTunes on an external hard drive, how do I tell the system to do the backup to the hard drive please?

You can open a command prompt by hitting the start button and typing CMD<Enter> in the search box that opens up.
To move the current backup folder from C: to D: type in this command and press <Enter>
Move "C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" "D:\Backup"
Where <User> is your Windows user name.
To make iTunes look for the data in the new location type in this command and press <Enter>
MkLink /J "C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup" "D:\Backup"
If your external drive has a different letter or you already have a folder called "Backup" then edit "D:\Backup" accordingly in both commands.
tt2

I want to keep my music on my macbook and my movies on my external hard drive how do i get itunes to recogonise my external hard drive.?

I want to keep my music on my macbook pro and my movies on my external hard drive how do i get itunes to recogonise my external hard drive.? so i can drag more movies across later. i am able to plug my external into my Apple Express to stream to my apple Tv arent i..???

Post your question in the iTunes area:
https://discussions.apple.com/community/itunes/itunes_for_mac

Can Time Machine back up a second external hard drive that is attached via usb to a Time Capsule?

Can Time Machine back up a second external hard drive that is attached via usb to a Time Capsule?
I have a iMac with 10.7.4

I want to back up the data on the external Hard Drive that is attached to the Time Capsule to the Tim Capsule using Time Machine.
Thanks for the clarification. Unfortunately, that will not work. You will need to connect the drive directly to your Mac if you want Time Machine to backup the drive to the Time Capsule.

Ok here goes. I have so much music I don't want to store it all on my computer and would like to store on an external hard drive. So if all my music is on the external hard drive, how will iTunes see it in order to play the music. Thanks

ok here goes. I have so much music I don't want to store it all on my computer and would like to store on an external hard drive. So if all my music is on the external hard drive, how will iTunes see it in order to play the music. Thanks

This article might help you moving/relocating your library :
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1449
Cheers AF

I did backup from my Imac to external hard drive, how can I unzip that backup to my mac

I did backup from my Imac to external hard drive, how can I unzip that backup to my mac again

It may be Time Machine, but Time Machine doesn't store backups in .zip folders. Open Finder and select your backup external disk in the Finder sidebar, under "Devices". If you are using Time Machine, you should see a folder called "Backups.backupdb".
If you are using Time Machine and you want to restore a full Time Machine backup, there are different methods depending on the Mac OS X version you are using. Open  > About this Mac, see Version and tell me what version you are using

My iTunes library is on an external hard drive; how do I set it so other users (accounts) on my imac, will also have the same library, with the same playlists

my iTunes library is on an external hard drive; how do I set it so other users (accounts) on my imac, will also have the same library, with the same playlists

Quit iTunes.
Sign into another user account.
Hold Option, launch iTunes.
Select Choose library... and select the iTunes folder on the external.
Do this for all users.
NOTE: You must quit iTunes when switching users as the library can only be opened by one user at a time.

I have a external hard drive connected, Finder will not let me search for files in the external hard drive how do i search in a hard drive

i have a external hard drive connected, Finder will not let me search for files in the external hard drive how do i search in a hard drive

What are you using to search? You should be able to search any drive in from the Finder. If you're having trouble, try "EasyFind" from the App Store (free). You can search any volumes with it.
Clinton

How do I make a backup of my TC using a second external Hard drive?

Its only a matter of time when my TC crashes (not IF, but when). What I would like to do is attach an external hard drive to the TC and then perhaps weekly copy the TC to that hard drive so WHEN my TC crashes, I have a backup that can be restored on the new TC unit when I have to replace it.
Hopefully I don't sound too cynical!!!!
Hope all had a great holiday...
Looking forward to hearing how to do this.
Skip

William Huisking1 wrote:
1. Partition this RAID 1 drive for a second TM backup (TC being the first), A superduper backup, and perhaps a misc. partition for misc. files
I don't think you can partition a RAID set. I believe you'd have to partition each drive identically, so you have, say partitions A, B, and C on each drive. Then set up three RAID sets, each consisting of the pair of corresponding partitions (1A + 2A, 1B + 2B, 1C + 2C).
2. Setting it up as a RAID 1 would give me extra security. If/when one of the 1 TB goes down, I can swap out.
Personally, I think it's overkill, and not the best approach. A RAID set only protects you against one of the RAID drives failing. The best protection is (at least) two separate, independent backups, preferably one off-site. That protects you against all sorts of things.
Anyway, I created this RAID 1 and it is recognized by my MBP but when I plug into the TC, I don't see it on the network. I plugged in a portable HD that I had and it is recognized. But plugging in the RAID just doesn't show up. I know its configured properly because I plug into my IMAC or MBP, both quickly mount it. I tried airport application and it all looks ok, I can see both of the RAID drives when cliking on the TM icon.
If you see them both, then they're not recognized as being in a RAID set.
I don't know, but it's entirely possible Time Machine (or Time Capsule) won't recognize a RAID set as a destination. They're normally used mostly for "active" service, not backups.

I recently had to back up itunes play lists to external hard drive, how do I restore the library from the external hard drive to the new computer

I recently had to back up itunes play lists to external hard drive whilst computer was fixed. reinstalled itunes but dont know how to reinstall my music from external hard drive. help?

The same way the library was copied/moved to the external drive.
Copy it from location A to location B.
Then point iTunes to the correct library.

Second external hard drive - how to?

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