Using external HD for backup with Macbook Pro

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Level 1

9 points

Using external HD for backup with Macbook Pro

Hi. I've got a Macbook Pro 4.1 with a 300 GB primary HD running OS X v10.5.8. Am about to connect a 2.0 TB external drive in an OWC mercury Elite Pro enclosure via an eSATA controller card.

My partition scheme is as follows:

1st partition: 950 GB (for storage, etc.),

2nd partition: 600 GB (2X capacity of primary for TM backup),

3rd bootable partition: 450 GB (1.5X capacity of primary for Carbon Copy Cloner).

I know I can't boot the external through an eSATA connection, but in the event that I would need to boot up from the CCC partition, I would temporarily switch the connection on the drive to FireWire 800 for emergency boot up only and retain the eSATA connection which I understand is faster, for my normal day to day operations.

As I am currently restricted to using the one external HD, does the above sound like a reasonably workable and sound configuration?

Posted on Aug 22, 2012 7:21 AM

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Answer 1

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Limnos

Level 10

411,109 points

Aug 22, 2012 7:28 AM in response to stopmotion

Remember that whatever's on that 950 GB partition is not backed up. Personally I don't like too many paritions but one thought would be to split it into two with one acting as a backup of the other. This won't guard against mechanical failure of the drive but would help in a case of directory corruption or maybe a bad sector.

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Answer 2

stopmotion Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 22, 2012 9:09 AM in response to Limnos

Thanks for your reply. I am aware that the 950 GB partition would not be backed up. Thanks for your suggestion to remedy that.

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