Can I save files to the external hard drive if I am time machinging to that hard drive? Not while time machine is doing it's thing of course, but any other time.

KP. wrote:

I have a 2 TB Toshiba external hard drive that I want to save files to and also time machine to it (is that called making it a time capsule?). I want to know if this is possible before I reformat the drive to the 'journaled' format to make it usable for time machining. And if it is possible, how do I do it? Just save/transfer stuff to the external hard drive like I normally would or do I have to di something different? I just can't afford to have all 77 GB of my pictures on my internal hard drive anymore.

Also, I am mainly trying to set up time machine so I can have a backup before I upgrade from Snow Leopard to Mavericks.

Thank you!

Time capsule is an Apple product, a combination router/HD specific for wireless TimeMachine.

You can use Ext HD for saving files to etc as well

Time Machine needs it own partition and needs to be the first partition on the Harddrive.

Reformatting the drive GUID, extended journeled

Done through DiskUtility

You can SAVE files to the same drive you are using for Time Machine backups but is isn';t really suggested you do that. It is best to have a separate external drive for TM backups and another external for Saving copies of files from your internal drive.

That way if either drive fails, which they do all to often, at least you have the other drive with your files and or a TM backup of those files on it.