Davecoug2000
Level 1 (4 points)
Notebooks

Q: External Hard Drive-partition

I have a WD My Book external hard drive for Mac that I want to divide in half--1 half for Time Machine back-ups and the 2nd half for pics and video space storage.  Is this possible? How do I do it? Thanks!!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, iOS 10.0.3

Posted on Oct 18, 2016 3:39 PM

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Davecoug2000

Q: External Hard Drive-partition

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  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Oct 18, 2016 3:45 PM in response to Davecoug2000
    Level 10 (314,412 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 18, 2016 3:45 PM in response to Davecoug2000

    1. Yes, but your backups and working data should be on separate drives in case one of them fails.

    2. Choose Utilities from the Finder’s Go menu, open the Disk Utility, and set it up.

     

    (145447)

  • by Davecoug2000,

    Davecoug2000 Davecoug2000 Oct 18, 2016 3:55 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Oct 18, 2016 3:55 PM in response to Niel

    Thanks for responding Niel!

    if you have a moment, here is my storage currently. 

    1.  A macbook pro with 1T flash drive (almost all full)

    2.  A LaCie 1 T external drive (currently my time machine)

    3.  A new 6T MY Book external drive.

    What I want to do is take my growing files (pics vids etc) off the full flash storage on my mac and put on the larger external drive.  Then have them backed up with time machine.  Do you think I need a 3rd and larger external hard drive to replace the 1T drive that I may have outgrown?

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Oct 18, 2016 4:06 PM in response to Davecoug2000
    Level 10 (314,412 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 18, 2016 4:06 PM in response to Davecoug2000

    You should move your Time Machine backups to drive 3, erase drive 2, open the Time Machine pane of System Preferences, click on Options, remove drive 2 from the exclusion list, and then move the files from drive 1 to it. If needed, get a higher capacity drive.

     

    (145448)

  • by Davecoug2000,

    Davecoug2000 Davecoug2000 Oct 18, 2016 4:54 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Oct 18, 2016 4:54 PM in response to Niel

    So, I need to have both external drives connected to the Mac at same time, to do that?

    I don't see my drive#2 (original time machine drive) in the exclusion list.  confused by that step in your response

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Oct 18, 2016 4:56 PM in response to Davecoug2000
    Level 10 (314,412 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 18, 2016 4:56 PM in response to Davecoug2000

    Yes, you do. You won’t be able to remove it from the exclusion list before erasing it.

     

    (145450)