01-28-2008, 02:23 PM

So I have a 750 gig external drive with two partitions, one partition for data, another partition for time machine.

How do i turn off time machine and use the full 750gig for data?

Obviously i can turn off time machine from system preferences, but im looking a bit more info on how to remove time machine's backups and start using the time machine's partition for data, either by combining both partitions in to one or alternatively keeping both partitions and just cancelling time machine from its assigned partition.

01-28-2008, 02:27 PM

You seem to have already figured out the answer. Just turn off Time Machine and use that partition as you would. Or you will have to make the full disk into 1 partition via disk utility. I think you will have to format the disk which will result in data loss although I've heard a lot about Leopard being able to resize partitions without data loss.

And in future if you need to use Time Machine, just use the same disk. TM backups and your data can happily reside on a single partition (as I'm doing right now).

01-28-2008, 02:30 PM

Thanks Goobi. I just don't feel the need for Time Machine as I regularly do backups to DVD anyway.

01-28-2008, 02:44 PM

Only thing I would say is, you can never be too safe. So perhaps use TM to regulary backup and then use DVD for say a monthly archive?

Just my £0.02p

~~ TS ~~

01-28-2008, 03:04 PM

I was in the same position as you just recently. I just turned off Time Machine, formatted the Time Machine partition. But since I wanted to combine the two partitions into one, I had to move all the data from the other partition, create a new single partition, and then transfer the data back. Rather annoying considering there are free Windows programs that can do non-destructive recombining.

01-28-2008, 03:39 PM

Actually even OS X has the capability. I guess it's just not open to the public. I mean, look at Bootcamp. It dynamically creates the partition as well as destroys it. Apple should incorporate that kind of feature in Disk Utility as well (also, make it a little more pretty )

As for backing up to DVD, I'd say it's fine if the data is not ever changing (like photographs and movies). But if it's changing very frequently, then even a week's loss can be really painful...