Mac/windows backup drive question

domromer · domromer #1 (**permalink**)

04-15-2009, 08:05 PM

I've recently bought a new back up drive and have partioned it into 2 parts.
The first partition is FAT32. On this partition I keep my photos and music. From my reading this is the only format that can be read by Macs and Windows. On the other partition I have formatted it to extended journaled. On this partition I have used Carbon Copy Cloner to create a bootable version of my OS and all files on the HD. I set it up this way so I could bring my back up drive to school and still have access to my music and photos. And also I wanted a bootable version and was told this can only be done with extended journaled with Carbon Copy.

I was at the Mac store today and told the guy what I was doing in terms of backing up. He said it didn't sound like a good idea but couldn't explain why.
I wondered if you guys could comment on this backup system.

bobtomay · bobtomay #2 (**permalink**)

04-15-2009, 08:35 PM

It's a good setup for a backup of your system drive.

It's not a good back up for your pictures and music, because you have no backup for them. And, if that is the only place you have your pics and music, you do realize they are all on a drive that you are using to travel with and more subject to jarring and possibly dropping than otherwise with no back up at all.

domromer · domromer #3 (**permalink**)

04-15-2009, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobtomay

It's a good setup for a backup of your system drive.

It's not a good back up for your pictures and music, because you have no backup for them. And, if that is the only place you have your pics and music, you do realize they are all on a drive that you are using to travel with and more subject to jarring and possibly dropping than otherwise with no back up at all.

Actually the pictures and music are backed up to a 2nd external drive.
So the whole system not including the pics and music are on the first partition.

The 2nd partition is where the photos and music are kept. I actually work straight off that partition in lightroom and itunes. I took these files off my main drive because I only had 30g free on a 500g internal drive. Things were getting really slow as well.

The 2nd drive is Formatted FAT32 and is the backup of the first drive as the first drive has the whole system backed up. I only back up the mussic and pics to the 2nd drive. So I have 2 copies of everything.

bobtomay · bobtomay #4 (**permalink**)

04-15-2009, 10:06 PM

With all data located on two separate drives, you should be in pretty good shape.

bobtomay #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Dec 22, 2006 Location: Texas, where else? Posts: 21,786 Mac Specs: 15" MBP 2.33 C2D 256 4GB, MBA 13" i7 1.8, MB 2.0 2GB, Nano 4th, 3GS, iPad 1	04-15-2009, 08:35 PM It's a good setup for a backup of your system drive. It's not a good back up for your pictures and music, because you have no backup for them. And, if that is the only place you have your pics and music, you do realize they are all on a drive that you are using to travel with and more subject to jarring and possibly dropping than otherwise with no back up at all. I cannot be held responsible for the things that come out of my mouth. In the Windows world, most everything folks don't understand is called a virus. Place your vote for our Member of the Month
	QUOTE Thanks

bobtomay #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Dec 22, 2006 Location: Texas, where else? Posts: 21,786 Mac Specs: 15" MBP 2.33 C2D 256 4GB, MBA 13" i7 1.8, MB 2.0 2GB, Nano 4th, 3GS, iPad 1	04-15-2009, 10:06 PM With all data located on two separate drives, you should be in pretty good shape. I cannot be held responsible for the things that come out of my mouth. In the Windows world, most everything folks don't understand is called a virus. Place your vote for our Member of the Month
	QUOTE Thanks

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domromer #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Sep 30, 2007 Posts: 122	04-15-2009, 08:05 PM I've recently bought a new back up drive and have partioned it into 2 parts. The first partition is FAT32. On this partition I keep my photos and music. From my reading this is the only format that can be read by Macs and Windows. On the other partition I have formatted it to extended journaled. On this partition I have used Carbon Copy Cloner to create a bootable version of my OS and all files on the HD. I set it up this way so I could bring my back up drive to school and still have access to my music and photos. And also I wanted a bootable version and was told this can only be done with extended journaled with Carbon Copy. I was at the Mac store today and told the guy what I was doing in terms of backing up. He said it didn't sound like a good idea but couldn't explain why. I wondered if you guys could comment on this backup system.
	QUOTE Thanks

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