Hard Disk Space on IMac and Time Capsule

hi. i am looking at purchasing an imac (slowly migrating from pc). configuring the system, i am thinking about getting the 1tb hard disk vs. the 640. however, i already have the time capsule with the 500 disk space. we also already have a 1tb mybook external disk. we also have my kid's macbook pro laptop attached to our network for automatic backups.

- if i get the 1tb imac, can i set imac backup to automatically backup to mybook external hard disk instead of timecapsule? eventually there will not be enough space on current timecapsule.

thanks.

You can set time machine to backup to any connected disk resource it can communicate to (directly attached disks like USB drives work great, it's harder to get networked drives that aren't Time Capsules to work right all the time though)

ok, so if i connect external mybook hard disk directly to time capsule via the usb, i should be good to go (will need to setup etec), right? (i'm computer challenged)

...then i'll push enter to submit order.

Dysfunction said:

You can set time machine to backup to any connected disk resource it can communicate to (directly attached disks like USB drives work great, it's harder to get networked drives that aren't Time Capsules to work right all the time though)

Click to expand...

...and is the apple care protection worth it? i know it's only 169 but...it's the economy.

I have exactly that set up - 1TB MyBook hooked up (when I'm at home) to my MBP. Backs up both the internal drive and a USB external that was my old internal now in an enclosure.

I'll also use the MyBook to back up my wife's Macbook since it's so huge space wise.

I got Applecare for both of our original Macbooks, and it saved me about US$2,000 worth of repairs. The Applecare I bought for my original Macbook is still good so the neighbor I sold it to (actually traded for a Wii Fit and some cash) will be able to get it repaired for about another 8 months or so.

I've opted to wait until the end of the one year warrantee on my new MBP to get Applecare, but will definitely get it. On one hand you can say portables live a slightly harsher life since they get moved around and stuffed in bags, but the repairs I had done could have happened to an iMac as well (screen inverter went out on wife's, needed logic board and DVD drive replaced on mine.)

walkerj - do you use timemachine (i hope i have the names accurate) (s/w on your macs) to automatically backup to the mybook? a 'set it and forget it' scenario.

are you using timecapsule (the hardware) somewhere in your network?

here's what i think i'm trying to work out (i'm challenged)....

i'll have these pieces (imac (1tb), 1 pc, 1 occasional mbp, mybook external (1tb), timecapsule (500g),comcast modem for internet, a wireless-g broadband router, wireless allinone printer, 2nd phoneline for fax, ethernet a work-only pc) and put them all together to work efficiently. in other words, a good strategy for a network.

i should add that wireless router existed prior to timecapsule and i think it is not set up most efficiently. (i think i shouldn't need the wireless g).

any help?

yea, I use my 1tb mybook as a time machine backup device. There should be no reason to with the time capsule, from what I know that works well.

I plug in my mybook and it just backs up.. after you've setup the drive in your time machine preferences that is.

margaret438 said:

walkerj - do you use timemachine (i hope i have the names accurate) (s/w on your macs) to automatically backup to the mybook? a 'set it and forget it' scenario.

Click to expand...

Yep, it automatically does just that. I don't even notice it working except for the spinny icon in the menu bar and when I go into Time Machine it tells me when the last backup was. This only when I'm at home though since I don't take the Mybook to work.

are you using timecapsule (the hardware) somewhere in your network?

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No, I didn't get one of those. I think a Macbook, a Macbook Pro, a Mac Mini, an Apple Mighty Mouse/bluetooth, four iPods and an iPhone is more than enough Apple hardware in my house.

here's what i think i'm trying to work out (i'm challenged)....

i'll have these pieces (imac (1tb), 1 pc, 1 occasional mbp, mybook external (1tb), timecapsule (500g),comcast modem for internet, a wireless-g broadband router, wireless allinone printer, 2nd phoneline for fax, ethernet a work-only pc) and put them all together to work efficiently. in other words, a good strategy for a network.

i should add that wireless router existed prior to timecapsule and i think it is not set up most efficiently. (i think i shouldn't need the wireless g).

any help?

Click to expand...

Looks like you have pretty much the same kind of stuff I have, and it all works real good. We're all wireless as far as internet is concerned, the only wired being the USB to the Mybook.

Thanks. Will order tonite and let the countdown to delivery begin.