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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Mac Os Tiger Drive Mirroring
jeane - Aug 17, 2005 - 3:50 pm
I just purchased a Mac G5 with OS X Tiger. I had it configured through Apple to have two 400 gb internal hard drives to be able to set them up as mirrored drives. The instructions they give for setting up RAID doesn't seem to be working and when I called Apple for tech support, they told me they could not help me with that. My questions are: (1) has anyone done this successfully without having to erase both drives, including the start up drive and operating system and the 10+ pieces of software I already installed? (2) how did you do it?
Any help will be GREATLY APPRECIATED! This is not my first Mac. I've been using a Mac for 8 years -- G3 (blue & white) and two iMac G3s, so I'm not totally new to Mac but I'm feeling really stupid right now since both the sales rep at the Apple Store I went to told me drive mirroring can be done -- and even accessed the information on the Apple website with me before I placed the order. Now they tell me (tech support) they can't help me with setting it up!
Any help will be GREATLY APPRECIATED! This is not my first Mac. I've been using a Mac for 8 years -- G3 (blue & white) and two iMac G3s, so I'm not totally new to Mac but I'm feeling really stupid right now since both the sales rep at the Apple Store I went to told me drive mirroring can be done -- and even accessed the information on the Apple website with me before I placed the order. Now they tell me (tech support) they can't help me with setting it up!
skapp - Aug 17, 2005 - 5:51 pm
You cannot create a RAID using a drive that already has OS X installed. You would have to erase both drives, boot from the Tiger DVD and then use Disk Utility from the DVD to first create the RAID array and then install OS X.
This is not the best arrangement because if you have a problem with the RAID, then you have lost the operating system as well. The better solution is to use the second drive as a backup of the main drive and use backup software and scheduling to backup the main drive on a regular basis. This way if there's a problem with the main drive, you will have a functioning backup on the other drive.
RAIDs are best used for data redundancy rather than the startup device and mirror.
This is not the best arrangement because if you have a problem with the RAID, then you have lost the operating system as well. The better solution is to use the second drive as a backup of the main drive and use backup software and scheduling to backup the main drive on a regular basis. This way if there's a problem with the main drive, you will have a functioning backup on the other drive.
RAIDs are best used for data redundancy rather than the startup device and mirror.
jeane - Aug 18, 2005 - 7:20 am
Thanks for replying so quickly! I was afraid it was too good to be true. Can't believe I have to tell my boss we need to buy additional software . . . (sigh). But I really love the new G5. Thanks again.
skapp - Aug 18, 2005 - 12:11 pm
The software you need to maintain the backup on the other drive is not costly. Here are some recommendations:
LaCie SilverKeeper (freeware) - will create bootable full backups and incremental backups. Supports scheduling.
Disk Utility (free, part of OS X) - the Restore option makes bootable full backups. Cannot do incremental backups and does not support schedules.
Deja Vu (shareware $25) - will create bootable full backups and incremental backups. Supports scheduling, can backup to a network drive, extremely flexible.
Synchronize! Pro X (shareware $99) - Heavy duty sync and backup. Outstanding software that is very flexible and configurable. Does bootable full backups and incremental backups. Supports scheduling and does almost everything there is to do including network backups.
Retrospect Desktop (commercial $129 and up) - The primo backup software for Macs. Does everything there is to do including multi-disk backups to CDs and DVDs. Lowest priced option provides license for 3 computers. Enterprise solutions are more expensive.
Prices cited are retail for single-use license, except for Retrospect.
LaCie SilverKeeper (freeware) - will create bootable full backups and incremental backups. Supports scheduling.
Disk Utility (free, part of OS X) - the Restore option makes bootable full backups. Cannot do incremental backups and does not support schedules.
Deja Vu (shareware $25) - will create bootable full backups and incremental backups. Supports scheduling, can backup to a network drive, extremely flexible.
Synchronize! Pro X (shareware $99) - Heavy duty sync and backup. Outstanding software that is very flexible and configurable. Does bootable full backups and incremental backups. Supports scheduling and does almost everything there is to do including network backups.
Retrospect Desktop (commercial $129 and up) - The primo backup software for Macs. Does everything there is to do including multi-disk backups to CDs and DVDs. Lowest priced option provides license for 3 computers. Enterprise solutions are more expensive.
Prices cited are retail for single-use license, except for Retrospect.
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