Backup

fryke, I think most people use CDs and DVDs also for backup purposes. ...

You can tell Time Machine to only backup certain files. ...

I think attention should be given to choosing the right size for the backup disk. ...

Actually, Time Machine simply uses what's there - and very well so. :) 1.) It first backs up completely, so you have one full, complete backup. 2.) Now it adds, every hour, any changes. 3.) After 24h it deletes the hourly changes and keeps a daily change. 4.) After a week it forgets the daily changes and keeps a weekly change.

that timemachine uses up backup hard disk very quickly. ...

month for a GB, and automatic backup over Internet. I've installed it for a whole bunch of customers. I even use it myself... ...

I want to buy an external Harddisk to backup all of my photo's music etc. ...

entourage to quit before backup with a message notification and a 2 minute delay before shutdown. ...

If you wait until then, be sure to lose information (unless you make a backup from every thing you do). Also cloning a drive is a lot faster and if done well, you will keep all settings completely up to date. Otherwise a restore might be needed and even worse, data assumed to be oke can be corrupted. It is like being on a rope with a safety net which very large holes in it....

install the new harddrive, clone the backup onto the new harddrive, then get rid of the old drive. Anything else might lose you some files and nerves. ...