Backup

There is no difference in the internal mechanicms for an internal drive and external one, so if you leave internal running, you can also leaving external running. Ofcourse you can not turn of internal ones. For security reasons and life span, hooking them up only when needed is not a bad idea, but if used on a regular base daily, leave them on all the time. Most drives...

d, is just asking for trouble some day. I have 7 drives with 4 external. The combinations and flexibility make this the way to go. Carbon Copy Cloner is the only backup tool I use or will ever need and it is free!!! ...

I have worried about my externals wearing out, so I use them primarily as backup and for video files when running FCP. As a result these drives are only on and mounted when I need them. ...

If you move the preference file, and the library data files, iTunes will act like new and ask to import all songs in your home folder again. Not sure if you'll need enough space for a second library, or if iTunes will just move the files.. or if song info might be lost, so backup.

manages to repair anything. If Safe boot, fsck, and Disk Utility's repair permissions and repair disk don't give resuls, I'd save all the files somewhere on a backup and wipe it with a clean 10.2 install. ...

About having the backup - never having the need for it gives some false sense of security. As I tell my customers - the neighbor is always right - it happens to the neighbor. Dual drive = 2 separate 500gb drives, not 1 split into 2 times a 500gb drive. Good luck, Kees

The only thing you truly need to backup is your serial number. ...

Ofcourse we start by making the first, but encounter almost every day customers who think that is enough. And because backups are seldomly needed, most users think they are 100% safe with one backup. Next to the fact that in this case the stuff on the external drive will not be a backup, but the 'original'. Good luck, Kees

backup in place. Thank Steve for TimeMachine. I'm pretty sure it'll get more people to backup their stuff. ...

Do not use external drives for backup purposes other than temporary. ...