Best way to maximize an external HD

[freeformula]

I have an EZQuest 250 GB cobra External HD. I'm about to back-up the entire volume of my Powerbook. That's around 45GB or so, and I'll be using Dantz Retrospect Express.
I also want to save my video files on it, as well make it my target drive for iTunes for all my suceeding CD rips.
What's the best way to set up the External HD? Do I need to partition it? Would it be better to make two volumes on the HD and use one for back-ups and the other for the video and audio files? This is the first time I'm doing this and I don't want to mess-up and lose more data! Any tips?

[Henjie]

Originally posted by freeformula
I have an EZQuest 250 GB cobra External HD. I'm about to back-up the entire volume of my Powerbook. That's around 45GB or so, and I'll be using Dantz Retrospect Express.
I also want to save my video files on it, as well make it my target drive for iTunes for all my suceeding CD rips.
What's the best way to set up the External HD? Do I need to partition it? Would it be better to make two volumes on the HD and use one for back-ups and the other for the video and audio files? This is the first time I'm doing this and I don't want to mess-up and lose more data! Any tips?

Create separate partitions, one each for your video files, your PB backup, and your iTunes library.

Just remember that the 1st partition (outer portion of the hard drive) is the fastest partition, just in case you're also thinking of using the external drive as an FCP or Photoshop scratch disk. :-)

Hope this helps!


~Henjie

[freeformula]

Thanks Henjie! Somehow, I knew you'd be the first to answer. I'll give your suggestion a try.

[Henjie]

Pahabol: make the last (slowest) partition the iTunes partition 'coz you don't need a fast read speed to listen to MP3s/AACs. Sobra-sobra na ang .03MB/s. ;-)


~Henjie

[freeformula]

When I make the first, second and third (last) partitions, does it follow the order as I create them on the empty HD?

[freeformula]

Henjie!

Does this look right? Does this mean the partition on top is the first and fastest partition?

[Henjie]

Originally posted by freeformula
Henjie!

Does this look right? Does this mean the partition on top is the first and fastest partition?

Yup. :-)


~Henjie

[Eric]

Just got an external Firewire casing (the Aluminum one that Henjie suggested in another thread) w/ the Oxford chipset and a 160Gb Western Digital ATA HD. Problem is, after plugging it in to my Mac, Disk Utility cannot detect the drive. Any ideas why?

TIA.

Eric

[chairman]

Originally posted by Eric
Just got an external Firewire casing (the Aluminum one that Henjie suggested in another thread) w/ the Oxford chipset and a 160Gb Western Digital ATA HD. Problem is, after plugging it in to my Mac, Disk Utility cannot detect the drive. Any ideas why?

TIA.

Eric

I'm not sure if we got the same enclosure. i bought one yesterday. Make sure that the jumper settings for your HD are correct. If your enclosure came with a short manual/instructions, the settings should be there.

[Henjie]

Originally posted by Eric
Just got an external Firewire casing (the Aluminum one that Henjie suggested in another thread) w/ the Oxford chipset and a 160Gb Western Digital ATA HD. Problem is, after plugging it in to my Mac, Disk Utility cannot detect the drive. Any ideas why?

TIA.

What Chairman said. Check the jumper setting on the hard drive. It should be set to Master, not Slave or Cable Select.

Or try to restart your Mac while the external Firewire enclosure is on.


~Henjie