Disk layout... suggestions ?

[macs4all]

I just ordered my FIRST Mac ever !

Dual G5 + 250GB HD + 1GB RAM + 20" Display + FC Express + USB PowerMate + (-soon, sound sticks). I have been planning this for the last year and finally ordered last week (flat screen already arrived and have iSight from WWDC). I have been essentially a Unix guy (Solaris) so my questions are (any pointers to a good web site(S) are also welcomed):

1. How is the disk partitioned under OS X ?
2. I will be doing a lot of video stuff, what is the best way to partition the disk so that apps and data (video) go into a different partition ?
3. Backup suggestions in case of a disk crash, etc.

Thanks !! :)

[Rower_CPU]

Ideally, you want your video work to be on a separate drive from your OS and apps, for best performance. For data backup, however, a separate partition will be fine.

Apple doesn't ship the drives partitioned at all, so the partitioning is pretty much up to you. Make sure you have enough space on your OS drive for all your apps and the documents you'll accumulate there (25 gigs should be plenty), and then point Final Cut Express to use your video partition for all your captures and work files.

As for backups, DVDs work great, and a firewire hard drive is always handy for video work.

[rainman::|:|]

My method is to keep my system on the internal drive, and apps/files/music on a partitioned external drive... i keep a backup of the system on the documents partition, since it's small, and back up my most critical data on the internal. provides a bit of redundancy and a bit of speed (when accessing both the system and files/apps)...

pnw

[macs4all]

Thanks, this is useful. I plan to get an external drive later on to ply around with Panther, etc.