3 Partitions, is this why Time Machine is so slow?

[infamousguy6]

I have a 250 External Wester Digital HD (USB) (Plugged in directly to MacBook Pro (USB 2.0)). Due to Time Machine, i decided to partition my HD into 3 partitions. First partition (~40 GB) for General Mac use Mac OS Extended (Journaled), Second partition (~100 GB) for Overall General use (movies, music, pics, etc) but this partition is in MS-DOS (FAT 32) because I wanted this partition to show up on both Mac and Windows computers. Now the third partition (~93 GB) also Mac OS Extended (Journaled), titled "Time Machine", i set aside strictly for Time Machine. (Just to keep things organized). When trying to run The First Back Up (~55GB) onto the "Time Machine" partition, the transferring speed is ridiculously slow. I'm talking about like 1MB per 10 SEC. And this is the fastest it will ever go. Overall, it will complete like 1GB in like 3 hrs or so. Does anyone know why these transferring speeds are so slow? And does anyone know if partitioning the HD into 3 Partitions accounts for the slow speeds? Should i re-partition back to 1 Partition (will that go faster)?

 

[tilman]

Second partition (~100 GB) for Overall General use (movies, music, pics, etc) but this partition is in MS-DOS (FAT 32) because I wanted this partition to show up on both Mac and Windows computers.

Movies and FAT 32 don't go well together because of file size limitations in FAT 32. iMovie '08 for example won't even let you use a FAT-32 partition for storing movies.

 

[infamousguy6]

more info

i even quit all possible applications, and have no other apps accessing the HD.

 

[vansouza]

Use Firewire if you can

If you have the option use firewire 800 if you want speed, else USB is what is slowing you down. Of course the first TimeMachine backup will take a while regardless.

 

[infamousguy6]

Its All Good

NEVER MIND. IT WORKS!!!!! HELL YEA. GOING GOOD SPEED NOW! (shhh i dont want to jinx it)