Back up HD NOT using Time machine

[matteusclement]

Not as if I don't like time machine, but i don't need the constant back ups.
What I need is one snap shot of a fresh install that i am about to do. All the important info I have is on multiple external hard drives.
Again:
1. I am going to format
2. re-install all my programs
3. take a "snap shot" of my hard drive

then in the future, if my internal gets messy, I can just back up.
Should I make a partition on the external then create my internal as a disc image?

imac intel dup core 2ghz
osx 10.5.6
4 gigs ram
250 gig internal
320 x 2 external fw

 

[r.j.s]

Just use SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the snapshot to the external.

 

[tlauer1]

Step 1: Turn on Time Machine
Step 2: Backup with Time Machine
Step 3: Turn off Time Machine

 

[LtRammstein]

At my IT job we use Norton Ghost or Acronis for doing image backups of computers.

 

[r.j.s]

At my IT job we use Norton Ghost or Acronis for doing image backups of computers.

Neither of those work on Mac, but if the OP wants an image instead of a clone, Disk Utility will do it - although, I think you might have to boot from the install DVD.

 

[matteusclement]

with the time machine do I have to dedicate a whole hard drive to it?

 

[uaecasher]

with the time machine do I have to dedicate a whole hard drive to it?

no can use partition of hard disk

 

[LouisBlack]

no can use partition of hard disk

You don't even need a whole partition. TM creates a folder which will happily live with other files and folders.

 

[r.j.s]

You don't even need a whole partition. TM creates a folder which will happily live with other files and folders.

As long as the drive/partition is formatted for Mac.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Carbon Copy Cloner and SuperDuper have another advantage over Time Machine: You can boot from the cloned drive. It is very simple to restore. You only need to make a partition equal in size to the partition you are cloning.