Backing up external on MBP to TC

[MacBoobsPro]

I have a MacBookPro and a 1TB external that contains my iTunes library. The drive is not always attached as the MBP is used by all the family and moves around the house.

I have a TimeCapsule that I would like to use to back up the iTunes library on the external. How messy is it going to be setting up TimeMachine to back up the external to the TC? Will the external not being connected when it tries to back up cause problems or will it just not back up at that time?

Cheers

 

[mstrze]

How about connecting that iTunes drive to the TC so everyone can access it wirelessly? If it's USB, it's a no-brainer and will plug right in to the USB port on the Time Capsule.

BUT, to actually answer your question, you can back it up. When it is connected to the computer where you have TM specify to back it up, it will when it is re-connected.

Meaning, specify on your laptop to backup the drive. When it is connected it will backup, when it isn't, it won't of course, and shouldn't give an error I would think.

I do this in a way...a little backwards...I back up my wife's MB to an external HDD that is only connected for backup purposes maybe once a week. It doesn't bug her that the TM drive is not connected and will update when it is connected.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

How about connecting that iTunes drive to the TC so everyone can access it wirelessly? If it's USB, it's a no-brainer and will plug right in to the USB port on the Time Capsule.

BUT, to actually answer your question, you can back it up. When it is connected to the computer where you have TM specify to back it up, it will when it is re-connected.

Meaning, specify on your laptop to backup the drive. When it is connected it will backup, when it isn't, it won't of course, and shouldn't give an error I would think.

I do this in a way...a little backwards...I back up my wife's MB to an external HDD that is only connected for backup purposes maybe once a week. It doesn't bug her that the TM drive is not connected and will update when it is connected.

Thanks for the info. I used to have the library on the TC but iTunes was slow because of lag when starting up TC and connection to appletv kept dropping out. Also with the TC most likely to die like the rest soon I thought I'd better get it onto a more robust drive and use the TC as backup. I'll give it a shot. Just gotta go through a 600Gb initial back up. Doh!

 

[mstrze]

Thanks for the info. I used to have the library on the TC but iTunes was slow because of lag when starting up TC and connection to appletv kept dropping out. Also with the TC most likely to die like the rest soon I thought I'd better get it onto a more robust drive and use the TC as backup. I'll give it a shot. Just gotta go through a 600Gb initial back up. Doh!

Just to be clear, I was not advocating hosting your iTunes library ON your TC HDD, but on the external ATTACHED to the USB port of your TC.

Every user should be able to access this drive wirelessly on your home network. And even if the TC drive fails, the wireless network aspect should still work...it would be like a AEBS with a dead HDD inside