backing up my iMac G5

[buffalo]

I did a quick search of the Guides and the Forum. Nothing came up, but I easily could've missed something.

What I'm looking for is some guide to backing up a Mac. I've never done it before, so I don't know where to start.

My basic questions are... What kind of external HDD should I buy? About how much should I expect it to cost? Is there any software I will need or is it as simple as dragging stuff over?


Thanks!

 

[Queso]

There are several free bits of software that will do the backup for you by cloning your HD onto an external drive. I use Silverkeeper from Lacie.

As for the drive, make sure it's at least as big as your internal HD, and go for a FireWire one for faster throughput.

 

[emptyCup]

You could drag your hard drive icon over to your backup drive but most people use some program. You will find many of them here. Many of them are free. I bought SuperDuper! because I like its ability to do automated incremental backups (saves time).

Many places sell hard drives. As dynamicv says, buy one as large as the drive you want to backup. However, it might be wise to buy a bigger one to meet future needs.