Can I Back Up Files With Blank Blu Ray Discs?

[JPM42]

So I have a Macbook (13" 2008 model) and iMac (20" 2006 Intel Core Duo model) and just purchased Snow Leopard to upgrade the machines. Given my preference for a clean install, I would obviously need to back up my data. However, my back up external drive broke a little while back and trying to get another one (I'd need 1 TB) just isn't feasible financially at the moment.

So with the option of backing up the files to blank Blu Ray discs being a cheaper option, would that be possible? Or does Apple not supporting Blu Ray affect this? Or does it only affect official motion picture Blu Ray discs?

Was just wondering how feasible this would be.

Thanks!

 

[grapes911]

Unless you added it yourself, I doubt you have a Blu Ray drive in your machine since Apple does not sell them. So the answer is probably no.

Edit:
They made it a little more complicated in Snow Leopard, but you can still do an archive and install.
http://intlect.com/how-to-archive-and-install-os-x-snow-leopard/

 

[Flynnstone]

Best price I can see is $60 for 30 or $2 per disk.

1T / 25G = 40 disks => $80.
NewEgg has 1T hard drive for $80.

So same price. Hard drive is much simpler!

I assume you don't have a bluray writer, so need to add that to cost.

Again harddrive is cheaper & easier.

 

[Gator24765]

you would prolly have to get a blueray burner.. external hard drive is the way to go

 

[Fishrrman]

"So I have a Macbook (13" 2008 model) and iMac (20" 2006 Intel Core Duo model) and just purchased Snow Leopard to upgrade the machines. Given my preference for a clean install, I would obviously need to back up my data. However, my back up external drive broke a little while back and trying to get another one (I'd need 1 TB) just isn't feasible financially at the moment."

I don't see where buying a BluRay burner and blank BluRay discs is going to be a cheaper solution for backups.

I'd like to offer an alternative -- it will get you back in business for $100 or less:

First, get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Syba-Connecla...?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1253062702&sr=1-22

Then, go to newegg.com (or your source of choice), and get one or two "bare" SATA hard drives. You can check dealmac.com daily for the best deals on drives.

Then, download CarbonCopyCloner which is absolutely free.

If you get only one bare drive, buy one that is large enough to hold the contents of BOTH Macs, and then partition the backup drive. Then use CCC to create a bootable dupe of each drive onto the separate partitions.

Or -- buy two drives (can be smaller in capacity). Then, each Mac will have it's own "target drive" for your dupe.

Once you have upgraded the Macs, you can now use the USB/SATA dock to do your backups on a regular basis -- again, with CCC.

I suggest you AVOID Time Machine. CCC is SUPERIOR in almost every way (waiting for the responses from others with their "CCC and TM are for different purposes" mantras to chime in!).

If the external drive you have uses a SATA drive inside, you might consider opening the case, and trying THAT drive in the USB/SATA dock, too. It might just come alive again.

Don't waste your money on an external BluRay burner. For $29, the USB/SATA dock I bought is one of the most useful hardware tools I've ever seen, for accessing and swapping drives.