Connecting external HD to 2 Macs possible?

[Mr.Bullitt]

Hi guys!


I currently have just a MBP, but I am in 2010 looking to also get an iMac to replace my current 4 year old PC workstation.

I am curious about if it is possible to connect an external hard-drive to 2 computers at the same time.

e.g some of the Lacie and iOmega drives have 2 FireWire 800 ports, besides the USB ports, so I was thinking if it was possible to hook up both the iMac and MBP to the same drive?

But, is there a risk of conflicts and data corruption?

I think it could be a great way of sharing files between the 2 computers.

Another question is - would Time Machine work in this way?

 

[bartelby]

Why not buy a network drive such as a Lacie Networkspace?

 

[robbieduncan]

You need something that has a fileserver in it and connects via a network. Connecting the two firewire ports to two different machines will result in failure.

 

[belvdr]

Or a SAN.

 

[Mr.Bullitt]

You need something that has a fileserver in it and connects via a network. Connecting the two firewire ports to two different machines will result in failure.

This is something like this I was worried about. But why the h*ll do they put multiple FireWire800 ports on the machine then?????


Will it also results in failure if I connect e.g. iMac via Firewire and then the MBP via USB ? (or maybe via eSata, if I buy an expresscard for it?)


Cheers!

 

[bartelby]

This is something like this I was worried about. But why the h*ll do they put multiple FireWire800 ports on the machine then?????

To daisychain devices...

 

[robbieduncan]

Will it also results in failure if I connect e.g. iMac via Firewire and then the MBP via USB ? (or maybe via eSata, if I buy an expresscard for it?)

Yes. Unless it is networked/acting as a fileserver both machines will think they have total control and mess with each other.

 

[old-wiz]

...
Will it also results in failure if I connect e.g. iMac via Firewire and then the MBP via USB ? (or maybe via eSata, if I buy an expresscard for it?)
Cheers!

Usually the devices are setup so that only one interface can be active at one time.

Even if you could make the connection, the two OSs would each think they own the drive and would result in a total mess. Believe me, I spent years working in OS kernels and I've seen what happens when two processes try to access the same thing at the same time.

Only way you can share is to have the drive attached to one machine and shared to the other machine.

 

[Mr.Bullitt]

Why not buy a network drive such as a Lacie Networkspace?

How is Snow Leopard with NAS???

I understand that Leopard was not so good with NAS

 

[bartelby]

How is Snow Leopard with NAS???

I understand that Leopard was not so good with NAS

I'm not using SL.
I'm using a Lacie with Leopard (I've also got an Iomega NAS) and they've both been fine.

 

[Mr.Bullitt]

I'm not using SL.
I'm using a Lacie with Leopard (I've also got an Iomega NAS) and they've both been fine.

How do you connect it? directly or via a router???

 

[bartelby]

How do you connect it? directly or via a router???

Connected via a wireless router. My desktop is wired, via a switch, to the router. Laptop accessing it wirelessly.

 

[Mr.Bullitt]

Great - you make it sound easy!


Now I am looking at iomega and lacie drives in aluminium and with 2 drives for mirroring.

 

[gauchogolfer]

Have you considered a Time Capsule? Easy solution for your situation.

 

[Mr.Bullitt]

Have you considered a Time Capsule? Easy solution for your situation.

not really, especially now that there have been so much fuzz about their reliability.

Are they not also intended to be back up devices?

I am looking for a "scratch" device for RAW files and AVCHD video editing

My current router has only 100Mbit etherports - so maybe an airport extreeme and then a NAS drive to attach to it???