New MBP, External HD Options?

[clubvulgar]

I just received my new MBP. I am having a hard time figuring out my external HD configurations.

With my previous computer, my iMac, I had one external HD. It was only 160GB, but I used it to backup most of the documents from my internal HD. I also used the external HD to store my iTunes library. When playing music, it would always be played from the external. I figured there would be an advantage to using the external for constantly playing music, rather than having it competing with everything else on my internal. This was all on a machine with OS X 10.4, so time machine was out of the picture.

Now, with the MBP, I want all of the info to be portable. I am considering storing my documents on the internal HD, while still having a small portable external HD for music. Is there any particular advantage to this? Or should I leave it all on the internal and just get one large external HD to use with Time Machine?

Lastly, how does Time Machine use the disc? Does it just create a folder where the redundant info is stored? Can I store other information on it, or does it monopolize the disc?

How do you other MBP owners' have your external HD's set up?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

I'll just describe my setup:

I have my internal 250, external 320, and external 1TB (also external 300 but unused).

The 250 (apps , docs, and copy of music collection) and the 300(photos and videos) are backed up onto the 1TB with unimportant data floating on the remaining space.

All this is automated by SuperDuper. I don't use time machine because I don't jive with its teachings.

Soon I will install a smallish SSD (probably intel, 80GB) and keep only documents and apps on it, with all of my media at home (because when I'm on the go I'll have my iPhone).

Ultimately its up to you. If your machine is desktop bound you can keep what you wish on the external, but since i'll be using mine on the go as well as at home, i'll keep all of my "fun" stuff at home, with my important docs on the go (since I use it for work also).

I'll soon be purchasing a license for PGP Whole Disk Encryption for Mac which will also cover my external drives in case of a catastrophic loss.

 

[drichards]

I have a 320GB hdd in my MBP, a 160GB ext firewire portable, a 500GB WD MyBook Studio filled with movies, and two 250GB ext usb for backups. The two usb drives don't see much use, but they're good to keep around.

 

[surgedc5]

just got my new mbp yesterday aswell, i was when i saw the fedex guy, didnt know they ship on sats, ground shipping was only 2days aswell

anyways, my mbp replace my old mb which i had a 500gb my book western digital with firewire/usb

planning on getting a lacie 1tb next

 

[Nadasive]

Time Machine makes another partition of the HDD for itself. For example my G-Tech 1TB G-RAID2 has 2 partitions on it. 500GB for TimeMachine and the other 500GB for other stuff.. now my MBP only has 80GB internal so i only keep all the Important stuff in there, (which is about 300GB's )

Set up your Hard Drive the way that best suits you

 

[GA84]

I have the Hatachi 7K320 internal and the LaCie Litte Big Disk 1TB external.