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Odd question: 500GB how long over FW and Ethernet?

MacBoobsPro

MacBoobsPro

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 10, 2006
5,114
6
I have an external 500GB drive thats pretty much full (iTunes Library) I want to get the library onto my Time Capsule but the 500GB drive only has USB or FW400. That means I can only connect it to my MBP using USB and when I start the transfer this way it says it is going to take about 2 days which by the time it actually finishes will be about 4 days because USB is pants.

Anyhoo, my only other option is to use my old MacBook with FireWire 400 and Ethernet to the TC. Would this make things any faster?
So to clarify 500 drive to MB via FW400, then MB to TC via ethernet.

Better still can you think of a better way?

EDIT: What if I plug the drive directly into the TC and copy it over via the MBP?

Freakin' Apple and there constant port changing crap! I cant even hook my MBP to my TV either. Arseholes! I wouldnt even have this problem if they made an AppleTV with a decent sized harddrive.
 
Why exactly can't you connect it to your MBP over FireWire? You just need a FW800 to FW400 adapter.
 
I have a 13" unibody MBP and I use it frequently with a firewire 400 drive for backups. All you need is a little connecting plug (got mine from Amazon) that connects firewire 400 drive to the MBP's FW800 port. The connectors are cheap and work very well. No need to fool around with multiple systems.
 
your drive is old and crap,,. dont blame the usb, it will go as fast as your drive allow, just plug it in and allow it recalculate the time,. think about it 4 days, really.. (am not sure if usb 1 is that slow either)
 
old-wiz said:
I have a 13" unibody MBP and I use it frequently with a firewire 400 drive for backups. All you need is a little connecting plug (got mine from Amazon) that connects firewire 400 drive to the MBP's FW800 port. The connectors are cheap and work very well. No need to fool around with multiple systems.
Click to expand...

I was told there was no adapter available for 400 to 800. Mind you I was in PC World and as well as being stupid enough to actually be in there I was even more stupid for believing the guy. :eek:

sonspot said:
your drive is old and crap,,. dont blame he usb, it will go as fast as your drive allow, just plug it in and allow it recalculate the time,. think about it 4 days, really..
Click to expand...

The drive is an Iomega Minimax which is neither old or crap. As I migrated to a MBP (from a MB with both USB and FW400 - like the 500GB) it limited me to only using USB. Transfering 500GB over USB would take ages as it only peaks at its maximum speed unlike FW that remains constant. So think about it... 4 days... really!
 
OP i have 4 external drive, all usb, i've been cleaning up my pc, i can say for sure i've transfer over 2.5TB in the last two days and it did not take days to for 500gb at a time,. dont bash the hardware if you dont anything about it, thats all, saying that, i still think its not the usb..
 
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