Partitioning a 1TB into 2 x 500GB - Bad Idea?

[simplymuzik3]

I plan on getting a 1TB external hard drive for use with my 13" MBP. I plan on partitioning the HDD into 2 x 500GB. One for time machine and the other for my media files. I herd that time machine doesn't work well when you use it with partitioned drives like I wanted to do. Has anyone had any problems using a partitioned drive (some for Time Machine along with another partition)? Can you please give me some advice! Thanks so much!

 

[Saturn1217]

I use a partitioned 1.5TB drive for time machine as well as other stuff and thus far I've never experienced a problem.

I think that as long as time machine has its own partition you'll be okay. It is physically possible to have time machine backup to a volume (aka a partition) that also has other files on it and I think this is not recommended.

I could be wrong (recent switcher) but everything I've read seems to indicate you'll be just fine.

 

[gr8tfly]

It works fine. I've been running a partitioned external for Time Machine since Leopard came out with no problems.

 

[crazzyeddie]

I also use a partitioned drive. No problems.

 

[txhockey9404]

I used that setup a while ago, but had 300 for media and 700 for Time Machine. Just remember that if that drive were to die, you would lose your media as well as your backups. I strongly recommend 2 500gb DRIVES rather than partitions. My 1TB died and I lost everything. It took me 4 months to recoup and redownload everything. Immediately after that death, I bought a 500gb and a 750gb as replacements. Now I just upgraded the drives to 1TB and 1.5TB, so my setup is still similar.

Go for the 2 separate drives. While the partitioning will be fine for the disk itself, when it does die (and it inevitably will) you will lose EVERYTHING.

 

[gr8tfly]

I used that setup a while ago, but had 300 for media and 700 for Time Machine. Just remember that if that drive were to die, you would lose your media as well as your backups. I strongly recommend 2 500gb DRIVES rather than partitions. My 1TB died and I lost everything. It took me 4 months to recoup and redownload everything. Immediately after that death, I bought a 500gb and a 750gb as replacements. Now I just upgraded the drives to 1TB and 1.5TB, so my setup is still similar.

Go for the 2 separate drives. While the partitioning will be fine for the disk itself, when it does die (and it inevitably will) you will lose EVERYTHING.

Just depends on what you put on the non Time Machine partition. It can be used for scratch space, too.