Time Machine and Partitions

[osirisX]

This is how my Mac is currently partitioned:
201 GB: Mac OS X Leopard (Only 50 GB is used).
32 GB: Windows Vista.

I would like to change it to this:
100 GB: Mac OS X Leopard.
32 GB: Windows Vista.
101 GB: Time Machine.

Now I know backing up to an internal drive somewhat defeats the purpose. But, at the moment I don't have an external drive and can't really afford one. I currently back up to DVDs but that takes time. I would love to have the automation of Time Machine (I would back up to DVDs once a month just to be safe).

I would just go ahead and partition using Disk Utility's live partitioning, but I'm worried as to how that would affect the boot loader. Basically, what is the best way of going about this?

Disk Utility also had this to say:

 

[TheStu]

This is how my Mac is currently partitioned:
201 GB: Mac OS X Leopard (Only 50 GB is used).
32 GB: Windows Vista.

I would like to change it to this:
100 GB: Mac OS X Leopard.
32 GB: Windows Vista.
101 GB: Time Machine.

Now I know backing up to an internal drive somewhat defeats the purpose. But, at the moment I don't have an external drive and can't really afford one. I currently back up to DVDs but that takes time. I would love to have the automation of Time Machine (I would back up to DVDs once a month just to be safe).

I would just go ahead and partition using Disk Utility's live partitioning, but I'm worried as to how that would affect the boot loader. Basically, what is the best way of going about this?

Disk Utility also had this to say:

Why not
100 OS X
100 Time Machine
32 Windows?

Why have the Time Machine partition at the end of the disk?

 

[osirisX]

Why not
100 OS X
100 Time Machine
32 Windows?

Why have the Time Machine partition at the end of the disk?

I was just adding it to the list. But yeah, that order would be better.

 

[gr8tfly]

Why not
100 OS X
100 Time Machine
32 Windows?

Why have the Time Machine partition at the end of the disk?

That's probably the only way to do it on-the-fly anyway, as Disk Utility won't move partitions.

I don't believe Time Machine will run on the same device as the source, though.

 

[overanalyzer]

I don't believe Time Machine will run on the same device as the source, though.

Even if it will, that seems like it'd reduce the usefulness of the backup a bit anyway. A drive failure or issues would blow away the master and backup. Basically you'd just have file versioning.

 

[osirisX]

It does backup to internal partitions:

It offers up my Windows partition for use.

I also covered it not being as useful in my original post:

Now I know backing up to an internal drive somewhat defeats the purpose. But, at the moment I don't have an external drive and can't really afford one. I currently back up to DVDs but that takes time. I would love to have the automation of Time Machine (I would back up to DVDs once a month just to be safe).

 

[gr8tfly]

Even if it will, that seems like it'd reduce the usefulness of the backup a bit anyway. A drive failure or issues would blow away the master and backup. Basically you'd just have file versioning.

The OP did acknowledge it defeats the purpose, being on the same HD and all. I was commenting I didn't know if Time Machine would allow it on the same device. If not, it sort of makes question of using TM this way moot.

 

[overanalyzer]

I also covered it not being as useful in my original post:

The OP did acknowledge it defeats the purpose, being on the same HD and all. I was commenting I didn't know if Time Machine would allow it on the same device. If not, it sort of makes question of using TM this way moot.

Sorry, somehow I missed that sentence of the OP when I read it. I think 2am and overstuffed from Thanksgiving food is making my mind wander while reading. Please excuse my current uselessness.

 

[gr8tfly]

It does backup to internal partitions:
It offers up my Windows partition for use.

I also covered it not being as useful in my original post:

It offers it, but also says it'll reformat it (since it needs HFS+).