Time Machine question (multiple drives)

[Zyniker]

So, here's a question:
What happens when you use Time Machine to backup multiple drives (let's keep it simple here and say one internal, one external)? How are the two backups distinguished from one another in the sparsebundle?
If one wanted to restore one drive, but not the other, how would one go about doing so? What if one wants to restore both drives?

When using the Leopard install DVD to restore via Time Machine backups, there are no configuration options for restoring to/from multiple drives. The only options are selecting a particular backup from the Time Machine drive and selecting a destination (note: singular!).

 

[RoninXI]

When you actually go into the time machine app it won't matter to you, it kept separate because what you will see is the current folder and that folder's history no matter which drive or partition it is on. I have 2 internal drives and it saves it all as 1 backup with information in it telling it the path /users/you/whatever or /volumes/whatever, it does not care what it is as long as the path exists it is happy. As far as using it as a backup during a reinstall using time machine I am sure it would try and do both drives since it just backups and restores everything (again as long as the path exists).

 

[Zyniker]

I guess I'll have to test it at some point...I'll restore a Time Machine backup with two drives to another machine with only one internal drive. I guess we'll see if Time Machine attempts to do anything with the data from the external drive. If not...this seems like a serious oversight on Apple's part.