TM: two Macs, one HDD... Are partitions needed?

[buffalo]

I have a 500GB WD MyBook HDD backing up my iMac G5 and MacBook. When I set up the HDD I created a 150GB partition for the MB and 350GB for the iMac. I am now wondering if this is necessary. Can TM back up more than one mac on one partitions? If so, is it possible to merge my two current partitions back into one without erasing the data?

Thanks!

 

[TheStu]

I have a 500GB WD MyBook HDD backing up my iMac G5 and MacBook. When I set up the HDD I created a 150GB partition for the MB and 350GB for the iMac. I am now wondering if this is necessary. Can TM back up more than one mac on one partitions? If so, is it possible to merge my two current partitions back into one without erasing the data?

Thanks!

Within Disk Utility, all but the last partition can be resized larger (basically, you can only drag the partition resizer down). So if you were to copy the files off the smaller partition and put them onto the larger one, you could then delete the small partition and resize the larger one.

 

[iPhil]

I have a 500GB WD MyBook HDD backing up my iMac G5 and MacBook. When I set up the HDD I created a 150GB partition for the MB and 350GB for the iMac. I am now wondering if this is necessary. Can TM back up more than one mac on one partitions? If so, is it possible to merge my two current partitions back into one without erasing the data?

Thanks!

From the info on TM that i know: TM will create one folder for each machine no need for partition..

 

[buffalo]

ok thanks! I will move the MacBook partition into the iMac partition then erase. Will Time Machine in the MacBook recognize that it's backups are in the new partition or will it want to start over with a new folder?

Also, irrelevant question... I used Archive and Install on my MacBook... Do I need the previous systems folder or can it be sent to the trash?

 

[iPhil]

Once re-partition the drive, I would create new TM folder for each machine ..