Two Macs, One external Harddrive

[macswitcha2]

Can one external hard drive be used for an IMac and a macbook? I have a TB external HD and so can it be used for both? I just partitioned the TB HD into two, one for my macbook and the other for my iMac...


Also, when I back up using Time Machine, does it back up all the files like iTunes, my video files, etc, etc?

 

[SqB]

yes and yes. you just can't hook it up to both at once, but you probably already knew that.

 

[macswitcha2]

yes and yes. you just can't hook it up to both at once, but you probably already knew that.

thanks and yes I know it only works on one machine at a time. thanks!

 

[MacMini2009]

A good idea would be if you have an Airport Extreme/Express or a router with a USB port (not sure if you can use a router other than the Airport Extreme/Express), you can hook up the hard drive to the router and back up wirelessly.

 

[macswitcha2]

A good idea would be if you have an Airport Extreme/Express or a router with a USB port (not sure if you can use a router other than the Airport Extreme/Express), you can hook up the hard drive to the router and back up wirelessly.

I do have a router with a usb port, so what you're saying is that I can connect a usb cable from the router to my external hard drive and it will back uo wirelessly?

 

[MacMini2009]

I do have a router with a usb port, so what you're saying is that I can connect a usb cable from the router to my external hard drive and it will back uo wirelessly?

Maybe. I'm positive you can do it with the Airport Extreme/Express, but not sure with other routers. Check your router's software.

 

[macswitcha2]

Can I back up the two macs at the same time?

What if I connect teh macbook into the external HD while it's backing up my iMac, can I back both my iMac and macbook at the same time using two different cords? For instance, i'm backing up my imac using a firewire 800, can I back up my macbook using a usb 2.o cord or a firewire 400?

 

[MacMini2009]

What if I connect teh macbook into the external HD while it's backing up my iMac, can I back both my iMac and macbook at the same time using two different cords? For instance, i'm backing up my imac using a firewire 800, can I back up my macbook using a usb 2.o cord or a firewire 400?

You can try, but I think it will not work. You might jack up your hard drive. Just try connecting your hard drive to your router and see if your Macs can recognize it.

 

[SqB]

you could also plug the drive into the imac and then share it. this way it can stay in one place and you can use it from both computers.

 

[macswitcha2]

you could also plug the drive into the imac and then share it. this way it can stay in one place and you can use it from both computers.

Uh, can you elaborate? How is this done?

 

[SqB]

you would connect the drive to the imac via your preferred method. then go into system preferences/sharing and turn on file sharing. you then select the drive and set up the permissions for the users (just share read/write with everyone if you're behind a firewall and on a secure network). You should then be able to see the drive on your macbook.

You may also want to go back to 1 partition before you get started with all this. There's really no requirement for the partition and you may get frustrated down the road when you want more space on one and don't need as much on the other.

 

[macswitcha2]

you would connect the drive to the imac via your preferred method. then go into system preferences/sharing and turn on file sharing. you then select the drive and set up the permissions for the users (just share read/write with everyone if you're behind a firewall and on a secure network). You should then be able to see the drive on your macbook.

You may also want to go back to 1 partition before you get started with all this. There's really no requirement for the partition and you may get frustrated down the road when you want more space on one and don't need as much on the other.

Ok, all seems well, my macbook sees my imac and my imac sees my macbook.

Now explain the backup process on how I can back up my macbook now? Note, my external HD is connected into my iMac.

 

[SqB]

go into system preferences/time machine and click select disk. You should see the shared drive there. just click on it and hit ok (or apply, can't remember) and it should work, no problem. Your macbook will create a sparsebundle file on the drive that will mount as "backup of macswitcha2's macbook' or something similar depending on what your macbooks name is.

 

[macswitcha2]

thanks...and i do appreciate your time, patience, and eagerness to educate. Its refreshing after discovering that some can care less about your needs as if everyone is an expert.

Thanks!

 

[SqB]

you are welcome. have fun with the new setup.

 

[macswitcha2]

go into system preferences/time machine and click select disk. You should see the shared drive there. just click on it and hit ok (or apply, can't remember) and it should work, no problem. Your macbook will create a sparsebundle file on the drive that will mount as "backup of macswitcha2's macbook' or something similar depending on what your macbooks name is.

Ok I do see in Time Machine Preference my shared Drive. However, the option is only for me to change the disk. What does this mean, how would I now be able to back up both my iMac and my macbook? Seems like its either one or the other.

 

[SqB]

the change disk just means you are changing the backup location to that disk/folder. you can backup multiple machines onto one drive as they will each create their own sparsebundle.

remember that you need to do this step on both computers. the imac might default to the correct place, but you will probably have to select it.

 

[macswitcha2]

ok here's the deal...

I backed up my iMac to a partition on my TB external HD which I designated 465.00GB to.

The other partition is for my macbook. I partitioned it prior to you telling me that I don't have to.

Now, I did the file sharing ad saw on my iMac that the macbook is recognized in the Time Machine preference after clicking on "changed Disk." I high lighted the macbook disk and clicked on, "use for back up."

Now what I'm confused is that it started to back up again but really slow but I don't know what is being backed up now, my iMac into my macbook drive or my macbook into my iMac partition?

 

[macswitcha2]

Enetr Time Machine

I go into enter Time Machine and only backups of my desktop is shown.

 

[macswitcha2]

I figured it all out except the sharing file part...can't seem to know what's not working

 

[macswitcha2]

you would connect the drive to the imac via your preferred method. then go into system preferences/sharing and turn on file sharing. you then select the drive and set up the permissions for the users (just share read/write with everyone if you're behind a firewall and on a secure network). You should then be able to see the drive on your macbook.

You may also want to go back to 1 partition before you get started with all this. There's really no requirement for the partition and you may get frustrated down the road when you want more space on one and don't need as much on the other.

Once you partitioned your external hard drive, can you undo it without erasing the external HD?

 

[KongHN]

I'm curious if I can use a TB External Hard Disk to use as Time Machine for both my MacBook (250GB) & coming new iMac (640GB) without partitioning or without fix plug in to iMac & share. Meaning I plug in to either one for backup as when I choose. Would it work?

Much oblige for answer. I'm a new Mac user.

 

[macswitcha2]

I give up! I looked and search for a solution and even went to apple.com and no help. This file sharing does not work. I keep getting a connection failed and don't know what to do.

I guess I'm just going to have to back up my macbook by disconnecting the external harddrive from my iMac and connecting it to the macbook.


I'm starting to get just as frustrated with macs as with windows.

 

[munkees]

I give up! I looked and search for a solution and even went to apple.com and no help. This file sharing does not work. I keep getting a connection failed and don't know what to do.

I guess I'm just going to have to back up my macbook by disconnecting the external harddrive from my iMac and connecting it to the macbook.


I'm starting to get just as frustrated with macs as with windows.

I have a 2TB external on my iMac 24", I use this drive for my 20" too, and this is what I did

on the iMac

enable file sharing (found in system preference). (I find it useful to give the computer a name). click the edit button under the Computer name, click the "Advertise services in this domain using Bonjour".

click on the HD icon for the external drive, then from the finder menu, under the file menu, get info. (or you can left mouse click over the icon for the external HD, and then select get info from pop up menu). check the share folder icon

on the other computer you want to see the share drive

double click on the Macintosh HD icon, on the left side of the screen you will see under share the name of the imac, click on it. it should show all the drives that are being shared.

if you are not seeing a the shared iMac, in finder click the go menu item, then select connect to server, click the browse button, you should see the iMac, click it and it will connect to it.

now in system preferences, click the time machine icon, selected the disk

and you should be good to go.

 

[macswitcha2]

I have a 2TB external on my iMac 24", I use this drive for my 20" too, and this is what I did

on the iMac

enable file sharing (found in system preference). (I find it useful to give the computer a name). click the edit button under the Computer name, click the "Advertise services in this domain using Bonjour".

click on the HD icon for the external drive, then from the finder menu, under the file menu, get info. (or you can left mouse click over the icon for the external HD, and then select get info from pop up menu). check the share folder icon

on the other computer you want to see the share drive

double click on the Macintosh HD icon, on the left side of the screen you will see under share the name of the imac, click on it. it should show all the drives that are being shared.

if you are not seeing a the shared iMac, in finder click the go menu item, then select connect to server, click the browse button, you should see the iMac, click it and it will connect to it.

now in system preferences, click the time machine icon, selected the disk

and you should be good to go.

Ok, here are the roadblocks I'm encountering...

You said, "click the edit button under the Computer name, click the "Advertise services in this domain using Bonjour"."

I did this but there is no option, "Advertise services in this domain using Bonjour." This is what I see, " Use Name to reach This Computer from Machine on your local subnet." Then I see the name of my local hostname and an option to "Use dynamic global hostname."