thanks!
yeah I saw that also, weird how those things come and go...

this is one of my check daily sites

http://www.techbargains.com/dellcoupons.cfm

Mine is Mac OS Extended (Journaled) which hasn't caused any problems.

Great find.

You'll want to not just format it but re-partition it, it probably comes as a Master Boot Record (PC) volume. Click on Partition in DU, under Volume Scheme choose 1 partition. Then click Options to make it either GUID Partition or Apple Partition, Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If you're not going to use it as a boot drive either will do. DU explains it pretty well. Just don't make it Master Boot Record, that's for PC formatting.

You can use the TM drive to store other files, they live happily on the same partition. TM will make a single backup folder of its own to store its stuff that won't interfere with any other folders or files on the drive. The only advantage to making two partitions is if you want to delete your TM backup folder and start it over it takes freakin' forever to empty the trash. If it's on its own partition you can just erase the partition. If you have 99G on the drive, you'll be surprised at how quick the TM drive can fill up all depending how you use your computer. Also I don't think anything on the other partition is backed up. I have some customers set up with one partition TM, and the other cloned with Super Duper to also have a bootable backup. I forget if TM doesn't back it up automatically or if I have told TM not to back up the partition. I'm out of town on a job, and on my laptop on 10.4.11 and not at home to check out Leopard at command central.

BTW the new version of Super Duper won't touch the TM backup folder I believe. Don't know how CCC (Carbon Copy Cloner) operates in that respect.

Thanks Reboot!
Hope all is well with you.

Drive should be here by Friday.

thanks Reboot!

actually Dell delayed the shipping and it is out for delivery today, finally.....

anyways after rereading your post, and doing a little sniffing around a few questions....

1. Is it beneficial to making the external (bootable) I take it that means just installing Snow Leopard on it?

2. I assume if I would do that I would need 2 partitions and I would use the GUID format, which from looking around because I have an Intel Mac, I probably should use that format either way.

So I would have a 2 partitions one for TM, and another with Snow Leopard, now I would assume the Snow Leopard Partition can be very small?

I guess the big question is what are the benefits?

If my iMac HD fails, would I boot up from the Snow Leopard partition and then be able to "get" my files back, by accessing the iMac's HD or the other partition of my external that has TM on it? I'm sorry if I sound confused, I guess it's cause I am (a little)

1. Yes and no.

2. I don't think a partition is necessary since TM keeps its own folder.

Actually, if you have to do a HD replacement or wipe and reinstall, you can use the SL install disk to restore from your TM volume. Migration Assistant is TM aware, too.

Thanks Michael!

Is it starting to cool off down there yet?

Later this evening. We'll get 4 or 5 days of breathable air before the humidity comes raging back.

I still have a drive here from my deceased G4 tower that I need to get an enclosure for. On that, I could install a bare SL, DW and TTPro for trouble shooting purposes.

so there is really no need to have a "bootable" external