Hey guys,

I am looking at buying a WD 1TB external Hard Drive I am using OSX Tiger and don't see a need to update to leopard anytime soon. I was wondering If I purchase this hard drive would it be possible to:

-Automatically backup my iPhoto & iMovie documents to the external drive.

-Transfer my iTunes library over to the drive and make it the default location for iTunes content without keeping it on multiple drives i.e.: both the iMac and the external drive.

Would using the external drive as the default location for my iTunes content create sync problems for my Apple Tv?

What are your thoughts??

I don't know of any programs that can "automatically" back up specific folders from you HD to an external HD.

Yes, I currently have my entire iTunes library on an external HDD. All you need to do is "add library" directly from your external HDD path, consolidate your library (so any new downloaded files imported from your desktop will be automatically ADDED and organised in your iTunes library on your external HDD - you have to make sure to delete the local files) and make sure the "Location Path" of your iTunes is always pointed to the external HDD and not to your local library.


For a good guide to how to transfer your iTunes folder to an external HDD, read this from TUAW

You can set the itunes music folder to a different location in your itunes preferences > advanced > general.
You can probably just copy your itunes music folder into the new location of you set. I haven't tried this myself though.

I'm thinking of also moving my music library to an external drive, I need to free up some space on my macbook pro.

What I'd like to know is what if I have don't have my external drive connected and I download podcasts/music. Where would that file be saved in? the default original music folder it is set in on your computer? would this automatically move it to the external drive when is connected?

if the drive isn't connected they just to to the normal folder for iTunes. I do this with my Air, so I can keep getting podcasts and syncing on the road but don't always take the external drive with me.

Correct.

When your external HDD is not connected AND you open iTunes - the location path is SWITCHED back to the local directory folder (in your Library, on the computer's internal HD). It does so without warning.

So when you download an mp3, it automatically saves the file to your LOCAL directory (ie. on your computer's HD). However, IF you've "Considate Library" option - the next time you connect to your external HDD, you have to change the location path to that pointing to the external HDD path - and the file you downloaded outside of your external HDD will save itself into the iTunes folder on your external HDD and reorganise it for you.

It is then up to you to delete the downloaded mp3 from your local directory folder in your own time (saves you from duplicating files and eating up more of your precious computer's HDD).

I don't quite understand the whole Consolidate Library thing.

So your saying, since the drive isn't connected. It will change my custom save location back to the local directory located on my macbook pros HDD? If this is the case, I need to change the location back to my external drive before I click advanced > consolidate library?

Correct. The minute you open iTunes and you're not connected to you external HDD, the location of your iTunes Music Folder will default back to the folder located on your local (internal) HD. So all your music will not play (you get the "!") if you select a song to be played.

From memory, you only need to do this once. And yes, your location must be changed back to your external drive BEFORE you consolidate library. It essentially copies music from your local directory to your iTunes Music Folder residing in your external HDD.


EDIT: did you actually read the link I posted previously? It spells it out step by step what you need to do and also what "Consolidate Library" essentially is.

How To: keep your iTunes library on an external hard drive - The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

yeah I did. It didn't quite register the first time but I sort of got the idea. Just needed confirmation from another user.

try iMsafe for the auto backup - i use it to back up photos from Aperture and a copy of my iTunes library on weekends - I schedule it in iCal to launch and then it has it's own schedule to backup.

Apple also has "Back Up" which also allows you to schedule regular backups of itunes / iphoto folders into external hard drives and iDisk. I'm not too sure whether you have to be an active mobileme subscriber though.

Automating backups with rsync - backing up solution from right here on MacTalk...

Thanks heaps all how about apple tv would that have any problems syncing with my iTunes library if it's on an external drive??

I use apple's backup to do exactly this.

I have a WD 2TB drive set up as a RAID 1 so it's really about 950GB.

It's hanging off the usb Hub on an airport extreme.

I use it to back up my various folders that i need backed up across a couple of laptops and imacs.

I also use it to store the music for itunes on my laptop.

I also use backup to back up my itunes purchased music to .mac.

It works well. So far.

jb

On a similar topic, I wanted to bring my Macbook into work as my PC is dying but I don't want to clutter it with my work emails. I refer to a lot of old emails all the time so I can't delete them. Is there a way of automatically storing any new downloaded emails to an external hard drive without me having to back them up then deleting them from my Macbook?

The second part of the question is if I can do this can I use the external HD to access the emails like I would through Mail or Outlook without having to find and load each one onto the macbook then repeat the above process of deleting and backing up of emails as to not clutter my Macbook?

I hope the question makes sense!

Thanks in advance guys!

Gaz

i have my itunes backed up on an external WD hd .. you just have to change the path in itunes.

and make sure that everytime you add music, the path is set to the extranal drive in your prefrences cause mine changes when i unplug my laptop and take it somewhere.