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Thread: Mac hardrive help please

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Mac hardrive help please

    I've just purchased a new 2TB external hard drive, as my last 250gb was full

    1. I've ejected and removed the old one, as instructed by the assistant in the Apple store but have just read somewhere that you can 'link' them? If so, is there any advantage of doing this? And is it complicated to manage?

    2. I've selected the programme which backs up 'everything' and what I'd really like to be able to do is delete most of the files/photos/videos/music etc off of my actual computer completely but there doesn't appear to be any idiot proof instructions of how to achieve this. And still be able to access them immediately. Or am I just being a numb skull?

    3. I want to know the best way to delete the stuff... do I simply drag it all to the trash and empty it?

    Help, I'm nervous

    ATM I'm waiting for it to complete the back up which is going to take another 2 hours (she says tapping her fingers on the desk )
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    This link has everything you need http://www.ebuyer.com/product/168382

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    Registered User Feelingpink's Avatar
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Be aware that hard drives fail, therefore if there is any data which you 'only' have in one place, it is vulnerable.

    So if I've understood your point 2 correctly, you want to put all of your files/photos/videos etc off your computer & have only on your new external hard drive - is that right?

    The advantage of having your 250gb drive connected is that it's (a) additional storage and (b) separate from the 2TB one, so if data is important, you could have copies on both the external hard drives. You could also load your most important data on there and take offsite, which would protect you from incidents such as fires or burglary. Offsite in this instance, usually means a family member keeping it - and especially useful for things such as family photographs.

    Is your 2TB drive a single HD or multiples, which could have different RAID configurations?

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Bartholomew View Post
    This link has everything you need http://www.ebuyer.com/product/168382
    Sadly I'm none the wiser with that link Lee

    Quote Originally Posted by Feelingpink View Post
    Be aware that hard drives fail, therefore if there is any data which you 'only' have in one place, it is vulnerable.
    Yes, the VERY important stuff I back up to disks (every now and then, when I get round to it )

    So if I've understood your point 2 correctly, you want to put all of your files/photos/videos etc off your computer & have only on your new external hard drive - is that right?
    Yes, because my hard drive is almost full and I think its slowing my comp up. I came home from holiday and didn't have enough space to upload all my pics and video In an ideal world, I'd like to be able to upload new pics/vids etc to the comp, view and delete the stuff I don't want and upload the stuff I want to keep, on to the external HD

    The advantage of having your 250gb drive connected is that it's (a) additional storage
    This is true but its 'full' and can't store any more.

    Offsite in this instance, usually means a family member keeping it - and especially useful for things such as family photographs.
    Yes, I should do this

    Is your 2TB drive a single HD or multiples, which could have different RAID configurations?
    Single I think
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    Sadly I'm none the wiser with that link Lee

    He's being a sarcastic bar steward

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    ARRGHHHH!

    I don't know what the hell's going on....

    I'm so useless

    After backing up to the new hard drive, I realised, that TimeMachine needed to be re-directed (or whatever the tech term is) so, I've done that and now whatever its doing is taking ages. (my estimate, is about 4 hours (looking at the timeline) to complete whatever its up to)

    In the meantime, I still keep getting a pop up warning me that my 'start up disk is almost full and suggests I delete some files to free up some space'

    WHAT FILES? WHERE?

    At the same time, the new hard drive keeps coming to life, doing some weird whirring and clicking noises every minute or so and each time it does that, my comp freezes.

    So, I went onto the Apple Store site, to make an appointment and it simply said, all appointments are taken, please try another store.. what the hell does that mean? Taken for 'today', 'this week', the whole flippin' year.......WHAT????

    At the moment I feel like kicking the machine!
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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    He's being a sarcastic bar steward
    At least I know, if things don't improve, who I can take it out on!
    .
    .
    .
    .
    MODERATOR AT YOUR SERVICE
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    Registered User David Franklin's Avatar
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    ARRGHHHH!

    I don't know what the hell's going on....

    I'm so useless

    After backing up to the new hard drive, I realised, that TimeMachine needed to be re-directed (or whatever the tech term is) so, I've done that and now whatever its doing is taking ages. (my estimate, is about 4 hours (looking at the timeline) to complete whatever its up to)
    How long did it take to backup to the new hard drive? I ask, because although I know nothing about Macs, I do know that 4 hours is about right for copying 250GB of data. So if 4 hours seems "taking ages" I'm a little concerned that you may not have copied the data correctly.

    At the same time, the new hard drive keeps coming to life, doing some weird whirring and clicking noises every minute or so and each time it does that, my comp freezes.
    Many of the newer external drives "power down" if they've not been accessed for a while. Then when the computer wants to access them they have to power up and spin up to speed. This actually takes quite a significant amount of time with associated clicking noises. I don't think it should be happening every minute though.

    Without wanting to worry you, if the clicking sound is very repetitive (i.e. about 1 a second for several seconds), then that may be indicative of a problem with the drive (aka "click of death").

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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by David Franklin View Post
    Without wanting to worry you, if the clicking sound is very repetitive (i.e. about 1 a second for several seconds), then that may be indicative of a problem with the drive (aka "click of death").
    Though it is norm fixable though you would have to send it to a specialist data recovery company which would cost.

    As davis said. if the drive is full 250g will take a long time to copy across to another drive. It might be best to do it over night.

    Sometimes comps can stay stuck at a point (like 4 hours on yours) then after 3 hours suddenly jump to an hour left without indicating the time between.

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    Registered User David Franklin's Avatar
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Bartholomew View Post
    Though it is norm fixable though you would have to send it to a specialist data recovery company which would cost.
    Well, if it's the data she is currently 'backing up' I assume she wouldn't need data recovery. And a drive like that will often 'struggle on' for a bit anyhow. The issue is that you can't rely on it. My wife's laptop had a gradually dying HD and she was just very careful about backups until it finally gave up the ghost.

    [At that point there were a few files not backed up. The problem was heat related, so I sat in the garden one night (it was winter) using a Linux LiveCD (since Windows had got corrupted) and copied over the remaining files. Not recommended, but it did work!]

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by David Franklin View Post
    How long did it take to backup to the new hard drive? I ask, because although I know nothing about Macs, I do know that 4 hours is about right for copying 250GB of data. So if 4 hours seems "taking ages" I'm a little concerned that you may not have copied the data correctly.
    Last night, when I did the initial backup to the new Hard Drive, it took about 3-4 hours to complete, then shortly after, it said, 'there's been an error in the last backup and strongly suggested that I 'varify', so I clicked 'yes' and it seemed to sort its self out.
    This morning, I looked at the time machine and 'of course' it was empty so I redirected it. Now I'm not sure what its actually doing, as it appears to be backing up the whole system again... but to where

    Many of the newer external drives "power down" if they've not been accessed for a while. Then when the computer wants to access them they have to power up and spin up to speed. This actually takes quite a significant amount of time with associated clicking noises. I don't think it should be happening every minute though.

    Without wanting to worry you, if the clicking sound is very repetitive (i.e. about 1 a second for several seconds), then that may be indicative of a problem with the drive (aka "click of death").
    You've worried me!!

    Its doing exactly what you've described as the 'click of death' and the comp is seriously freezing up all the time now (its done it at least 6 times during typing this) I was hoping that it was going to sort itself out, once the back up was finished

    I'm going to call Apple Care
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by David Franklin View Post
    Well, if it's the data she is currently 'backing up' I assume she wouldn't need data recovery. And a drive like that will often 'struggle on' for a bit anyhow. The issue is that you can't rely on it. My wife's laptop had a gradually dying HD and she was just very careful about backups until it finally gave up the ghost.

    [At that point there were a few files not backed up. The problem was heat related, so I sat in the garden one night (it was winter) using a Linux LiveCD (since Windows had got corrupted) and copied over the remaining files. Not recommended, but it did work!]

    I had one of mine do it a few weeks back. It was a Sata on a raid config. What had happend is that as I moved the case, I couldn't have secured the drive in. IT fell on the one below it and broke off a small square chip on it's circuitry. I managed to solder it back on and it has worked since.

    I didn't realise it was broken till i heard the clicks.

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    I'm on hold.. estimated time is 'over 10minutes'

    In the meantime the time machine back up is telling me its backing up 1,071,547 items and its done 32.60GB of 295.35GB and I reckon its been going for about an hour

    So, is it replacing the last back up or duplicating it?
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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    Its doing exactly what you've described as the 'click of death'
    Doesn't sound good, to be honest.

    If it's getting worse, it may be an overheating issue. Can you make sure the drive is as well ventilated as possible? (Put it on top of something(s) so air can get underneath as well as above).

    I don't know enough about Macs to know how easily you can abort the TimeMachine stuff, but if you have irreplaceable data on the 'clicking' drive, it would be a good idea to stop everything and just turn it off.

    Basically, once a drive is behaving badly, the danger is anything you do is just going to make things worse. Just hoping it will sort itself out can be a costly mistake.

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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Lory which drive is clicking?

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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by pmjd View Post
    Lory which drive is clicking?
    It's the new external (I've been on the phone with her) drive. And everything is backed up on the other drive, so it's not a huge panic if it fails.

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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    For Lory (and the curious): Link to website with many recordings of hard-drives that are dying...

    http://datacent.com/hard_drive_sounds.php

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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    oh well not so bad then. Would Lory be as well taking it back and getting a replacement?

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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Hi Lory,

    It sounds like the hard drive is having issues. I would highly recommend getting a RAID setup instead. Time Machine is quite happy to back up to these. I would say Lacie is probably the best buy or alternatively buy a Drobo. Data is so important these days, I would never rely on a single drive or old backups, especially when your wife wanders into the room and wanders off again with a drive she reformats to back up her mac when you're away.

    Phil

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    Re: Mac hardrive help please

    Quote Originally Posted by pmjd View Post
    oh well not so bad then. Would Lory be as well taking it back and getting a replacement?
    Yeah, I reckon.

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