Bootable vs file backups, VMware and partitions

[dezinnia]

New SuperDuper user here... just bought the product.

I have a new macbook pro, and I'm running VMware fusion to let me have a virtual machine with Windows XP... the MBP has a 160GB drive. 60GB has been dedicated to the XP virtual machine.

I have a LaCie 500GB FireWire drive for the backup.

1. I'm going to run superduper to give me a bootable catastrophe disk. (naturally)

2. I also want to be able to back up selected directories on both the Mac and Windows side...
- do I need separate external drives?
- or can I just partition the same LaCie? One partition for the catastrophe bootable disk, one for backing up mac files and one for backing up windows files?

I'd guess the LaCie MIGHT be able to handle a second partition for the Mac regular file backup... but the XP portion of the MBP would do better with its own external drive.

So, if it's safe to simply do a partition for the easy-to-access Mac files, how does one partition the disk? (I'll google it after submitting this, but if you have a "best solution" I'd love to hear it.)

Thanks!

[dnanian]

Since you're copying all the Mac files normally, why create the second partial backup?

(We don't copy Windows volumes, so I don't have anything to offer to you there...)

[dezinnia]

Thanks, Dave...

According to the user guide, it mentions that the bootable backup isn't the best place to recover regular files... like for a daily backup, or if I want to recover a file I accidentally deleted, or for archiving, or if a file gets corrupted, etc... I'd use the "Backup - User Files" selection for that.

I'll use a USB Drive for the windows side, but for the mac files, if a partition of the Lacie will be a good solution for User Files, I just need to know the best way to do that. If I need a third drive for that, well, then, so be it.

Thanks!

Chris

[dnanian]

Um, I don't think that's what I say in the User's Guide. What specifically are you referring to?

The bootable backup works just great for recovering regular files, you just wouldn't boot from it. The files are all still there...

[dezinnia]

yeah, you're right... I guess I was reading too much into it...

(Page 7 of the user guide...)

it says on the "Backup - All Files" that it's useful when many previous versions of a document aren't necessary...

and then on "Backup - User Files" that it's useful when storing copies of your personal data.

But if all the files are there on the full backup, and they're easily accessible, then you can consider this question answered!

Thanks.

[dnanian]

Great! Glad it's clearer now.