SmartDisk FireLite drive okay to use?

[hesson11]

I'd like to make certain I have a bootable external hard drive.

Is the SmartDisk FireLite 120GB (FWFL120) okay to use?

I did a forum search to try to find out, but I'm not completely sure I understood clearly whether the FireLite is bootable. When I bought it at the Apple Store (limited choices in a semi-urgent situation!), the guys at the genius bar said it is bootable. I know they're geniuses and all, but I'd just like some confirmation from other experienced users, if possible.

Thanks very much. And thanks again, Dave, for some great software.
-Bob

[dnanian]

If partitioned properly (e.g. Apple Partition Map for Power PC Macs, GUID for Intel), it should work fine.

[hesson11]

Thanks Dave.

I'm not sure what the part of your answer within the parentheses means, but I partitioned it using my iBook's Disk Utility. I guess I could always just try to start up from the FireLite and see for myself, huh? (Duh!) Thanks again.
-Bob

[dnanian]

Search around a little bit on the forums and you'll see the steps needed to partition.

[hesson11]

Originally Posted by dnanian

Search around a little bit on the forums and you'll see the steps needed to partition.

Thanks, Dave. I've searched around, but all the posts I've found seem to include special circumstances that I'm afraid I don't understand. I partitioned my FireLite using my PowerPC G4's Disk Utility with the "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" format. I alotted 80GB of the FireLite for the bootable clone and 40GB for miscellaneous backup. If that's not the right way, perhaps someone will let me know. Thanks again for all your help.
-Bob

[dnanian]

That's a format, not a partition scheme. Here's what you need to do:

* Start Disk Utility
* Select the external drive hardware in the sidebar
* Click the Partition tab
* Use Disk Utility's controls to divide the drive as needed, even as a single large partition. Use "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" as the format type and name appropriately
* Click Options
* Choose the proper partition scheme (GUID for Intel macs, Apple Partition Map for Power PC) and accept the page
* Click Partition.

[hesson11]

Thanks very much Dave. I'm almost certain that's what I did. Just now, I started as though I were going to partition the drive again. When I clicked on "Options" I found that Apple Partition is the default setting. While I didn't actually open the "Options" box when I originally partitioned the FireLite, I'm pretty sure it would have selected the default Apple Partition. Thanks again.
-Bob

[dnanian]

If you didn't open the Options, it probably created a "Master Boot Record" partition. Check in the main Disk Utility window -- when you select the drive hardware (not volume), it usually lists the partition scheme on the lower right side of the window.

[hesson11]

Originally Posted by dnanian

If you didn't open the Options, it probably created a "Master Boot Record" partition. Check in the main Disk Utility window -- when you select the drive hardware (not volume), it usually lists the partition scheme on the lower right side of the window.

It doesn't list the partition scheme. I'm beginning to wonder if all this is worth it! :-)

THANK YOU,
-Bob

[dnanian]

It certainly should, Bob: sounds like you're not looking at the first screen that comes up when you start Disk Utility.

[hesson11]

Thanks, Dave.

The partition type is shown as "Apple Partition Scheme." That's what I want, isn't it?

(I discovered that to find this information, I had to click on a circled "i" at the top of the Disk Utility window to get additional information.)

Thanks again, Dave. I'm getting way more than my $27 worth of support, and I really appreciate it.
-Bob

[dnanian]

If you're on a Power PC Mac, yes, that's what you want.

[hesson11]

I am, and thanks again, Dave!
-Bob

[sdsl]

Originally Posted by hesson11

I'd like to make certain I have a bootable external hard drive.

Is the SmartDisk FireLite 120GB (FWFL120) okay to use?

I did a forum search to try to find out, but I'm not completely sure I understood clearly whether the FireLite is bootable. When I bought it at the Apple Store (limited choices in a semi-urgent situation!), the guys at the genius bar said it is bootable. I know they're geniuses and all, but I'd just like some confirmation from other experienced users, if possible.

Thanks very much. And thanks again, Dave, for some great software.
-Bob

I have a SmartDisk Firelite 120GB drive and use it with SuperDuper and it boots fine (my OS is 10.4.11).

[hesson11]

Thanks a lot for the info, sdsl.