Creating a sandbox/backup strategy that makes sense

[badlydrawnboy]

I've been using SuperDuper for a while now, mostly just Smart Updating my internal drive to an external FW drive. However, I just got a new PB so my backup strategy will need to change. I also just learned about "sandboxes" and would like to explore using them in my overall strategy. I'll admit I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all and I'd love your help in figuring this out.

Here's what I've got:
- PowerMac G5 with a fast 74 GB "boot drive" (OS X install and apps)
- Internal 150 GB stock Apple drive with my documents, music and photo library.
- Western Digital external FW 120 GB drive (FW 400, unfortunately)
- PowerBook G4 15" with stock 80 GB internal drive

Right now I have the FW drive partitioned so that I back up the boot drive onto one partition and the stock drive on the other partition. At the moment this works because I only have about 40 GB of data on the stock drive, but I just bought a new 8 MP digital camera so I'm going to need a lot of storage space pretty quickly.

I use ChronoSync to keep the main user directory synched up with the G5. I don't really see a need to back it up since its data is on the G5 and the external FW.

So... what do you all think would be the best set-up? I was considering having the fast "boot drive" be the sandbox and the internal 150 GB drive be the original volume (with documents and apps). Then using the external FW for media (movies, photos and music). The only problem here (and it's a big one) is that the media isn't getting backed up (unless I get another external FW, which I'm likely to do anyways because I'll pretty quickly outgrow the 120 GB.)

Any ideas? I appreciate your help!

[dnanian]

I think using the "fast boot" drive as the startup drive is likely a good one, with the original as the 150. However, it's much more important for you to start backing up your data than it is to use a Sandbox...

[badlydrawnboy]

Originally Posted by dnanian

I think using the "fast boot" drive as the startup drive is likely a good one, with the original as the 150. However, it's much more important for you to start backing up your data than it is to use a Sandbox...

Actually I'm pretty obsessive about backing up my data. I've been doing that to two external FW drives, and it's saved my a@# a few times!

Here's what I've worked out: I use the boot drive as the sandbox and the stock drive for my documents, applications, photos, movies and music (at 150 GB that should be sufficient for a while).

Each week, assuming everything is going well with the sandbox, I do a smart update of the sandbox back over to the stock drive (the startup volume). Then I do a smart update of the stock drive to my external FW drive (until, of course, it's 120 GB capacity is exceeded).

That way I've got the sandbox, the original startup volume, and a bootable copy of the startup volume on an external drive.

How does this sound?

[dnanian]

Sounds good. Just carefully follow the instructions for cloning back, if you're going to go from the Sandbox to the boot drive.

[badlydrawnboy]

Originally Posted by dnanian

Sounds good. Just carefully follow the instructions for cloning back, if you're going to go from the Sandbox to the boot drive.

You mean the "Advanced Users" part in the directions?

1. Select sandbox as the source volume, original drive as destination
2. Choose "backup - all files"
3. Choose "smart update"
4. Click copy now

As I understand it, this will update my startup volume with any new changes I've made to the sandbox, and should only be done if the sandbox is running well.

Is this right?

[dnanian]

That's right, except you didn't back up the original drive first.