> > Software RAID works on any matched pair of HDs, internal, external, > > whatever you have. Mirroring is mirroring, so this means if you screw > > up the software so that it won't boot, the "mirror" will also be > > screwed up. > > This should not be an issue, as the only thing on the mirrors will be > the iTunes music folder (assuming iTunes still let's one choose the > location.) The OS and apps will still be on the Mini's internal > drive, and if it gets hosed, it is easily restored from the original > disks. > > >Apple's official solution to backup is Time Machine, which > > has the advantage of "going backwards in time" to get to a state that > > was known good. Theoretically this makes a Time Machine backup more > > robust and preferable to a mirror RAID backup. Time Machine requires > > Leopard. > > Thank you for the information. I will want to come up with some > removable back up strategy as well, but Time Machine isn't it. I'm > considering BDR. The blanks are down to about $1 each now. DVDR is > still cheaper in $/GB, but one needs about six times as many disks. > Sigh. I *liked* DAT, but the capacity is just too small now and the > newer higher capacity stuff is too expensive still. >
Just to add to what Kris and Dan has said a mirror RAID only backs up a hardware failure. I learned the hard way back in the days of OS 8 & 9 that if your HDD directory gets hosed you got big problems with both drives. Fortunately I had a current third backup and just lost more time than data. Still a big PIA. Perhaps rather than a BDR, just add another external HDD you could attach only when you need to back up your iTunes folder. Then you could use SuperDuper! or CCC to do incremental backups --very fast. This what I do but I have a relatively small iTunes folder --glen -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list