?TM: Controlling disk usage w/ sparseimages?

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Fred Moore - 29 May 2008 17:54 GMT

Since Time Machine doesn't allow for easy control (restriction) of how
much of a secondary disk it uses for its backups, I thought I'd try
using an auto-mounting sparseimage. This way I can guarantee there is
some space available on the secondary disk for non-TM activities. I'd
appreciate any constructive comments from anyone who has tried this or
has more experience with TM than I do (virtually none).

Here's the hypothetical plan:

On a tower Mac (processor irrelevant, I presume) with a, say, 200GB
primary internal drive (let's call it 'Boot') and a 400GB secondary
internal ('AltBoot'), create a 300GB sparseimage ('BU') on AltBoot and
set it to automount by making it a startup item in the user's Accts
pref. (Does this still work as it did with Classic?) Then set TM to
backup Boot to BU. Or does TM have some kind or restriction that it
can't backup to a mounted sparseimage?

Now that 10.5.3 is here, I'm ready to join the Next Wave, though I'm
still hoping for the final release of FruitMenu. ;)

Thanks in advance for your help.

--Fred

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billy@MIX.COM - 29 May 2008 22:57 GMT

> Then set TM to
> backup Boot to BU. Or does TM have some kind or restriction that it
> can't backup to a mounted sparseimage?

I haven't used them in a while, but I have had problems with sparse
image devices when I've tried to add more stuff to them. That may
be better now. I also don't know if one is bootable. I'd partition
the disk instead.

> Now that 10.5.3 is here, I'm ready to join the Next Wave, though I'm
> still hoping for the final release of FruitMenu. ;)

Classic Menu comes close, and it doesn't hack the os, which I think
is a point in its favor. On the downside, it costs US$10, but it is
supported, and they do answer email.

http://www.sigsoftware.com/classicmenu/

Billy Y..

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Fred Moore - 30 May 2008 16:37 GMT

> > Then set TM to
> > backup Boot to BU. Or does TM have some kind or restriction that it
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> be better now. I also don't know if one is bootable. I'd partition
> the disk instead.

Thanks for replying Billy. I use sparseimages a lot (10.3-10.5), usually
with SuperDuper!, and have never had a problem with them as long as I
make them big enough to do the job but not too large for the disk
they're on. They are not directly bootable (neither is TM), but you can
use SD to make a bootable clone quickly enough.

Yes, partitioning is certainly the 'approved' way to go. So far no one
seems to have tried my sparseimage plan though, so I will probably just
give it a whirl just for the hecatoncheires of it.

> > Now that 10.5.3 is here, I'm ready to join the Next Wave, though I'm
> > still hoping for the final release of FruitMenu. ;)
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> http://www.sigsoftware.com/classicmenu/

Thanks for the suggestion. I'd heard of it before; now I'll take a look.

--Fred

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Mac Forum / General / General / May 2008

?TM: Controlling disk usage w/ sparseimages?