Managing space on mac

[SLEE]

I've had my mac book pro for just over 2 years and I have run out of space. I have over 60gb of photos which I could move onto an external drive but is there a way to do this but still have access to them via iphoto?

I could do with doing the same with iTunes as well. How do you guys mange your space?

[rutty]

I have an iMac with a nearly full 320GB internal drive. Awaiting responses with interest (though I have heard talk about an iTunes server which may be of some use..)

[slaughteredlamb]

Just chuck your iPhoto library on an external and tell iPhoto that's where it is. Job Done.

I have virtually everything on external drives. My iTunes library (Video & MP3's) are on one external drive.
All my photos are on another external drive which is referenced to from Lightroom (Grown up version of iPhoto)
Other documents are on a 3rd external drive

The system drive is left for OSX, applications and certain content for the odd program that can't really handle it being on external drives.

I then have a 2TB backup drive that automatically backs up everything for me.

Simples.

[SLEE]

interesting, that maybe how ill move things ill see what size drives I have.
Do you use any software to backup wityh your 2tb drive?

[keri]

My setup similar to SL's although i refuse to use iPhoto as i really can't use to it, I do use Lightroom and if i'm editing an 'event' i will store the files on my laptop, but as soon as i'm done they are moved to an external drive.
iTunes lifts all my music from another PC via a share, i do allow the podcasts to be stored locally (it is a laptop so who knows where i'll be when i watch it) until i've watched them then they are manually slung to another drive.

TimeMachine has to be the easiest way to back up a mac, although i'm sure you could knock up an Automator in no time at all to move files if you wanted full control.

If you are ever curious where all your space has gone i use http://grandperspectiv.sourceforge.net/ on my mac, quick and easy graphical representation of disk usage.

[SLEE]

thanks Keri.

I really like time machine but i would really like a backup solution that i can view the fiels on any other machine pc or mac. I have spotted a seagate 1tb drive for £65 with auto back mup software so i may get that.

[SLEE]

My other thought is to upgrade my internal drive to a much larger drive as it is cheaper, do you think this is a god or bad idea?

[slaughteredlamb]

interesting, that maybe how ill move things ill see what size drives I have.
Do you use any software to backup wityh your 2tb drive?

I just use Timemachine because it's free, it works, it's dead simple and I don't have to do anything other than remember to turn the drive on.

You could upgrade your system drive (as long as the motherboard will support it) and there's nothing wrong with doing that and possibly preferable for a laptop as you can take all your content with you wherever you go. However the chances are that the largest system drive your Mac will support will be smaller than the largest USB/Firewire drive you can buy is and being that it'll be 2.5" drive it will cost more than a 3.5" drive so you may end up spending more for a smaller capacity. That said there are a couple of nice USB/Firewire drives that use laptop drives that are very small and portable and can be bus powered so no need to find a power source to use them, but obviously these cost a bit more.

[SLEE]

I really like Time machine just wish i could open the files on another computer. I am thinking more about getting a external portable drive but possible looking at a larger hard drive as well. Then move the photos onto their own external drive like you said then I should have bags of space to play with.

[Dom]

I could do with doing the same with iTunes as well. How do you guys mange your space?

Don't buy a Mac. #Helpful