Can I use a Time Machine disk for other files?
Tip: Time Machine will by default use up all the space available on the drive. If you’d also like to use some of the hard drive space for storing other files, you’ll need to partition the drive into two volumes: one for the Time Machine backups and one for your other files.
Is it OK to back up multiple computers to a single external hard drive?
Any external drive can backup as many computers as there is space on the external drive, through any number of ways. Also, keep in mind that significant capacity may be needed to store all the files from the various computers, so be sure to purchase a drive large enough to handle your needs.
Can you share a hard drive between two computers?
You can link a single external hard drive to two or more computers that are on the same network. You cannot, however, connect two computers directly to the drive by USB, eSATA or Firewire. External hard drives can only be connected to one computer, and they can then be set up for sharing over a network.
Can a time machine be used to make a backup?
To use Time Machine to make a backup of your Mac, you need any of these types of storage devices: After setting up the storage device, you can use Time Machine to make a backup of your Mac . And after making your backup, you can use Time Machine to restore files from your backup.
What kind of disk do I need for Time Machine?
Backup disks you can use with Time Machine. Time Machine can back up certain external storage devices connected to your Mac or available on your network. To use Time Machine to make a backup of your Mac, you need one of these types of storage devices: External USB, Thunderbolt, or FireWire drive connected to your Mac.
Can a time machine drive be used as an external drive?
You can also make the files partition an ExFAT partition, which means you can use it with Windows PCs and practically any other device you can connect an external drive to. You’ll need to use the Disk Utility built into your Mac to work with partitions.
Can you back up multiple Macs to the same hard drive?
You can use the same external hard drive to back up multiple Macs if you wish. Here are the two main ways to do this. When you use an external hard drive to back up different Macs, Time Machine automatically creates separate folders, one for each computer.