[belfast-biker]

Hi, I want o get a MyBook external HD with both FW and USB2 conections, mainly for backup and TV programme storage. I want to backup from the Mac using FW, and from the PC using USB2. I don't mind the drive having separate partitions for Mac and PC. (Tried a search here, but no definite answer could I find.)

1. Can I leave it plugged in to both machines?

2. Will it give me simultanous access?

3. What about simultaneous writes?


Many thanks for your help!

[slpdLoad]

1. This may or may not work. It can only be used by 1 computer at a time. The drive will most likely only look at 1 port at a time, so you might be able to unmount it from one computer, and then have the other computer search for unmounted drives to mount. It's probably easier to just disconnect.

2. No, and there's no drive that can do this, unfortunately.

3. No

Cheers

[mduell]

1. No, unless it has a physical switch to switch between the USB and FW connections.

2 & 3. No.

[analogika]

Alternative option:

Get an Ethernet disk and a router.

Both the Mac and Windows will be able to access the disk simultaneously.

[DrBoar]

WD NetCenter 500 GB Ethernet Hard Drives ( WDXE5000KS )
With Retrospect backups running automatically you are far safer than doing manual backups when you remember to do so.