Proper way to backup your HDD when macbook is sent for repairs...

[Star Destroyer]

So, i am thinking of sending my macbook in to get the discolouration issue fixed, and i dont want to loose my HDD data. What is the proper way to go about backing up all my data so if it does get erased, i can just click around a couple times and its back the way it was!

I have an External thats FAT32 formated, can i just connect it, and drag over my HDD and then to restore it drag it all back ?
or what?

Thanks for the help!

 

[PygmySurfer]

I have an External thats FAT32 formated, can i just connect it, and drag over my HDD and then to restore it drag it all back ?
or what?

Maybe. When you do that, you'll lose all of the permissions and resource forks on the files. For documents and such, this probably wouldn't matter too much, but if you're backing up programs you could have a big mess on your hands.

Honestly, I'm not sure on the best method. <a href="http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html">Carbon Copy Cloner</a> might be your best bet. If you just want to back up your documents and that, dragging your home folder to the external drive might work for you.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Reformat the external to HFS+, Use SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner to copy a bootable image of your drive.

 

[Star Destroyer]

yeah, there is no way i am reformating my external. Thats the place i backup my PC, so its full of 2 computers files and movies and music, i have no place to put that stuff if i have to reformat. It got formated in a way to be able to hold files from my macbook and PC's when i bought my macbook way back when.. so it has to stay formated the way it is.

 

[YS2003]

When you run a back up to an external HD, is it recommended the external HD's "backup" partition should be teh equal size of Mac's internal HD? For example, the box says this Mac has a 120 GB HD; but, in reality, it is around 110 GB. In that case, there is no point making the external HD's parition for the back up purpose more than 110 GB. Or is it?