I followed the recent thread on Retention of records with much interest as I am about to embark on my own project of creating a personal archive of documents [land title, birth certificates, etc] and family photographs.
I have a 250 gb USB 2 external HD to use for this project with my iMac 24in C2D 3.06 ghz 10.6.2. The USB HD is new and is still formatted for Windows. I know I can easily format the HD for my Mac. This is what I propose: Divide the HD in two and format one partition to HFS+ Journaled so I can use it to store/retrieve/fiddle with short term current use stuff [iTunes music, photos, docs] from the iMac. Format the second partition so it can be read by Windows machines as well as Apple machines in the future if access is needed. In respect of the 'future' I am not talking more than 10-20 years, I am nearly 70 so this project is only a backstop if needed. I do not see any need for Windows access to this partition any time in my lifetime. And I realise that noone can foretell what formats/systems will be around in that future time frame but one just has to future-proof as best as one can. Am I correct in thinking I need to format the second partition to FAT 32? This format will permit me to read and write to the partition from my iMac? And at some later time if need be a Windows machine will be able to read files on that partition? If this thinking is wrong, what would be the best way to store the archive files on that second partition? Format that partition also as HFS+ Journaled, scan all the photos and documents in png format and transfer to that partition? Can Windows machines read png format? [I assume they can if that is the format being used by the National Archives.] But if I have not formatted the partition as FAT 32 can a Windows machine even access the partition [formatted for Mac] to see the png files? I have never burned a DVD, only audio CDs. So as a precaution I propose to burn the important documents and photos to DVDs to retain elsewhere. Can I burn these files as png format? Excuse me for a long post but I have tried to explain myself clearly! Would appreciate any advice. ................. Peter Sealy Thurgoona AUSTRALIA If you Google the word 'google' you will break the internet. -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au>
