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View Full Version : Size of bootable external disk


lloyd709
01-07-2008, 03:20 PM
Would anyone be able to tell me for sure if it's OK to have a bootable backup disk smaller than the disk it's backing up - assuming of course that the amount of data on the main disk is significantaly smaller than the size of the bootable disk.

The reason I'm asking is because I need to buy a backup disk for my laptop that has a 60 GB disk. However, I also want to be able to use the new disk to back up my next laptop that I expect, by the time I purchase it (in a year or two), might have a disk 250 GB or larger. I don't really want to buy a 500 GB disk so I want to check that if I buy a 250 GB disk and end up buying a laptop in a couple of years time with, say, a 320 GB disk, I will still be able to use the smaller external disk as a bootable backup. (I don't put anything on my laptop apart from business files which are all quite small so wouldn't expect to get anywhere near 250 GB).

Thanks

dnanian
01-07-2008, 03:36 PM
Yes, as long as your data fits on it with about 20% free space (so the OS has room to work), it should be fine.

lloyd709
01-07-2008, 03:58 PM
Thanks, that's good to know.