[jeremyroberts]

Depending on how you backup (and name your drives) backup/restore is a no-brainer.

I use Retrospect - and have strict naming conventions for my drives and project folders -- so a restore goes back to where it came from.

Multiple drives will eliminate the "occasional hiccups". And it sounds like you've been recording to the internal system drive? If so, that's also a no-no.

Read digi compato docs -- if you don't want to be conservative, take their numbers + 50% and you may get away with it. Conservative (me) says not to exceed digi spec by more than a few tracks.