![]() ![]() Going a bit more in-depth can be done, but it is a bit of work. Remember, Apple is trying to make this the easiest backup solution for the majority. If you want to exclude more than just those folders, then the fun really begins. For many, this isn’t a hardship since installing a clean OS also gives you those applications back. If you choose to exclude All System Files, then not only will your System folder not be backed up, but your Apple applications such as iChat, Safari and more will be excluded from the backup as well. If you choose to exclude your System folder, then that is all that will be excluded. ![]() A dialog (below) will ask if you want to exclude your System Folder only or Exclude All System Files. Find your System folder and add it to the exclusion list. If you would like to back up only your User folder, for instance, you would click the Options button and then click the plus (+) button below the list box. Current versions of Leopard (10.5.1 and later) now partition the drive correctly.īy default, Time Machine backs up everything – your documents, your System, even invisible files. The OS would format the drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled), but the underlying structure of the drive was still using the PC’s Master Boot Record partition scheme, resulting in some stalled backups. In the initial build of Leopard, Time Machine had an issue with some drives formatted as FAT32. Once it is formatted, Time Machine will launch and you can select your options. Apple recommends using an external hard drive as your destination, which is why a dialog appears asking you if you want to use a newly connected drive as your Time Machine backup disk.Īs I said earlier, if your drive is formatted as a Mac/PC drive (FAT32), like most drives from vendors these days are, you will be asked if you would like that drive formatted to work with Time Machine. When your drive dies (notice, I said when), your backup data is dead as well. While you can use a partition of your main hard drive as a destination, this is not exactly a good idea. Pretty difficult stuff, right? We’ll start by choosing a Destination disk. Here you will see the dizzying amount of options Apple has included – an On/Off switch, a place to choose your backup destination, and a place to exclude volumes, folders and even files. Obviously, the place to start would be the Time Machine control panel. So, with that said, let’s go! Making Better Backups With Time Machine ![]() I have seen enough postings in the forums questioning how Time Machine works under the hood that I felt it was necessary to give a more in-depth tutorial. Now that you’ve gotten this far in the article, you may be wondering why an article is even needed on backup software that is described as being “incredibly easy.” Those of you who already know how it works can go ahead and skip on to the second part of the article. With the release of 10.5.1, these issues have been fixed and people are again backing up happily. This issue was traced to non-alphanumeric characters in your computer’s name. Another issue involved not being able to see past backups. The reason is that Apple formatted your drive as Mac OS Extended, but the underlying structure of the drive still had the PC’s MBR (Master Boot Record) partition scheme. Everything looked good until you hit the 10GB mark on the drive, then the backup would fail. If you chose Yes, the drive would be reformatted. In the first build of Leopard, Time Machine had a serious issue if you connected a PC drive to your Mac, you would be asked if you wanted to use the drive with Time Machine. With Time Machine, Apple has released an application that makes backup, a process usually seen as difficult, incredibly easy.īefore we get into the meat of the article, let’s backtrack a bit. Digital photos have no negatives, so if the original file is lost, you can’t get “reprints.” Backup is imperative if you really care about your data. Pretty simple, eh? Remember, all of your music, photo and documents are digital files these days. Who the Heck Even Needs Time Machine?įirst, let’s discuss the need for backup. We’ll also see why the format of your drive makes a difference and even take a trip through the steps needed for network backup. Instead, we’ll show you some of the more advanced options. This won’t be a tutorial on how to use Time Machine, because the interface is pretty simple. In an earlier article, I gave an overview of Apple’s Time Machine backup solution. AirPort Apple Apps Backups Developer Education Email Hardware Internet iPad iPhone Mac Music Network Photos Security TV Weekend Wonk ![]()
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