Questions tagged [backup]
The process or product of preserving data for the purpose of recovery from a data loss event.
2,846
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261
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8
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How can I manually delete old backups to free space for Time Machine?
I use a Time Capsule for backup and now I want the drive to back up data from an extra Mac. But the drive is filled up with old backups from Mac 1. There simply is not enough space available for the ...
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130
votes
6
answers
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Fastest and safest way to copy massive data from one external drive to another
I need to be able to copy about 2TB of data from an external drive (single USB external disk) to a another external drive (Drobo attached via Firewire).
Finder is not an option. If it hits any ...
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69
votes
2
answers
381k
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How big should my Time Machine backup drive be?
My 13" MacBook Pro has 500GB internal hard drive space, and I bought a 1TB external HDD to use as my Time Machine backup. I only read from many articles that the backup should be about 2 to 3 times ...
- 937
57
votes
9
answers
62k
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Time Machine ridiculously slow after El Capitan upgrade
I recently updated to El Capitan, and told Time Machine to backup. It got stuck on Preparing Backup for hours, so I stopped it, deleted the InProgress file, rebooted and tried again. After ~30 mins, ...
- 1,480
48
votes
3
answers
70k
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How to wipe huge .MobileBackups folder?
I found my .MobileBackups folder quite large, it weighs 160 GiB. Shouldn't the .MobileBackups folder be wiped after the Time Machine 'backup session'?
Since I have backup done on my external drive ...
- 1,437
40
votes
4
answers
519k
views
iCloud has space but iCloud Backup says that I don't have enough to complete a backup
I use 120 MB of iCloud storage space for iCloud Backup of my iPad & iPhone. There is still 4.8 GB free from 5 GB, but I have a notification in iPad's backup window that I'm lacking space to back ...
- 401
38
votes
7
answers
38k
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The backup on Server is already in use
I have OS X Mavericks with the Server software installed. The server machine is an iMac with a Drobo attached via USB. I use the Server Time Machine service to create a backup server on the network, ...
- 5,340
38
votes
4
answers
115k
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Recover certain files from Time machine from previous Mac
I just got my new Macbook Pro Retina and update it to Yosemite. I now want to recover/get some files from my Time Machine backup of my previous Macbook but don't want to migrate my whole Time machine ...
- 636
34
votes
3
answers
115k
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What does Time Machine back up?
Does Time Machine backup system files, kernel files and other OS-related files?
I have corrupted system drivers and files and I want to do a fresh install of OS X but I also want to back up my ...
- 461
30
votes
6
answers
98k
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How to export/backup Notes in macOS in one go
I have a lot of Notes on my machine which I don't want to loose. It's not logical to export them one by one. Is there any way to export them in one go, which would make me either use them on my new
...
- 403
30
votes
4
answers
26k
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Time Machine keeps asking to create new backup?
Every time a backup completes I get this message -
'Time Machine completed a verification of your backups. To improve reliability, Time Machine must create a new backup for you.'
I am backing up to ...
- 981
29
votes
8
answers
16k
views
What are the downsides to using Time Machine?
I hear a lot about the good aspects of using Time Machine, particularly the fact that it's so easy to use that people actually do backups!
What are the downsides to using Time Machine compared to ...
25
votes
3
answers
173k
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Is it safe to delete the contents of Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup if using iCloud?
My /Users/{username}/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup is 5GB and I'd really like to reclaim that space if I can.
I back up my iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch to iCloud, so is there any ...
24
votes
7
answers
205k
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Transferring PDFs from iBooks to your laptop/desktop
There are a lot of tutorials on how to load PDFs into iBooks, but none say how to backup or transfer them back to your computer. I understand there is a button to email them, but I probably have ...
- 926
23
votes
6
answers
35k
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Using rsync to backup
I currently back up the contents of an external hard drive A by (1) deleting everything in the destination external hard drive B and (2) copying everything from A to B (in Finder). The external hard ...
- 620
23
votes
4
answers
87k
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Does Time Machine restore whole system?
I've never used Time Machine before and I pretty much know how backups work but I'm wondering if my system will work out of the box once restored from Time Machine backup?
I mean I have tons of stuff ...
- 513
23
votes
4
answers
21k
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MTMFS consuming an entire CPU core and fans running full bore with Lion
You may be aware that Lion introduced MTMFS, the Mobile Time Machine File System.
I've had a couple of instances now where MTMFS has been chewing up an entire core of my dual-core (mid 2009) MacBook ...
- 426
23
votes
2
answers
40k
views
With File Vault ON are time machine backups encrypted?
I have been using time machine to back up to a wireless external drive since I got my mac. Today I used filevault to encrypt my hard drive.
Will this affect how Time Machine backs up my files?
Will ...
- 981
22
votes
3
answers
17k
views
Why is "Verify Backups" in the Time Machine icon menu disabled?
I learned in Upgraded to Lion: Time Machine spends a LOT of time indexing backup that if I hold down the option key and click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar, the "Back Up Now" menu item changes ...
- 4,509
21
votes
4
answers
62k
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Create local backup of notes in Notes.app on macOS
I'm using a company-issued MacBook where we cannot use iCloud to backup notes. But I would like to have a way to create backups of the notes, since they are not included in the company backup software....
- 353
21
votes
4
answers
111k
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After deleting an app, can you (much) later reinstall it and restore its data from iCloud?
I have several games that, combined, use up a pretty good chunk of my iPhone's flash. I haven't played some of them for a while, and would like to remove them. However, at least before iCloud, ...
- 3,037
20
votes
9
answers
168k
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Remove unnecessary backups from TimeMachine to get space
I know that oldest backups are removed automatically when there is no space for new ones on TimeMachine. I use TimeCapsule also for sharing files on WiFi, so I’d like to free some space by removing of ...
- 1,278
20
votes
4
answers
17k
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How can I "clean out" my Time Machine backups if Time Machine won't backup because the disk is full?
When Time Machine tries to make a backup, it informs me that it can't because the backup disk is full.
What it's mostly full of (about 700GB of 1TB) is prior backups of the same machine. Time ...
- 5,195
20
votes
2
answers
119k
views
Sharing iCloud storage between family members
Is there a way to share iCloud storage between family members?
I included my wife's iPhone into Family sharing, but I would like to have one storage bucket (20G) that would allow us both Apple ID ...
- 489
19
votes
2
answers
33k
views
What folders can be safely excluded from Time Machine backup?
I want to know list of folders that can be safely excluded from Time Machine backups while ensuring that full restore can get me a same machine running immediately.
The reason why I want to do this ...
- 4,678
19
votes
8
answers
39k
views
Can Time Machine back up to an external HD connected to another Mac?
Is it possible to use Time Machine to back up to an external hard drive connected to a Mac on same wifi network?
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19
votes
6
answers
11k
views
How do I make Spotlight stop indexing my Backup drive?
I have a 2TB external drive I use for Time Machine. At random intervals, it will decide to spin up and my entire UI freezes until it's finished. This is incredibly annoying.
It appears that this is ...
- 689
18
votes
7
answers
47k
views
How can I get back a system file after deleting it from my Mac?
I've deleted a system file from my Mac and need to get it back.
System files can include:
hidden files in the root of / - especially unix files in /private
/System files
/Library files
/...
grg♦
- 195k
18
votes
7
answers
6k
views
Is there a bash command to check to see if Time Machine has finished backing up?
I'm writing a script that will rsycnc my Time Machine directory to a remote server using ssh. I've switched from a shell script to an AppleScript and then back to an Apple script and I don't really ...
- 193
18
votes
8
answers
116k
views
Restoring selected files from time machine backup of a different mac
Here's the situation so far:
20" Alum iMac 2007 HDD has died (3 days after I got a new Macbook Pro - coincidence, or suicide?)
It had a time machine backup on a regular external drive
I have ...
- 293
18
votes
4
answers
47k
views
Importing Notes from one mac to another?
I was making extensive use of Notes on a loaner laptop for work. I just got my permanent machine, and after updating from the backed up data on CrashPlan, I found my notes didn't make it over. I ...
- 293
18
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Delete all backups of specific file/folder with tmutil
I'm trying to delete all backups of specific items through the command line. I can accomplish this using the GUI through the following steps:
Enter Time Machine
Navigate to the file to be deleted ...
- 748
18
votes
3
answers
15k
views
How secure are iCloud backups?
Are iCloud backups encrypted, both when transmitted and stored?
Is it possible for someone at Apple to access any backup made to the data enter?
I have heard that when apps have been pulled from the ...
- 4,237
18
votes
4
answers
67k
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Double Whatsapp Backup in iCloud
I am not sure if this is the case, but when you do iCloud Backup of your phone, it will backup Whatsapp. ( I am unsure if this include the Photos and Video )
Then Whatsapp itself has backup option ...
- 425
18
votes
5
answers
70k
views
How to change the location where iTunes stores backups of iPhones?
When I sync my iPhone 4 with my iTunes, the latter starts to make a backup before doing the actual sync. This backup often takes a lot of time to make, which is very annoying. What is even worse (...
Wilbour
18
votes
4
answers
61k
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Backup iPhone to external drive on Mac
What is the best technique for changing the backup location of one's iPhone to an external drive. It would seem that with small SSD's (256GB) and very large iOS devices (128GB) that Apple would easily ...
- 933
18
votes
3
answers
6k
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Difference between enabling Time Machine's "Encrypt Backups" option, and encrypting from Disk Utility?
I'm setting up Time Machine backups on a new external hard disk.
I chose to first encrypt the disk via Disk Utility:
But I also see these options:
Is there any difference between an "Encrypted" ...
- 11k
17
votes
8
answers
113k
views
How to resolve "iTunes could not back up the iPhone because the backup was corrupt"?
When I try to sync my iPhone with my computer, I get the following message:
iTunes could not back up the iPhone "iPhone Name"
because the backup was corrupt or not compatible
with the iPhone.
...
- 8,508
17
votes
10
answers
1k
views
Do you have a backup policy that covers the Worst Case Scenario?
I've a lot of photos and videos of my children. I feel that losing those pictures would be a real pain for me and my family.
In the past I use to make, from time to time, a DVD with all my digital ...
17
votes
2
answers
48k
views
Does OS X continue to copy files when my laptop goes to sleep?
I am currently backing up a large amount of files to a portable hard drive on my Macbook Pro running High Sierra.
It should take a few hours, and generally in around 15 minutes my laptop screen goes ...
- 641
17
votes
4
answers
165k
views
iCloud storage full: "Not Enough Storage". Backups exceed 5GB
Just like everyone else, I get the notification that my iCloud is full and no backup can be made. iOS gives me the suggestion to upgrade my storage on my iCloud account. Because I only want to store ...
- 9,858
17
votes
8
answers
9k
views
Limit Time Machine size in Big Sur
In setting up a new Time Machine, how can I limit how much disk space Time Machine has access to? I am only interested in answers relevant to Big Sur's change to AFPS for Time Machine.
Before 10.13, ...
- 505
17
votes
5
answers
73k
views
How can I reliably backup an external drive to another external drive?
I have got an external hard drive (A) that contains my iTunes & Aperture libraries. It's not always plugged to my MacBook.
What's the best way to make a backup of it on another external hard ...
- 2,437
17
votes
9
answers
25k
views
Time Machine stuck on "Preparing Backup"
I have a MacBook Pro from 2009. It came with OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) but I upgraded to 10.8 (Mountain Lion).
A few days ago, I tried to backup my files on an external hard drive, like I have ...
- 988
16
votes
3
answers
139k
views
Are photos still backed up in iCloud backup even if iCloud Photo Library is off?
I have 50GB of iCloud storage and want to backup all my photos. If I make a regular iCloud backup it says the following:
So I assumed it was my backing up my photos until I stumbled upon this page a ...
- 283
15
votes
4
answers
10k
views
How do I copy a Mac volume using cp?
I have researched this for hours. In Single User Mode, I used:
cp -Rpvn /* /Volumes/MyBackup
My external USB is mounted on /Volumes/MyBackup
The issue however is that after 24hrs it still has not ...
- 271
15
votes
5
answers
49k
views
Why is Time Machine backing up to .sparsebundle file?
In the past, I had used only an external hard drive for my backups. It worked great, and it backed up to folders, in a way that I could go to individual files in the backup. I decided that since I was ...
- 153
15
votes
1
answer
21k
views
Skipping .DS_Store files when copying between two external drives
There are quite a few questions on .DS_Store files already, but none seem to answer my problem.
I have an external hard drive with a dozen of ~ 50 GB backup folders. When I try to copy these folders ...
- 880
15
votes
5
answers
32k
views
How can I back up a complete IMAP account?
I have a huge IMAP email account that contains a lot of subfolders and a lot of messages (dating back to 2005). Is there a simple way to back up these folders and messages so I can delete them from ...
- 887
15
votes
2
answers
13k
views
Best rsync options to transfer data between two Mac
I am about to move my data from my old iMac to a brand new MacBook Pro. I would like to start over with a fresh install on B and copy just a subset of my data, reinstalling applications from scratch, ...
- 253