how do I just backup my osx using time machine?

[anonymous4a]

I'm trying to get a copy of my current os x 10.8.2 ( I know ) on time machine. Nothing else, no pictures, movies, etc. So that if anything happens when I update the os , I can go back to my current os x .

And I saw that you can exclude folders when using time machine, so where is the current os x 10.8.2 that I'm running located ?

 

[benwiggy]

1. here's Apple's support guide to Time Machine.

2. Most of the OS X System files are hidden in the Finder, though they are indeed backed up with Time Machine. There is a tick box to deselect System files, though this is the opposite of what you want? Surely you just want to exclude your user data.

3. If you just want to be able to reinstall an earlier version, then a better practice might be to keep the installer app for each version. There are also ways to make an installer disk from that app.

4. It's much easier to backup everything and restore everything than restore only the system with no way to restore your user data.

5. I would be much more concerned about backing up your data. Files with no backup WILL be lost.

6. An incremental upgrade is unlikely to create problems that would require you to downgrade. Point versions tends to be bug fixes; they don't add new unsavoury features. I can only remember a couple of cases where a point upgrade caused major problems: they were reported widely, and Apple released a fix very quickly.

 

[anonymous4a]

I do have an earlier combo pack of 10.8.2 on my desktop , is that what I would need to make a installer disk? The size is around 600 mb. but how would I roll back to it after I upgrade ? I thought the only way to go back to a previous version is through time machine .

 

[benwiggy]

No, the Combo package is an updater. If you download the installer app from the Mac App Store, there are many web pages which show how to create an installer disk from that app.

However, you can now only d/l the latest version of OS X, so that won't help you now; but in future, you can keep each version as it comes out and roll back should you need to.

Similarly, using the Recovery Partition will download the latest OS version, so that won't help you.

Reinstalling from TM is the option you want. But to be honest, as I said, you shouldn't have anything to fear from updating.

 

[Bear]

I'm trying to get a copy of my current os x 10.8.2 ( I know ) on time machine. Nothing else, no pictures, movies, etc. So that if anything happens when I update the os , I can go back to my current os x .

And I saw that you can exclude folders when using time machine, so where is the current os x 10.8.2 that I'm running located ?

If you want to do a rollback, you actually want all your stuff backed up so it can all be restored properly. Also what would you do if something happened to your disk in the system? Where would you restore from?