Sync BootCamp folders for TimeMachine Backup

[TriNitroToluene]

I was wondering if anyone knows a way to automatically sync certain folders from a Windows BootCamp partition to the Mac.

Basically what I'm trying to do is automate a way to backup my Mac with Time Machine but also keep important files that I use on the Windows partition backed up at the same time.

Any ideas?

 

[cainnovacaine]

As I understand it, it can't be done. From my own experience I was taught that Time Machine takes advantage of the HFS+Journaled file system and time machine doesn't work with regular HFS file system. Your windows partition would be either FAT32 or NTFS, both of which aren't journaled.

 

[Gav Mack]

I don't think there is a way to fully automate backing up both platforms simultaneously because of the HFS+/NTFS barrier.

The only setup I know that does both OSX and Windows conveniently between restarts are the HP Mediasmart Server Boxes running Windows Home Server. They do automatic image backups of the Windows partition and an app that reconfigures Time Machine to backup to the WHS.

I have my own non HP WHS box and I just reconfigured TM manually to backup to the server's samba share - this link explains what to do.

 

[TriNitroToluene]

so there's no way just to have folders mirror each other from the two partitions even though you at least have read access of the BootCamp partition? Maybe there's some Automator script that can do the trick.

 

[Gav Mack]

so there's no way just to have folders mirror each other from the two partitions even though you at least have read access of the BootCamp partition? Maybe there's some Automator script that can do the trick.

Possibly but likely run into permissions problems on those windows folders making them read only when you rebooted into windows, unless perhaps you used NTFS-3g/Macfuse or NTFS for Mac and to access after you'd shared those folders plus granting anonymous access for everyone users in Windows. I have no doubt it would still be a risky thing to do - I wouldn't trust any of these Mac utilities with my data! As an alternative I would consider shrinking the bootcamp partition with an app like Acronis Disk Director and creating a small FAT32 volume for a common Mac and Windows disk and use Automator to copy the files to the OSX volume.