What alternative to Time Machine do you use?

[rmwebs]

I've always used Time Machine myself, but was curious on what others were using as I know a few people opted for 3rd party apps.

Any recommendations? I've got no problem with Time Machine other than its desire to hog all your resources when it does its (way to often) backup. I resorted to using an app to 'slow down' how often it does a backup.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I use CarbonCopyCloner on a daily schedule. The advantage of the backup CCC creates, it is a 1:1 clone, that it is bootable.
There is also SuperDuper! to clone one HDD to another.

As for Time Machine, there is also Time Machine Editor, with which you can edit the frequency of backups.

 

[OllyW]

I use Time Machine combined with a weekly SuperDuper! backup.

 

[Sital]

I used to use Time Machine, but switched to Carbon Copy Cloner for daily backups. It just makes sense to me to have a bootable backup, for when the unexpected happens.

 

[tersono]

I use time machine too, but my primary backup tool for data is Chronosync - very reliable and, as the name suggest, a synchronising tool as well as straight backup - very useful if you need to sync large amounts of data between two locations.

 

[undies1993]

I am also looking for an alternative to Time Machine. I like how Time Machine is set up where you can go back in in it and look at individual files, but I don't like how slow it is and how it hangs. I am at 154.3MB of 190.87GB with a USB 3.0 Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex, it should be speeding through this backup.

Do you think it is a problem with Time Machine or my Hard Drive? Disk Utility found no errors.

 

[r0k]

I am also looking for an alternative to Time Machine. I like how Time Machine is set up where you can go back in in it and look at individual files, but I don't like how slow it is and how it hangs. I am at 154.3MB of 190.87GB with a USB 3.0 Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex, it should be speeding through this backup.

Do you think it is a problem with Time Machine or my Hard Drive? Disk Utility found no errors.

Time Machine can get itself wrapped around its own axles from time to time. More recent versions warn you about this and ask your permission to "start a new backup" which is a nice way to say "wipe all your old data and start over."

Rather than wait for TM to realize it is hung, whenever it seems to be always backing up or always stuck on 18.4 KB of 18.4 KB (which is every few months around my house), I simply turn off time machine, delete or rename the old sparsebundle file and turn TM back on. It works fine on a fresh backup but gets progressively slower if you don't start over from time to time.

I know Apple advertises the ability to go back to old versions of files but this is truly a fantasy because of the frequency with which TM gets itself all confuzzled. I have lost data due to Time Machine in the past. Since then I've been using both Time Machine and Crashplan. I also own Carbon Copy Cloner but use CCC only for cloning Macintosh HD onto a new drive when I upgrade my hard disk.

I have found that TM to a usb or firewire drive is more reliable than TM over ethernet which is in turn more reliable than TM over wifi. If you are using TM to a NAS drive (such as an Apple Time Capsule or AEBS with a USB disk attached), proceed with caution. Your backup may already be worthless and the wrong time to learn this is after your HDD is wiped!

Bottom line: Never trust TM as your only backup solution.

 

[benwiggy]

I would agree that TM over a network is a dubious proposition, but I have found TM attached to an external drive to be flawless.
I've been using it continually since 2007, having transferred my backups onto successively bigger drives. I still have my first backup from Leopard as part of my TM backup. I have restored loads of things, so have no doubts about it's status.

TM works best if you plug it in and leave it alone. If you unplug the external regularly, change the backup frequency, or tinker with it in any way, then it can throw a wobbly. It's also reliant on Spotlight, so if you muck about with that, then that won't help either.

Of course, you can never have too much redundancy. I also use Chronosync to synchronise the documents on my laptop and desktop, and also to make another backup to another external.

One more thing: TM backups ARE now bootable.

 

[talmy]

I use TimeMachine on 4 Macs here, the TimeMachine drive on my server system. 3 years and I've never had any problems restoring files or have had it hang. Slowness isn't really an issue since its incremental and runs all the time.

I also make clones of the drives of all the Macs (SuperDuper!), and I use a Cloud service, CrashPlan, as my third line of defense.

 

[undies1993]

I use TimeMachine on 4 Macs here, the TimeMachine drive on my server system. 3 years and I've never had any problems restoring files or have had it hang. Slowness isn't really an issue since its incremental and runs all the time.

I also make clones of the drives of all the Macs (SuperDuper!), and I use a Cloud service, CrashPlan, as my third line of defense.

I just went to class and came back to my computer. From my last post to now, it only got to 155MB. I don't understand why its flawless for you but not me. I do have a rMBP so I don't have the external constantly plugged in.

 

[talmy]

I just went to class and came back to my computer. From my last post to now, it only got to 155MB. I don't understand why its flawless for you but not me. I do have a rMBP so I don't have the external constantly plugged in.

Typically only a small amount of files change in an hour (the time nominally between TM backup sets). TimeMachine intentionally doesn't back up cache files or the Trash, but should also be configured to ignore other folders for which backups are not necessary or desired (for me thats Downloads, Mail Downloads, virtual machines, anything on the Desktop, and raw video clips).

Our portables backup over WiFi so they can actually do the TM backup hourly as long as they are on. If you are using an external drive and don't leave it connected then TM won't work as well. You would be better off cloning the internal drive to an external on a regular basis (and incremental cloning by CCC or registered SuperDuper is very fast) and using a cloud service which will back up continuously as long as you have a network connection. Or consider buying a TimeCapsule so you don't need the physical connection to the backup drive.

 

[dukebound85]

I used to use Time Machine, but switched to Carbon Copy Cloner for daily backups. It just makes sense to me to have a bootable backup, for when the unexpected happens.

I use both

I dont use TM as a backup per say but more of a file version recovery tool.

CCC is my backup backup

 

[undies1993]

Typically only a small amount of files change in an hour (the time nominally between TM backup sets). TimeMachine intentionally doesn't back up cache files or the Trash, but should also be configured to ignore other folders for which backups are not necessary or desired (for me thats Downloads, Mail Downloads, virtual machines, anything on the Desktop, and raw video clips).

Our portables backup over WiFi so they can actually do the TM backup hourly as long as they are on. If you are using an external drive and don't leave it connected then TM won't work as well. You would be better off cloning the internal drive to an external on a regular basis (and incremental cloning by CCC or registered SuperDuper is very fast) and using a cloud service which will back up continuously as long as you have a network connection. Or consider buying a TimeCapsule so you don't need the physical connection to the backup drive.

Good idea ignoring some of the files! I will do that now. I am now to 550.6MB. I do have an external drive and sometimes when I leave it to backup and the computer sleeps I will log back in and it will say I have ejected the drive improperly, even though it was plugged in the entire time.

 

[Krazy Bill]

with a USB 3.0 Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex, it should be speeding through this backup.

I have the same drive. TM works fine for me. If you installed those stupid-assed Seagate drivers, get rid of them.

I actually have a comfortable setup on my 1.5TB drive. 1TB is dedicated to Time Machine and the rest to Carbon Copy Cloner which makes a bootable image. Using a few scripts I just plug in the drive cable once a day to a port and everything automatically starts churning away.

 

[undies1993]

I have the same drive. TM works fine for me. If you installed those stupid-assed Seagate drivers, get rid of them.

I actually have a comfortable setup on my 1.5TB drive. 1TB is dedicated to Time Machine and the rest to Carbon Copy Cloner which makes a bootable image. Using a few scripts I just plug in the drive cable once a day to a port and everything automatically starts churning away.

Where would I find those?

 

[Weaselboy]

I have the same drive. TM works fine for me. If you installed those stupid-assed Seagate drivers, get rid of them.

I actually have a comfortable setup on my 1.5TB drive. 1TB is dedicated to Time Machine and the rest to Carbon Copy Cloner which makes a bootable image. Using a few scripts I just plug in the drive cable once a day to a port and everything automatically starts churning away.

Where would I find those?

Dunno what Bill is using, but you can do what he described very easily with CCC's "schedule task" function. Just setup CCC with the source and destination selections/options you want then click "Schedule this task" at the lower right. Now pick your options from the screen. Below is one I have setup that automatically copies ~/Documents and ~/Pictures to a USB key whenever I attach the thumb drive. I have it set to ask me if it is okay to proceed, but you don't have to do that.

 

[undies1993]

Dunno what Bill is using, but you can do what he described very easily with CCC's "schedule task" function. Just setup CCC with the source and destination selections/options you want then click "Schedule this task" at the lower right. Now pick your options from the screen. Below is one I have setup that automatically copies ~/Documents and ~/Pictures to a USB key whenever I attach the thumb drive. I have it set to ask me if it is okay to proceed, but you don't have to do that.

Sorry I wasn't clear what I meant. What I meant where would I find those drivers.

 

[Weaselboy]

Sorry I wasn't clear what I meant. What I meant where would I find those drivers.

Oh sorry.

Do you mean the Seagate Diagnostic program? Looks like this thread can help you out with that.

 

[Krazy Bill]

Sorry I wasn't clear what I meant. What I meant where would I find those drivers.

Check out this thread. See if the symptoms there apply to you. and follow the instructions down the line. If you delete the Seagate drivers and crap you'll need to reformat that GoFlex though.

Dunno what Bill is using, but you can do what he described very easily with CCC's "schedule task" function.

Yes, I use CCC the same way. The only reason I use "scripts" and another hack is to delay the Time Machine backup from starting until CCC is done. When they both back up at the same time it really bogs down my system and I want to use my machine during the backup process.

Edit: I am late again.

 

[Weaselboy]

Yes, I use CCC the same way. The only reason I use "scripts" and another hack is to delay the Time Machine backup from starting until CCC is done. When they both back up at the same time it really bogs down my system and I want to use my machine during the backup process.

I have noticed the same thing. Dropbox sync at the same time seems to ramp up CPU usage also.

 

[ChrisA]

I used to use Time Machine, but switched to Carbon Copy Cloner for daily backups. It just makes sense to me to have a bootable backup, for when the unexpected happens.

As long as yu have a large number of backup disks and rotate them so you don't over write the previous backup with the new backup.

Here is the senario to avoid: You have a photo you like and it gets backed up and all is well. That file gets corrupted, not lost just damaged, and you don't notice. Then you do the backup again and over write your only "good" copy of the photo.

This is a common way to loose data. You need to use an incremental system that keeps old copies around.

My plan is to have two Time Machine disks. Mac OS X will "ping pong" between them so if one is messed up I can fix it without destroying my only backup. Also it allows a disk to die and I still have a backup. Then in addition I have disks in an second location inside a fire safe. I rotate these and make the Carbon Copy type backups every so often.

I also keep the stuff I'm currently working on on Apple's Cloud Drive.


You have to think about comon ways datamight be lost and have a plan
1) There is a fire in the house
2) Lightening stricks a power pole a block from you and the resulting surge destroys all the equipment that is plugged into the AC wall outlet
3) Theft of your equipment
4) You accidentally and without knowing delete half of a document you are working on.
5) "silent" file corruption that goes undetected for days or weeks
6) Equipment failure.

Problem #3 is more common then you'd think. And I know you don't expect a ire but everyone who had a fire said they did not expect a fire.

Time Machine works very well as a FIRST line backup. But in addition you need more, unless your data is disposable. If it is just downloads and ripped music then you can replace it easy but if it is tuff you created you need is backed up to about three different places

 

[stchman]

I have a portable HDD and a NAS, I don't worry about backing up the OS, just my personal data.

I can re-install ML and retrieve my apps from the App Store or whatever website I got them from.

My personal data is FAR more important.

 

[talmy]

I have a portable HDD and a NAS, I don't worry about backing up the OS, just my personal data.

I can re-install ML and retrieve my apps from the App Store or whatever website I got them from.

My personal data is FAR more important.

True about the personal data, but it all also depends on how much time you have. Last week my hard drive in my MBP failed one evening and I was fully restored without data loss the following morning (restored while I slept from a SuperDuper! clone and remaining files brought up to date because I synchronize the data on two systems with Chronsync).

 

[Gogol]

I have "time machine" on a raid 1 backup connected to OSX Server on a Mini and an external backup at Crashplan for multiple computers.

 

[undies1993]

Check out this thread. See if the symptoms there apply to you. and follow the instructions down the line. If you delete the Seagate drivers and crap you'll need to reformat that GoFlex though.

Yes, I use CCC the same way. The only reason I use "scripts" and another hack is to delay the Time Machine backup from starting until CCC is done. When they both back up at the same time it really bogs down my system and I want to use my machine during the backup process.

Edit: I am late again.

Why would I have to reformat? I deleted everything now I am using disk utility to "repair disk" but it is running really slow. Would a reformat speed it up? Would it stay speed up? Thanks!