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what is the best patterns to backup a Mac?
- Thread starter benoitc
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The "best" approach is a multi-pronged one. I have constant time machine backups to another Mac on my network that is used as a server. I also make bootable Carbon Copy Clones on an external Samsung T7 SSD pretty much every day. And I have continuous BackBlaze backups "in the cloud". In addition, I keep archival copies of backups from old computers and old versions of MacOS. Have been using Macs since 1985, got an Apple ][ in 1978 and still have some files going back that far. Don't want to risk losing any of that.
Only caveat is, not sure if you can still make bootable clones with the newest versions of MacOS, IIRC Carbon Copy is still working on this. I'm still running Catalina on my primary Mac. A bootable clone on a SSD is nice because you could be back up and running immediately if your computer was destroyed/lost/stolen.
Only caveat is, not sure if you can still make bootable clones with the newest versions of MacOS, IIRC Carbon Copy is still working on this. I'm still running Catalina on my primary Mac. A bootable clone on a SSD is nice because you could be back up and running immediately if your computer was destroyed/lost/stolen.
yes i am not sure carbon copy is still working. I should try
I like the multi approach pattern..As for Time Machine, the annoying part is itd reliability over the network.. Frome rime to time you have to go reset the whole thing due to errors with synology.
Having multiple backups are a must.
- TimeMachine is mostly when a macOS update fails. I hate the interface for restoring files. On High Sierra there is no notification when TimeMachine isn't done. I'm not using TimeMachine on the newer computer. So this needs to be checked.
- Carbon Copy Cloner (yes, it's still working fine) to an external hard disk. I send myself an email every night so that I can check that the backup was done.
- Acronis for when the house burns down. Online backups all suck lemons. Yes, I've tried multiple and they all suck. I get hourly emails for completed backups.
- Version control for software development and Rapidweaver.
- Extra backup of important data before doing a macOS update.
- My own app Mail Archiver for the emails because on newer versions of macOS TimeMachine doesn't restore emails.
- YummyFTP to back up my websites.
Yes, I'm paranoid about my data. And yes, all backups have had failures when I needed them. Therefore, the emails when a backup has run.
Edit:
Arq is the worst software I have ever used. Totally unreliable.
Using iCloud as backup is dangerous. It can fail without warning or eat your files.
- TimeMachine is mostly when a macOS update fails. I hate the interface for restoring files. On High Sierra there is no notification when TimeMachine isn't done. I'm not using TimeMachine on the newer computer. So this needs to be checked.
- Carbon Copy Cloner (yes, it's still working fine) to an external hard disk. I send myself an email every night so that I can check that the backup was done.
- Acronis for when the house burns down. Online backups all suck lemons. Yes, I've tried multiple and they all suck. I get hourly emails for completed backups.
- Version control for software development and Rapidweaver.
- Extra backup of important data before doing a macOS update.
- My own app Mail Archiver for the emails because on newer versions of macOS TimeMachine doesn't restore emails.
- YummyFTP to back up my websites.
Yes, I'm paranoid about my data. And yes, all backups have had failures when I needed them. Therefore, the emails when a backup has run.
Edit:
Arq is the worst software I have ever used. Totally unreliable.
Using iCloud as backup is dangerous. It can fail without warning or eat your files.
Recent issues upgrading machines and OS from Catalina to Big Sur, TimeMachine dug me out of the trouble but I had CCC backups as well and various other options including just important stuff backed up fully versioned non Apple service and off site hard drives. I treat iCloud as a convenience but fortunately its Photo library was OK to re download and create the new master Photo library. But that was backed up many times if that option failed (I wouldn't rely on iCloud).
Time machine
when someone has enough hard drive space.
the process is free and backs up everything with a simple tap of the trackpad
what is good about time machine is you can grab something
like safari 14.? when safari 15 is not to one's liking.
Wished Windows had a time machine program.
when someone has enough hard drive space.
the process is free and backs up everything with a simple tap of the trackpad
what is good about time machine is you can grab something
like safari 14.? when safari 15 is not to one's liking.
Wished Windows had a time machine program.
Carbon Copy Cloner still works fine. The issue is with making *bootable* clones, because of security features of the newest versions of MacOS. This is discussed in their blog but I really haven't followed it very closely since I'm still on Catalina (and Mojave on my media server).