While CCC is excellent, SuperDuper! is as good. It has always worked flawlessly for me. I for one have never said anything degrading about CCC, but SuperDuper! is the one for me, hands down.
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Which Backup Software Do You Use?
- Thread starter honestone33
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I been using CCC for years, Mike currently has a new beta (5.1.23-b2) series going that allows bootable snapshots with Big Sur 11.0.1. I verified this yesterday using another external HDD I had, and created a all new snapshot that oddly didn’t come up as a startup choice with Big Sur but did show booting my 2015 IMac while using Option. It is also universal binary if anyone has a M1 based Mac to test with up running Big Sur which is a new frontier for all of us. 
Don't like working with beta versions of software, especially something as critical as SuperDuper!. Dave Nanian of Shirt Pocket Software has not issued one, and that suits me fine. I am certain that eventually a stable, compatible version of SuperDuper! will appear soon. Dave is just being careful, which is very, very wise!
I can't start a reasonable pole? So what if I use SuperDuper!. That has no bearing on the poll.
The main reason I started it is that on another thread, an individual stated that why should one care about compatibility with Big Sur for SD and CCC, as less than 10% use it. So far, the poll is easily proving that statement wrong.
My previous post didn't discuss your backup preference, I fail to see why you responded.
Time Machine and Backblaze.
Before the pandemic, I kept two TM backup drives: (1) at home updated weekly and (2) one kept at my office updated monthly.
Since I can’t get to my offsite drive I finally started using Backblaze as a last resort. Since I can’t control the storage on a Company’s servers, I do keep a few folders whitelisted from that backup though.
Before the pandemic, I kept two TM backup drives: (1) at home updated weekly and (2) one kept at my office updated monthly.
Since I can’t get to my offsite drive I finally started using Backblaze as a last resort. Since I can’t control the storage on a Company’s servers, I do keep a few folders whitelisted from that backup though.
This poll is defective since it does not allow for "two or more of the above."
"If it's worth backing up, it's worth backing up twice." --old system administrator's adage
Personally I use both Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner, as well as cloud services (the latter for a handful of key data files). In fact, I use iCloud a couple of ways for backing up Internet account passwords and use Dropbox as an iCloud backup for a handful of documents.
While I don't have three full discrete copies of my entire system, I would say that I have 4 copies of a small subset of data, maybe 3 copies of a slightly larger subset of data, and 2 copies of all of it.
This is all vanilla consumer data, it's not like I'm running a law firm or doctor's office on my Mac.
"If it's worth backing up, it's worth backing up twice." --old system administrator's adage
Personally I use both Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner, as well as cloud services (the latter for a handful of key data files). In fact, I use iCloud a couple of ways for backing up Internet account passwords and use Dropbox as an iCloud backup for a handful of documents.
While I don't have three full discrete copies of my entire system, I would say that I have 4 copies of a small subset of data, maybe 3 copies of a slightly larger subset of data, and 2 copies of all of it.
This is all vanilla consumer data, it's not like I'm running a law firm or doctor's office on my Mac.
Mac Backup Guru is marvelous. Simple, reliable, flexible, with excellent support/responsiveness by developer.
Whereas Apple's own Time Machine has caused me to lose data because a backup could not be restored. And more than once, on more than one machine!
I am glad to see this topic/question posted because I've long wanted to recommend this app to interested users.
That's it.
Could not agree more - one back up of important items is not enough !- even a back up can get messed up - for example if I unwittingly delete and important file or folder etc - then it gets backed up that way no fault of the BU software.
don't use time machine ( past problems) but I do use CCC as you mention for both a full cloned back up 2 (scripted) times per week to different drives and once a week a manual - hit the clone button because I just did a lot of changes or maybe important document updates.
Great to have a full clone - but like you mention - also nice to have subsets - ie my Outlook Folder (Hidden in the library 😡) backed up weekly and separate from the "full back up / clone" - with over 15 years of emails that I don't want to loose that history! Same thing with passwords/logins/serial numbers/credit cards/ all in one file and backed up separately - all done painlessly once the CCC scripts are set up
I love iCloud and use it extensively and daily for work documents / keynote presentations and important documents that I want iPad and iPhone access to on all three devices - but I still back up those files too - I don't what an "Apple ID" issue to lock me out of more than 30 years work, music, and a huge Photo library
Two sets for TimeMachine
CCC - last month, last week, current AND prior OS version(s)
Tri-Backup - I like how it can show and sync folders
iCloud and OneDrive
Bought SD as friends were liking it, been using Mike Bombich's software from OS X 12.2 days before CCC was born.
CCC - last month, last week, current AND prior OS version(s)
Tri-Backup - I like how it can show and sync folders
iCloud and OneDrive
Bought SD as friends were liking it, been using Mike Bombich's software from OS X 12.2 days before CCC was born.
Time Machine for my day-to-day backup needs.
Though these days I've had to convert a Raspberry Pi 4 and USB 3 HDD to take over from the lack of Apple hardware.
I still do the old fashioned back of things like our photos and most important documents onto Blu-Ray M-DISCs and spare HDDs every once in a while as well. Just to make sure the irreplaceable items are well catered for.
Though these days I've had to convert a Raspberry Pi 4 and USB 3 HDD to take over from the lack of Apple hardware.
I still do the old fashioned back of things like our photos and most important documents onto Blu-Ray M-DISCs and spare HDDs every once in a while as well. Just to make sure the irreplaceable items are well catered for.
That it is. Really simple to set up, and once done, you have a wireless Time Capsule. I’m using a Rpi 4, which also runs my Homebridge setup and a 6TB HDD. Works like a charm. I prefer the Pi 4 as it’s Ethernet is separate from the USB implementation, so it’s a lot faster.
I’m happy to share the steps if anyone would like, it’s a bit lengthy though, so if you don’t mind it’s probably better I send you a PM than post here.
Looking for a reason to buy an rpi4, this sounds great. If you post the guide here, I'm sure others will find it handy too (with disclaimer that you don't provide 24/7 tech support!)
Well, I hardly sleep, so I’m pretty close to 24/7. But tech support depends on the time of day, how much I’ve slept and how much of my medication I’ve had
I can pop up a guide here once I’m at my computer. There are also several good guides on t’interweb if I remember correctly, so it may be better to link to one of those, rather than a post that would take up an entire page
Excellent, a link to a guide that works would be great. I've often found I've had to mix & match guides and do my own trouble shooting, so knowing it already works for you is an advantage.Well, I hardly sleep, so I’m pretty close to 24/7. But tech support depends on the time of day, how much I’ve slept and how much of my medication I’ve had
I can pop up a guide here once I’m at my computer. There are also several good guides on t’interweb if I remember correctly, so it may be better to link to one of those, rather than a post that would take up an entire page
I’ve had a quick scan of this guide and it’s more or less identical to the process I used. So I’d be pretty confident in saying it would give you a stable ‘Time Capsule’. It’s also very well written.
Mines hasn’t thrown up a single issue yet. Whether I’m backing up wired, or wireless. I think the Pi is my favourite alternative to the old Apple Time Capsules.
Thanks for the link, looks reasonably straightforward. I've bookmarked the link ready for when I get time to build it.
I utilize multiple means of backup. Carbon Copy Cloner from my 2018 mini and 2013 Pro to my 2014 mini (saved locally) then from my 2014 mini to an external drive (which is kept in a water/fire proof safe). I use Time Machine from my 2018 mini and 2013 Pro to an external drive connected to my 2013 Pro. I also use Syncthing to to mirror my important folders between my macOS boxen and my 2011 mini running linux. On my 2011 mini I use luckyBackup that goes to an external drive (also kept in the water/fire proof safe). Very few things (mostly Photos) are saved on my iCloud storage.
It’s been 100% reliable for me and using a Pi 4 connected to Ethernet, with a fast USB 3 hard drive, pretty quick doing the backups.
Best of luck when you get around to it.