Back up consumes a lot of storage on my mba, how to transfer my back up to external drive

how to transfer my mac  backup to ecternal drive

Good question.  Your backups should be on a different disk than your live data.  If that one disk/SSD should crash then you will lose all your data, including the backup.  So put your backups on external drives.
This page has specific instructions on setting up an external drive as a Time Machine backup.  http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1427
For more on backups (any why you should maintain more than one and more than one kind) see:
           https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3045 ,
          and https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6031
               and Methodology to protect your data. Backups vs. Archives. Long-term data protection

Similar Messages

  • How do I configure my timecapsule to back up an external drive connected to macbook?

    How do I configure my timecapsule to back up an external drive connected to macbook?

    First, insure that the external drive has been formatted in Mac OS Extended Journaled
    If it's not, and you already have data on the drive, you will need to move that data to another temporary storage location....as the format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) will erase everything on the drive. Once the drive has been formatted, move the data from the temporary storage location back to the external drive
    Click the Time Machine clock icon at the top of the screen
    Click Time Machine Preferences
    Click Options
    Click the name of the external drive to highlight it, and then click the - (minus) button at the bottom of the list to remove the drive from the list of "excluded" items for backup
    The drive will now be backed up by Time Machine on the next and all subsequent backups

  • Can time machine be used to back up one external drive to another external drive?

    I use the photography program Lightroom to organize and develop digital photos.  All my photos are stored on my iMac internal drive.  The internal drive is almost full so I want to move my photos to a new external drive.  At present, I have an external drive devoted to backing up my iMac using time machine.  I have no need to change this arrangement.  I would like to use a new external drive to serve as the primary location for my pictures, which I will move from the internal drive.  Then I would like to backup that drive to a third external back up drive.  Can time machine be used to automatically back up the second drive to the third drive as well as for continuing to provide ongoing backups to my internal drive as it is currently doing?
    Thank you in advance for your assistance.

    Jeffery t wrote:
    Thanks for the links, but I don't see in the pondini links, the scenario I am asking about.
    Time Machine can easily back up multiple internal and/or directly-connected external drives and partitions simultaneously (but Time Machine cannotback up data that's on a network).
    From the first link.
    Jeffery t wrote:
    ... Please note that my iMac internal drive is backing up to external drive number 1 using time machine.  I want my pictures on external drive two and those backed up to external drive three.  So are you saying that if I have 500 GB of pictures on drive number 2, I will need a third drive that is at least 1 TB?
    the confusion starts in your above statement...
    There should be Only One Time Machine Drive.

  • Can I back up an external drive and an airbook with a third drive

    I would like to back up an external drive and an airbook with a third drive.  This was the setup I used with my Imac.  The third drive was linked to the external drive which was linked to the imac.  I used time machine.  Both the third drive and the external drive were visible on the desktop of the imac.  Now I want to use this system to back up the airbook and the external drive, but the third drive doesn't appear on the airbook's desk top, in fact it is invisible and doesn't seem to be recognized in finder or anywhere else from the airbook.  Is there some distinction that prevents the airbook from allowing this back up configuration, but that allowed the imac to work in this configuration.
    Thanks,
    Daviiiiiiid

    Of course, always that the external drive is formatted in “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)”. Apart from that, you shouldn't have any issue,
    Then, open System Preferences > Time Machine > Options, and remove the external drive from excluded items. The next backup will include your external drive.
    Note that you may not be able to back up the external drive if it's connected to your Time Capsule. If it doesn't work, connect the external drive to your computer

  • I have lost my Safari app and all the bookmarks that go with it. I have tried to download my back-up on external drive but cannot access it. Tried a start with C key held down but still no access to the back-up app.

    I have lost my Safari app and all the bookmarks that go with it. I have tried to download my back-up on external drive but cannot access it. Tried a start with C key held down but still no access to the back up app.
    Have used Superduper app. to back up and checked back-up occasionally to see if all files present  and appeared OK.
    I had previously started machine using original CD #1 to try and replace Eudora which was acting up. Did not knowingly touch Safari.
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    How can I successfully download from the Maxtor back-up?
    Ivan

    Further info.
    I checked the content of my other back-up and found the bookmark Bookmarks.plist in the library under Safari
    Dumped the existing copy in the computer and drag-dropped the back up. All bookmarks restored.
    Solved the Stickies problem by using Spotlight  to find file "stickiesdatabase" and did a drag- drop to replace file. All data restored.
    Re Ical data loss. Used Spotlight to find iCal document in  Library - Preferences where I found com.apple.iCal.plist in folder.
    Got ready to make change but did not immediately remove file. When I returned to Preferences folder to grab above document,
    the readable descriptors had been changed to code consisting of some upper case letters and/or single symbols!
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    Thanks for leading me so far, but how do I find that plist for my calendar?

  • Cannot reinstate catalog after returning PC (Windows 7) to factory settings (because of worm infection). Catalog was backed up on external drive but not using PSE backup facility. Cannot find and *.tly file. Is this hopeless?

    Cannot reinstate catalog after returning PC (Windows 7) to factory settings (because of worm infection). Catalog was backed up on external drive but not using PSE backup facility. Cannot find and *.tly file. Is this hopeless?

    If you made backups of all of your photos and your catalog file using some third-party method (i.e. not using the PSE catalog backup command), then you should be able to restore everything.
    Step 1. Put the photos in the EXACT SAME LOCATION as before. For example, if they were in subfolders of C:\Users\<username>\Documents, then they must go into the exact same subfolders of C:\Users\<username>\Documents.
    Step 2. Move the catalog file to wherever you want it to be, and then double-click on it.

  • G'day.  I am using iMovie 11 and need to clear disk space.  How can I do that using an external drive, leaving me the option to go back and make changes or access old events or projects from that external drive?

    G'day.  I am using iMovie 11 and need to clear disk space.  How can I do that using an external drive, leaving me the option to go back and make changes or access old events or projects from that external drive?

    The slightly bigger question is whether you want to move all movie content to the external drive (essentially meaning that drive will always need to be attached when you're working with your videos), or whether you just want to archive older videos off to the external drive.
    If you want to move all videos, then just move the 'Movies' folder in your home directory to the external drive, then create an alias of the external 'Movies' back in to your home directory. Now the 'Movies' icon in your home directory will point to the external drive and everything will just work (as long as the external drive is attached when you launch iMovie)
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  • I have the 5.5 Lightroom software on my I-Mac with OS-X, 10.9.3. It seems I have lost 850 pictures I was developing. It all started when was adding a folder. A new screen came up with no photos.  I went back to my external drive, trying to open the folder

    I have the 5.5 Lightroom software on my I-Mac with OS-X, 10.9.3. It seems I have lost 850 pictures I was developing. It all started when was adding a folder. A new screen came up with no photos.  I went back to my external drive, trying to open the folder (containing the pictures I was working on), an icon "Thumbs" came up. When I click on it, a message "can't find the application" came up, there is no picture to be found. Please help.  Frustrated-George

    Have you tried resetting the SMC ?     >  Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

  • Time Machine won't back up OWC external drive

    Mac Mini running 10.8.5.  Time Machine will not back up brand new OWC MiniStack external HD. I've trashed TM prefs, reformatted the TM drive, verified that there are no exclusions, but it won't back up the external HD which contains only data files -- no system, no applications.  TM does back up the internal HD.

    PROBLEM SOLVED.
    Recap: Time Machine would not back up an external data drive despite being correctly formatted and settings correctly applied.
    Problem was either:  a) the Mac, b) the external data drive, c) the Time Machine drive, or d) the data.
    I replaced both the external data drive (cloned) and the Time Machine drive, but Time Machine would back up that external drive either.
    Finally, instead of CLONING (SuperDuper) the external data drive, I COPIED the data to a new HD -- root folder-by-folder. Now Time Machine again backs up my external hard drive.
    SOLUTION:  Problem was not hard drives or Mac, but within the data itself.  Cloning the data simply passed on the problem to the new hard drive.  For this problem, the solution was copying the data rather than cloning.
    Thanks all.

  • Backing up 1 external drive on to 2

    Hi -- I have a 400 gb external hard drive that stores my Itunes library, with about 260 gb of music on it. I want to back it up on to a 250 gb drive and an 80 gb drive. Can anyone recommend software that handles this requirement well? (e.g., like pausing when the target disk is full) Do the Mac backup utilities do it?
    Ideally, it would allow for an easy restore, if that is ever necessary. Thanks. -- David

    You can't back up an external drive that is connected to a TC to the TC itself using Time Machine.

  • Hey guys, i have a one year old Mac desktop which has become incredibly slow over time. Strange thing is that I have not downloaded anything save for install Windows for Mac. Storage wise the bulk of my info is stored on hard external drives. Can someow

    Hey guys, i have a one year old Mac desktop which has become incredibly slow over time. Strange thing is that I have not downloaded anything save for install Windows for Mac. Storage wise the bulk of my info is stored on hard external drives. Can someow

    Hardware Information:
              iMac - model: iMac11,2
              1 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 CPU: 2 cores
              4 GB RAM
    Video Information:
              ATI Radeon HD 5670 - VRAM: 512 MB
    System Software:
              Mac OS X 10.6.8 (10K549) - Uptime: up 0:2:53:43
    Disk Information:
              WDC WD1001FALS-40Y6A0 disk0 : (931,51 GB)
                        (null) (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 200 MB
                        Macintosh HD (disk0s2) /: 931,19 GB (894,98 GB free)
              OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5680H 
    USB Information:
              Apple Inc. iPad
              Apple Internal Memory Card Reader
              Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
                        Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
              Apple, Inc. Keyboard Hub
                        Apple, Inc Apple Keyboard
              Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
              Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
    FireWire Information:
    Kernel Extensions:
    Problem System Launch Daemons:
                     [failed] com.apple.suhelperd.plist
                 [not loaded] org.samba.winbindd.plist
    Problem System Launch Agents:
                     [failed] com.apple.Kerberos.renew.plist
    Launch Daemons:
                     [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist
                     [loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist
                     [loaded] com.rim.BBDaemon.plist
                     [loaded] com.zeobit.MacKeeper.AntiVirus.plist
    Launch Agents:
                     [loaded] com.rim.BBAlbumArtCacher.plist
                     [loaded] com.rim.BBLaunchAgent.plist
    User Launch Agents:
                     [loaded] com.adobe.ARM.202f4087f2bbde52e3ac2df389f53a4f123223c9cc56a8fd83a6f7ae.plist
                     [loaded] com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper.plist
    User Login Items:
              iTunesHelper
              BlackBerry Desktop Software
              Bluetooth File Exchange
              Garmin ANT Agent
              Dropbox
    3rd Party Preference Panes:
              Flash Player
    Internet Plug-ins:
              AdobePDFViewer.plugin
              AdobePDFViewerNPAPI.plugin
              Flash Player.plugin
              FlashPlayer-10.6.plugin
              GarminGpsControl.plugin
              iPhotoPhotocast.plugin
              JavaAppletPlugin.plugin
              QuickTime Plugin.plugin
              SharePointBrowserPlugin.plugin
    User Internet Plug-ins:
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              None
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  • TM won't back up other external drive

    I have a LaCie external drive which contains all my photos and music. I have TM backing up to Time Capsule--it works fine with my iMac, but if I add the LaCie it starts backing up but never finishes. I have watched the progress bar get as far as maybe 70 out of 150 GB and then start over from 0. It will cycle like this indefinitely--I've let it run for as much as a couple of days and it never gets anywhere, no evidence of even a partial backup of the LaCie. TM basically will work only when the LaCie is excluded (I've switched back and forth a few times to prove this). Very grateful for any ideas!

    PROBLEM SOLVED.
    Recap: Time Machine would not back up an external data drive despite being correctly formatted and settings correctly applied.
    Problem was either:  a) the Mac, b) the external data drive, c) the Time Machine drive, or d) the data.
    I replaced both the external data drive (cloned) and the Time Machine drive, but Time Machine would back up that external drive either.
    Finally, instead of CLONING (SuperDuper) the external data drive, I COPIED the data to a new HD -- root folder-by-folder. Now Time Machine again backs up my external hard drive.
    SOLUTION:  Problem was not hard drives or Mac, but within the data itself.  Cloning the data simply passed on the problem to the new hard drive.  For this problem, the solution was copying the data rather than cloning.
    Thanks all.

  • When using Time Machine to back up to external drive, does Time Machine back up content in your Trash folder?

    When using Time Machine to back up to external drive, does Time Machine back up content in your Trash folder?

    Go to System Preferences (under the Apple menu) > Time Machine and click the Options button. Click the "+" button in the lower left. In the resulting dialog, check the Show invisible items checkbox. Go to your home folder and look for Trash. Click the Exclude button in the lower right.

  • I cannot copy or transfer mp3 files stored on external drive back into itunes so i can listen to book again

    Hi,
    I mostly use itunes for listening to audiobooks which I have been collecting for years. Have hundreds of them. A few years ago when computer too full and my itunes library too big I carefully copied the books onto an external hard drive as mp3 files and then removed them from itunes. (At that stage I really wanted a non itunes library backup as I had already lost library a couple of times....now I understand the itunes back up a bit more and can use it.)
    However I have lots of my favourite books on an external drive and I want to listen to them again. I cannot go to the folder holding a book, select all the the mp3 files that make up the book and drag them into my itunes music file as I can with a mp3 disc. There are 73 files on the first book i want to move!
    Itunes has been selected as the default player and will play the files but I cannot transfer them.
    Under details on a file it reads NOT PROTECTED
    I am  the administrator of my computer, indeed am its only user.
    Cannot think of anything else that might  be useful.
    hope you can help
    Elizabeth

    luckily that is also backed up on the external drive too so I'll try looking there, but do you have any thoughts on why I can't get the backed up files to stay on the PC correctly ? because until they are back on my PC I can't use it or get the rankings back right?

  • Backing up of external drives

    I know this is a really basic question, but I cannot find the answer. Will Time Machine automatically back up the content of my external hard drive used for file storage as well as my iMac. Time Machine is backing up to external hard disk #2, just to clarify.
    Thanks
    Gerry

    As Kappy says, TM will back it up unless it's excluded.
    But it will be excluded automatically if it's not formatted for a Mac. Either check via the "Star Wars" display, or see if it's listed in the exclusions box in +Time Machine Preferences > Options.+

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