Backing up the desk top
Time Machine keeps backing up my hard drive every hour, even right thought the night when I am not using the computer. What I want to back up are all the files on my desk top - but they don't seem to be backed up at all. Any idea what I can do to ensure that my folders on the desk top are backed up? I have stopped time machine from backing up the hard drive.
We need more info.
Particularly what OS you are running on the computer.. Mavericks is proving unreliable.. to the point where I recommend people use an alternative for the time being.
eg CCC.
Also the size of the TC and how full is it? If it fills up it will delete old backups to store new ones. Less than a month is fine if that is what the TC disk size allows.
Similar Messages
-
My MacBook Pro randomly froze during a sync to my iPhone and started making a scratching noise by the power button. I shut it off then turned it back on and it won't take me to the desk tops it will just flash a folder with a question mark in it. What do I do?
You have a HDD problem (hopefully you have a backup). Start with the information on this support article:
https://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440
Ciao. -
have a problem with my MacBook Pro.5,3 and monitor. Intermittently, the desk top screen becomes broken up into vertical sections, which appear in the wrong order, creating a haphazard picture.
The Apple icon, usually at top left corner, appears in top right corner in a strip including all that left hand. When the computer is restarted, the screen goes back to normal. But I have to move the mouse to the far left of the screen and then up until it reappears on the far right hand side of the screen so that I can hit shut down button.
It seems to happen randomly though always on desk top and sometimes when I move mouse and computer switches on from rest mode. My large flat screen is relatively new.
The video card on this computer, which is approximately two years old, is Nvidia FeForce 9400M.
Any help would be welcome as my usual source of assistance is not available and I am not well versed in workings of the Mac although I have used one for many years.That sounds like a Hardware problem.
You may be able to confirm that with Apple Hardware Test, or make an appointmenst for a free Genius Bar evaluation. -
On Lion OS why do new icons not appear on the desk top either from drag and drop of scanning onto
There seems to be an error on Lion OS which I installed recently. If you drag files onto the desk top they disappear. However, they can be found in finder. If you scan direct to the desk top they also do not appear. Is there a bug?
Sounds to me like you have a corrupt plist file.
First thing I would try would be to simply relaunch your Finder and see if that sorts your problem.
>ForceQuit>Finder>Relaunch
If not navagate to com.apple.desktop.plist and delete.
Finder>GO>(option Key)Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist
or in Finder shortcut ( ⇧⌘G) copy and paste:
~/Library/Preferences/
delete the com.apple.desktop.plist
Relaunch your Finder again.
The deleted plist will rebuild itself to default setting after Finder relaunch
Report back on your sucess or failure. -
Hi, my iphoto had a transparent ? mark on it and wouldn't open so I dragged it onto the desk top and now it has disappeared... I cannot find it anywhere in my finder, it seems to be gone, please help!
You have one and possibly two problems.
First problem you tried to open the iPhoto library with iTunes and appeared to have set iTunes as the default app for iPhoto Libraries. That isn;t going to work.
To fix that select the iPhoto library in the Finder and do a File->Get Info. In the middle of the Info window you'll see Open With dropbox. Click on that and select iPhoto, then select the Change All button
This will get iPhoto back as the default app to open iPhoto Libraries.
Double click the library now and if nothing else is wrong iPhoto will open the library. If it does do as Michael wrote and go to the Applications folder and drag iPhoto to the dock to remake the shortcut.
However since you started this thread by saying that the iPhoto shortcut in the dock had a question mark on it it is possible that iPhoto is missing from your Applications folder. If it is post back.
regards -
Each time I start up my MacBook Air a text file appears on the desk top (calendarlogging,txt) the file/document contains lines of code. I'm using iCloud to synch my calendar to multiple other devices - iMac, iPad and iPhone. Using Maverick on both my iMac and my MacBook Air. The file was also showing up on the desktop when I was using Lion. Any thoughts?
Hi everyone,
To anyone who might read this, I ended up re-installing with the original install disc and was able to get back on to Mac, though I lost all of the previous data that I had not backed up. Unsure still if it will continue to let me access the HDD in this, but it kind of confirms that installing Lion probably put too much stress on the computer this last year. -
How to sync your mouse and key board to the desk top when both the indicators are flashing?
How to sync your mouse and key board to the desk top when both indicator lights are blinking? I changed the batteries and I dont know how to sync them when they both wont work to follow the step to sync them up...help!
The frozen was not clear in your first post…..
Have you turned the computer off and then back on (force quit if necessary by holding the power button)?
Try resetting the SMC:
Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord.
Wait fifteen seconds.
Attach the computer's power cord.
Press the power button to turn on the computer.
Barry -
I cannot open Pages from the app or from a saved document on the desk top. I get an error: "The application Pages cannot be opened -1712" Any suggestions?
The following previous discussion has a solution that worked for a variety of people with the -1712 error on a variety of applications and may help: The application Safari can't be opened -1712
-
Can anyone help me? Why does my ipad kick me out of FB? Sometimes to the 'settings' page and sometimes to the desk top? I would like to know why this happens and what I can check or change to make it stop. I have 50.8 GB of capacity available; it is version IOS 5.1.1; model MC497LL. It is WIFI and internet via AT&T? Can anyone give me some clues on what to do; or change in settings??? Thank you very much!
Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of the test is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party software that loads automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you turn on the computer, and again when you log in.
Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a Fusion Drive or a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually login automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem?
After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test. -
I have a new MacBook Air with a USB super drive. I put in a DVD and I get nothing. No Icon on the desk top, no help from DVD player. How do I get it to play and how to eject it now that it's in?
There's a defect. The computer is in warranty so take it in for repair.
-
I have an IMac. I put a folder on the desk top and now want to delete it. The folder seems to be locked. I went into Get Info and attemted to unlock the folder and delete it. Won't go away. There is nothing in the folder. How do I unlock this folder and delete it? When I try to delete it, I'm asked for my password which I put in and is accepted, but will not delete the folder. Any help would be great.
If you are sure there is nothing in it, download trashit, a useful free app. That will dispose of it.
Download Trash It! for Mac - Force-empty your trash can. MacUpdate.com -
How do I move my library to the desk top
I have many greyed out photos with ! I have tried importing into Aperture and now have iphoto library and iphoto library(1). Both seem to have different photos in them even though I only have one library. Neither have all of the photos from iphoto as the greyed out boxes have not imported. So I think I have to rebuild my library in iphoto in order to import them into Aperture. Or is there a better way?
The thing is I do not know how to move my library to the desk top before reimporting it. Where do I get the library from? Can you also tell me where the option key is I don't seem to have one labelled option on my keyboard.
Any help will be welcomed.
G5 Mac OS X (10.4.8) TigerRhian.newton
The ! or ? turns up when iPhoto loses the connection between the thumbnail in the iPhoto Window and the file it represents. The most common cause of this is User Activity in the iPhoto Library Folder. Have you altered, moved or renamed anything in the iPhoto Library Folder?
If you haven't, then try rebuilding the database. Hold down the apple and option keys and launch iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild.
The iPhoto Library Folder is at Home/Pictures, and within it there are three folders:
Originals are the photos as they were downloaded from your camera or scanner.
(ii) Modified contains edited pics, shots that you have cropped, rotated or changed in any way.
This allows the Photos -> Revert to Original command - very useful if you don't like the changes you've made.
(iii) Data holds the thumbnails the the app needs to show you the photos in the iPhoto Window.
If you want to start again, it's the Originals that you want.
Regards
TD -
My external hard drive is no longer showing up on the desk top, it wont even work when I plug it into my media player anymore, help?
Go to Finder > Preferences > General > and in the top section where it says external disks check that the box is ticked. If it is check the connections.
-
My IPad crashes every time I use an application. It keeps crashing to the desk top where all the other apps are at. It doesn't matter what application I'm in either. How can this be fixed?
Hey Hlrj09,
I'd check out this article and follow the troubleshooting steps within:
iOS: Troubleshooting applications purchased from the App Store
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1702
Even though it is geared towards applications purchased from the App Store and you're experiencing the issue with all apps, most of the steps would still be applicable to your situation. I would also take a look at the troubleshooting assistant to see if that helps:
Frozen or unresponsive iPad
http://www.apple.com/support/ipad/assistant/ipad/
Hope that helps,
David -
Iphoto 6 using pictures on the desk top
I created an album in iphoto 6 that reads desk top. I highlighted this and clicked on share at the top of the screen and then clicked on desk top. My photos did appear on the desk top but some are very big and I can't see the whole picture. Is there a way that I can make these pictures smaller?
I guess no one knows how to solve this problem. Come on, there must be someone out there that can help me.
Maybe you are looking for
-
Experience with creation of a large number of key figures
Hi: I have a need to create a large number of Key Figures (at least about 50 of them) for DP use. Do you have any experience with automating this task if so, can you share your experience? Thanks. Satish
-
Hi there, I'm getting this error when opening Firefox 5: FATAL ERROR : The dynamic C library contained in the extension file could not be found. I've never seen this error before... First time it happened was immediately after DLing Firefox 5 yesterd
-
Loop a piece of music in a podcast
I have a piece of music composed by a friend that I use as an intro bumper and that I play in the background while I talk during a podcast. The piece lasts about 4-5 minutes, and I would like to be able to cause this to loop over and over until I fin
-
Hi Gurus, I have an internal table with values country code and current price and using a selection screen i get a price, now i need to pick a value from the table which is nearest to the one in the screen. How do i achieve this logic? All help regar
-
Hi, I'd like to understand how Abode Captivate displays preview and output for HTML5 Someone in our company created an e-learning module that display beautifully bright and crisp. The output I get from Captivate comes out fuzzy. I have attach the ima