Can I clone and time machine backup on the same external drive?

I recently purchased a WD 2 TB external usb drive. I want to make sure that I have good backups in case my Macbook decides to give up on me. Should I clone a copy of HD or just time machine backup? Can i do both on one external hd?

RobCob wrote:
I'm honestly only concerned about my photos and music.
You can Manually Backup your iPhoto Library and your iTunes Library to an External Drive without addition Software.
How to correctly move your media:
iTunes: How to move the library to an EHD
Early iPhoto: How to move the Library to an EHD
iPhoto '11: Move your iPhoto library to a new location
iMovie: How to move the Library to an EHD
It is important that the External Hard Drive is formatted as Mac OS Extended (journaled).

Similar Messages

Can Superduper and Time machine write to the same external volume.

I just setup a 750 GB external drive single partition using firewire 800. Any problem with superduper and time machine writing to the same volume?
Ron

Can Superduper and Time machine write to the same external volume.
Yes, they can write to the same partition.
I am doing this, and can report no problems so far. TM still backs up and SuperDuper is bootable.

Can i resume a Time Machine backup of an attached external drive (no system, just data) on a different laptop?

I am trying to find out if I can use a Time Machine (specifically on a 2013 Time Capsule) backup of an external drive (only data, no system) attached to a laptop, and then connect that same external drive to another laptop and resume the backup? Or is the Time Machine backup of an attached external drive a laptop "dependant" backup?
Additional info: The laptops in question are 15" MacBook Pro and a 17" MacBook Pro from 2011 running OSX 10.9 (Mavericks)

You are welcome.
I don't think there is a need to start a new discussion unless you want to.
You should have more than one backup of each computer. Hard drives do fail. Time Machine can alternate drives or have a Time Machine and a clone.
The concern arises because i was told that when a wireless Time Machine backup is interrupted the sparsebundle gets sort of "locked" or "damaged", and although the backups can be accessed, no further Time Machine backup is possible. One must that a brand new backup.
Apple support article. Don't let the title bother you. Look at Additional Information, which explains what happens when a backup gets interrupted. I also am including a link for troubleshooting. C3 explains what you can try if the backup is interrupted.
Time Machine First Backup Interrupted
Time Machine Troubleshooting

How Can I Migrate My Time Machine Backups To A New External Hard Drive?

I have a external hard drive that has 500 GBs left, but I want to buy a larger drive.

ivan wrote:
How Can I Migrate My Time Machine Backups To A New External Hard Drive?
I have a external hard drive that has 500 GBs left, but I want to buy a larger drive.
Hi iVain
Fire up *Disk Utility*, click the Restore tab, then drag your old and new TM drives into the Source and Destination fields. Click Restore, and a complete copy of your old TM files will be made on the new drive. Go to TM preferences and select the new drive, and it will continue backing up just as it left off.
Hope this answers your question. See:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2595485&tstart=0

Iphoto library and time machine backup on a same drive ?

Hi
I want to free up some space on my MBP so I am planning to move my iphoto library from MBP to an external hard drive. Can I also use the same external drive to keep Time Machine backups ? In short if I buy a large size external drive can I use it as a TM backup drive and also as iphoto library home location ? Or do I have to keep two separate external drives...one for TM and the other for iphoto library.
Thanks
Mandar

Yes, you can, but I wouldn't recommend it. Should your backup drive fail then you not only lose your Time Machine backups but you will also lose your iPhoto Library. But if you put each on two different drives then you lose none. If the iPhoto drive fails your library is still backed up on the Time Machine backup drive. If you lose the Time Machine drive then you lose a backup that can be easily recreated, but you still have the iPhoto drive. Two drives is a much better strategy. Always keep backups separate from all other external drive uses.

Time Machine Backup transfer to another external drive

Hi all,
I keep my Time Machine backups on an external HDD drive (portable USB). I have a larger drive with more space, and wanted to copy my the backup to the larger drive.
My the Time Machine backup file folder is around 750GB. When copying the Backups.backupdb file over to the new HDD the process hangs in Finder. I wonder if there a way to successfully copy it, since the Finder does not seem happy to work with such large chunks of data.
Thanks

Although Apple documentation says you can copy Time Machine backups in the Finder, it's very slow and sometimes doesn't work at all.
This technique will only work if the volume you're copying to is the same size, or larger than, the one you're copying from.
First, open the Time Machine preference pane and click the Select Disk... button. You may have to unlock the settings first by clicking the padlock icon in the lower left corner of the window. Authenticate as an administrator.
Delete the volume you're going to copy from the list of backup destinations. Then turn Time Machine OFF.
Launch Disk Utility, open the built-in help, and search for the term "Duplicate." Follow the instructions. All existing data on the destination volume will be erased. That shouldn't be a problem, because you don't want to mix backup and non-backup data on the same drive anyway.
If the volume you're copying was encrypted by Time Machine, you may have to unlock it first. Click the Unlock button in the toolbar of the Disk Utility window.
Turn Time Machine back ON and select the new volume as a backup destination. You can also continue to use the old volume, if you wish. The two will be alternated when both are available.
CAUTION: If the volume you're copying is corrupt, as shown by Repair Disk or Verify Disk in Disk Utility, then that corruption will be copied to the new drive. Don't copy data from a corrupt volume on a malfunctioning drive. Put the drive aside and don't use it until you're sure you'll no longer need the data. Then securely erase it and take it to a recycling center. Do the same if the Restore operation fails with "disk errors."

HT201250 Can I back up with time machine AND store additional files on the same external drive?

I just bought an external drive to move and archive some files off my iMac to free up some space. I'm being asked if I want to use the drive to back up files with Time Machine. Can I use this drive to do both? (Back up with TM AND store other files?
Your input is appreciated.

Technically you can but it is not a very good idea at all. The reason it is a flawed idea is if the HD fails (not really if but when) you will have defeated the whole idea of backup. A failure means you will lose the data files you stored on it and it's backup! A good backup plan has at least 2 forms of backup because backups can fail too. I would strongly recommend getting at least one additional external HD and use it for storing the data files you wanted off the internal HD and use the second for a Time Machine backup drive.
Personally I have 3 external HD's attached to my computer. Disk 1 is my Time Machine backup, Disk 2 is a Bootable Clone of my internal HD and Disk 3 stores my music, photography and movie libraries.
Please read these articles, they will discuss different backup strategies and I think you will see that each suggest redundant backups.
Backup Plan I
Backup Plan II
Backup Plan III

HT201250 How can I revert to my internal drive for time machine backups after using an external drive?

Hi. I've been using an external drive for time machine back ups and decided to revert to my internal drive, but it isn't available in the time machine options. The only available option is to set up a time capsule, which I don't own.
Is it because not enough space is available on my internal drive (approx 50GB)?
Thanks!

50 Gb free on your internal drive is relly very low and of course not enought for a any kind of backup.
How big is your internal HD ? If you have left only 50 GB free it is probably 90% full. Let's imagine you have a 500 Gb. This means 450 Gb data and 50 Gb free. How can you backup 450 into 50 ?
Second point. The backup on your internal HD is a nonsense evenif it is big enough. If it stops working you will have no bakup.
Do you have an iMac or a portable ?
The portable automatic uses the internal HD if the external is not connected, but this is intended for a short time.
This could give you some more links to read about https://discussions.apple.com/message/20726927#20726927

Link my Macbook with an existing time machine backup of the same macbook.

I am using time machine via an airport extreme with an external drive. This works fine most of the time. But sometimes time machine loses the connection with the airport extreme. Instead of refinding the backup location I have to set the whole thing up again and the macbook will start a complete new backup instead of taking the existing backup as a starting point. How can I tell time machine to use the ols backup as a starting point?

No. Only those Apps that are not installed on the new will migrate over.

First Time Machine backup not the same size as my computers HD

I just completed my first Time Machine backup of my computer's hard drive. I have a 160 GB hard drive (actual capacity = 148.73 GB) with 145.43 GB used. I expected my backup to be the exact same size or darn near close. When I did a "Get Info" on the backup, its size was 62.11 GB. I looked through some of the files of the backup and it LOOKS like its all there but can't be certain of it. I would like to know the answer to this and PLEASE PLEASE DON'T give me the run around! IE: go see this page, go see that page, click this link, etc.! Just give me the answer straight up. I've already been looking all over this forum and at other Time Machine websites and have NOT found a good answer. I would REALLY appreciate just a straight up answer! Thanks!

Would you like me to give you a complete list of every website I have looked at? Would that help? Well, here they are:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427?viewlocale=en_US
http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/D2.html
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20071101005330768
http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/D5.html
http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/2655/leopardtime_machine_delete_files_folders_frombackup/
http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial &channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&q=DeletingTime+Machine+backup+files+in+MacOS+X&btnG=GoogleSearch
http://www.apple.com/feedback/timemachine.html
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/26704/timemachineeditor
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1342&start=75
http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/A4.html
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1342&start=0
http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/D7.html
Those are all the websites I have visited in regards to Time Machine. Other then that, I have for the most part already stated what I have done. Hope that helps.

Unable to complete Time Machine backup to Iomega 1TB external drive

I've read through all the posted topics related to Time Machine failing. I've run Disk Utility without errors; ensured that the external drive is formatted correctly GUID; 1 partition; Mac OS Extended (Journaled); downloaded TimeMachineBuddy; and still cannot get my new Iomega 1TB hard drive to complete a backup. My prior external drive, a LaCie, had no such difficulties but is now full.
Here is the TimeMachineBuddy error report. I am hoping one of you can help me understand what my next steps should be and thank you, in advance:
Starting standard backup
Backing up to: /Volumes/Iomega-BU-02/Backups.backupdb
Ownership is disabled on the backup destination volume. Enabling.
Error parsing SystemMigration.log to determine source volume of system migration.
Backup content size: 82.2 GB excluded items size: 1.2 GB for volume Macintosh HD
No pre-backup thinning needed: 97.28 GB requested (including padding), 930.58 GB available
Waiting for index to be ready (101)
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-36) SrcErr:NO Copying /Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/AIK1.1/runtimes/air/mac/Adobe AIR.framework/Versions/Current/Adobe AIR to /Volumes/Iomega-BU-02/Backups.backupdb/Lydia Mann’s iMac/2010-04-06-211444.inProgress/A0522F91-AE77-4536-BE6F-654DA7F2F4B5/Macintos h HD/Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/AIK1.1/runtimes/air/mac/Adobe AIR.framework/Versions/Current
Stopping backup.
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-8062) SrcErr:NO Copying /Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/AIK1.1/runtimes/air/mac/Adobe AIR.framework/Versions/Current/Adobe AIR to /Volumes/Iomega-BU-02/Backups.backupdb/Lydia Mann’s iMac/2010-04-06-211444.inProgress/A0522F91-AE77-4536-BE6F-654DA7F2F4B5/Macintos h HD/Applications/Adobe Flash CS4/AIK1.1/runtimes/air/mac/Adobe AIR.framework/Versions/Current
Copied 23.5 GB of 81.1 GB, 36103 of 932234 items

Thanks, Pondini.
I attached a new drive last night. Time Machine prompted me that it needed reformatting, which it did internally, without going to Disk Utility. It then started a backup but hung on "cleaning up" where I found it this morning.
Again, the finder was taken out with the TM hang and I had to hard reboot (on/off button - restart doesn't work nor does force quitting finder).
Here is the sad log from last night's attempt. Since it mentions an entirely new set of failures I am now ready to point to my computer as the faulty party. $180 worth of external drives into this, I am reticent about sinking anymore money into this until I rule out the computer itself. This line "NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error"
seems to be the essential problem.
Starting standard backup
Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb
Ownership is disabled on the backup destination volume. Enabling.
Error parsing SystemMigration.log to determine source volume of system migration.
Backup content size: 176.6 GB excluded items size: 90.1 GB for volume Macintosh HD
No pre-backup thinning needed: 103.69 GB requested (including padding), 930.58 GB available
Waiting for index to be ready (101)
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-36) SrcErr:NO Copying / WORK/clientname/pdfs.zip to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/myname’s iMac/2010-06-29-220723.inProgress/EFF47981-66BF-4C86-BA7F-7F802EC954F2/Macintos h HD/ WORK/KeriGans
Stopping backup.
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-8062) SrcErr:NO Copying / WORK/clientname/pdfs.zip to /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb/myname's iMac/2010-06-29-220723.inProgress/EFF47981-66BF-4C86-BA7F-7F802EC954F2/Macintos h HD/ WORK/KeriGans
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Copied 12301 files (7.4 GB) from volume Macintosh HD.
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Copy stage failed with error:11
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error writing to backup log. NSFileHandleOperationException:* -[NSConcreteFileHandle writeData:]: Input/output error
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 2
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 3
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 4
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 5
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 6
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 7
Error: (-36) Creating directory myname’s iMac 8
Message was edited by: lkmweb

Time Machine backup to Seagate 3TB external drive

Hello all!
I have a 3TB Seagate external hard drive which I have already reformatted and partitioned to be my new drive for time machine. I would like to backup wirelessly through my airport extreme as if it is a time machine. I tried to set up my time machine and select my 2TB partition but the "update" button is greyed out and I am unable to get the drive to select. It only recognises the drive when it is connected via USB 3.0. Is there anyway without returning this drive and having to invest in a time machine to get the computer to connect to it over my airport extreme?? Thanks so much for your help everyone!

This may or may not have anything to do with your issue but, in my experience, Seagate full size (i.e., 3.5" HD) externals tend to run hot so they are designed to spin down when not actually in use in order to cool off. That has caused problems when directly connected to a computer so Seagate used to offer a one-time patch to turn that off. Connecting via AirPort Extreme rather than directly may aggravate the problem. I don't know if the patch is still offered for the newer drives but it might help, though not necessarily for the health of the drive.

Time Machine Backup iTunes Library on External Drive?

Hi, my external firewire drive that holds all of my iTunes music and videos recently crashed (it had close to 100GB). It is completely unrecoverable (tried Data Rescue II - nothing).
Would Time Machine by default backup my iTunes library if it existed on an external firewire drive (assuming, of course, that the drive is plugged in when Time Machine is working)?
If not, can this be made to happen for the future?
Thanks.

Yokenny,
To add to the former comments...
Time Machine will not "by default" backup extternal HDs attached to our Mac. You would have to go in an remove them from the TM Prefs exclusion list first, as the 'default' behavior is for TM to ADD external drives to the list.
If you do determine that your crashed hard drive was attached and backed up (you can check your TM backups via the "time travel" interface.) you may still be able to recover the backed up data. But you would need another drive named the same as the crashed drive to do it.
Let us know if this was helpful.
Cheers!

Copying time machine backup files from one external drive to another

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to copy the backups performed by Time Machine on one external drive to another external drive, and if so, how? I am using a company drive and will need to return it. It is a 500GB La Cie Drive. I just purchased a 1TB La Cie drive. A straight and simple drag & drop doesn't work. What should I do?
Thanks!!!

azemel wrote:
Can anyone tell me if it is possible to copy the backups performed by Time Machine on one external drive to another external drive, and if so, how?
http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/18.html

HT3275 Why does Time Machine backup fail when an external drive is included in backup?

Time Machine will not perform a backup when I have an external drive (formatted Mac OS Extended - Journaled) included in the backup. My understanding is that it should. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks.

timtom122353 wrote:
"The backup was not performed because an error occurred while copying files to the backup disk."
Ah, not one of Apple's more informative messages.
There's a problem with a file on that disk. See #C3 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting. It will show you how to locate the message(s) that describe the problem, then help you fix it.

Can I clone and time machine backup on the same external drive?

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