Can My New Hard Drive Be Causing BackUp Weirdness?

Last week, I bought a new Seagate 100GB/7200 rpm HD, which I've been using externally in a Firewire enclosure. I wanted to try it out for a week before I install it into my Pismo.
I've been using computers for 20 years, and I'm conscientious about saving often, and backing up everyday. Here's the weirdness: Today, Saturday Oct 6, I opened the two files I've been using every day, only to find I'd lost two day's work. I checked the Last Modified date, and sure enough, both files were marked Wednesday, Oct 3. So, I checked my internal HD to which I've also been saving my work. Same thing. Both files marked Wednesday. So I checked my memory stick. Same thing. Both files marked Wednesday. These are Word files. (I also usually have iTunes and Safari running in the background).
The most likely explanation for this is no doubt user error of an all too common kind but I am, as I say, extremely careful about backing up. So today, when I'd finished, I saved both files, and closed both files. I checked them in the HD's list, and they were both marked with today's date. Fine. So I clicked and dragged the first one over to the folder in the Internatl Drive. No problem. It alerted me that there was an older version and did I want to change it. I did. That went fine. But then, with the second file (also marked Today), when I dragged it to the Internal Drive's folder I fumbled it slightly, and I got a message saying "THere is a NEWER file with that name in this location." Huh? Sure enough, the file in my target folder was marked Today, and now the source file was marked Wednesday again!
The order I've been saving things is first to the new external HD, then to the internal HD, then to the memory stick (although I only used the stick on Friday).
First question. Is it possible there is something wrong with the new HD that would cause this? I don't want to install this puppy if that's the case. In fact, I'd want to return it.
Second question. If I've saved a file but haven't closed it, and then drag its icon from the HD to another target, will I be making a copy of the latest saved version? Or only the latest CLOSED version? (I don't think I did this yesterday, but it's possible, I guess).
Third question. Even if it is human error, what error could I possibly have made that would lose TWO days work and not just one?
Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

Disregard last post--I reread your message and see I got it wrong. The internal drive was set to Master. So, after reading your input, and checking Seagate's site (for the new drive) and Toshiba's (for the old), and OWC's Help Desk (for the Firewire enclosure) I've set the new drive to Master and put it into the machine. I've left the old drive on Master and put it into the enclosure to be used occasionally as an external backup. These seem to be the correct settings for both locations. I've now re-initialized the new drive and I'm up and running with it. I'm expecting this will have solved the problem. If not, I'll post back. Thanks so much for your help--others in the G3 Powerbook forum also found it very helpful. All best, GB.

Similar Messages

Can My New Hard Drive Be Causing Back-Up Weirdness?

Last week, I bought a new Seagate 100GB/7200 rpm HD, which I've been using externally in a Firewire enclosure. I wanted to try it out for a week before I install it into my Pismo.
I've been using computers for 20 years, and I'm conscientious about saving often, and backing up everyday. Here's the weirdness: Today, Saturday Oct 6, I opened the two files I've been using every day, only to find I'd lost two day's work. I checked the Last Modified date, and sure enough, both files were marked Wednesday, Oct 3. So, I checked my internal HD to which I've also been saving my work. Same thing. Both files marked Wednesday. So I checked my memory stick. Same thing. Both files marked Wednesday.
The most likely explanation for this is no doubt user error of an all too common kind but I am, as I say, extremely careful about backing up. So today, when I'd finished, I saved both files, and closed both files. I checked them in the HD's list, and they were both marked with today's date. Fine. So I clicked and dragged the first one over to the folder in the Internatl Drive. No problem. It alerted me that there was an older version and did I want to change it. I did. That went fine. But then, with the second file (also marked Today), when I dragged it to the Internal Drive's folder I fumbled it slightly, and I got a message saying "THere is a NEWER file with that name in this location." Huh? Sure enough, the file in my target folder was marked Today, and now the source file was marked Wednesday again!
The order I've been saving things is first to the new external HD, then to the internal HD, then to the memory stick (although I only used the stick on Friday).
First question. Is it possible there is something wrong with the new HD that would cause this? I don't want to install this puppy if that's the case. In fact, I'd want to return it.
Second question. If I've saved a file but haven't closed it, and then drag its icon from the HD to another target, will I be making a copy of the latest saved version? Or only the latest CLOSED version? (I don't think I did this yesterday, but it's possible, I guess).
Third question. Even if it is human error, what error could I possibly have made that would lose TWO days work and not just one?
Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

Thanks JPL. At least now I know I'm not going mad. The drive really did undo what I saved. I watched it happen again on the weekend (but this time I'd emailed the work to my Yahoo account before I copied it in any direction). But it's still pretty unnerving to see it happen.
What you say accords perfectly with what I've been reading on the Panther forum and elsewhere. I didn't know anything about jumper settings. I looked up Toshiba (re the old drive) and Seagate (for the new drive) on the subject. Both are remarkably confusing. Toshiba's settings are dependent on whether "Pin 28" is High or Low, but they don't explain what this means, nor which pin is 28. Seagate's illustrations do not resemble my new drive and they contradict what is shown on the label.
Unfortunately, I went ahead and put the new drive into the machine set to Cable Select. And re-did the whole SuperDuper process. But after reading the above sites, I decided it should probably be set to Master. So I opened up the Pismo again and reset it (that only took about 5 minutes). I am just now completing the SuperDuper process again.
I also checked OWC's Help Desk and you're right--they say, "All drives should be set to Master when used in a FireWire case. If it is a dual enclosure then one is set to Master and the other Slave."
So it seems all this rigmarole stems from the HD having shipped set to Cable Select, since both the Enclosure and the Pismo want it set to Master.
Clarification: do you mean I should now re-initialize the old HD which I've now put into the Firewire enclosure? I haven't changed its jumper settings. I'd like to avoid SuperDupering again, if possible, as it takes over an hour. Wouldn't I just be cloning from the clone I just made?

Trying to Restore new hard drive via TC backup

I purchased a new Seagate 750GB hard drive to replace the 500GB hard drive which only had 19GB of free space available. I installed the new hard drive in my MBP 17" and here is where I am unsure if what I did was correct.
I inserted the original MAC OS X Install DVD (v. 10.5.7). 4 months ago I upgraded to v 10.6.8 but for some reason I cannot locate the disk so I inserted the orignal that with my MBP. I should say that I back up my MBP to my TC wirelessly but my initial backup of the entire hard drive was originally completed via CAT5 connection.
After I inserted the original install DVD I chose the option in Disk Utility to Restore From Backup. I went through the back up process overnight and this morning the restore was completed. I click on the button command to reboot the computer and it began the process of rebooting.
Upon rebooting a blank screen popped up with several lines of data (data looked like it was in DOS form) and the a box with a message that said "Your computer must be restarted). It had this message displayed in several languages.
If someone can help me with the following I would be very appreciative.
1. Direct me to the procedure for restoring my MBP using the most recent back up on my TC.
2. How do I override the message on my MBP that says I need to restart my computer. I restart it and the message keeps popping up.

In your Applicaiton's > Utilities folder is a program called Disk Utility.
It manages and repairs drives, sets up partitions, erases drives and partitions, changes drive formats and other things, like repairing disks and permissions.
"Permissions" are per file codes that prevent other programs from reading and/or writing and/or changing the data the file contains. If a program doesn't have permissions to access a file it can't do anything harmful.
It's this permisisons based operating system that gives OS X's "Unix" such excellent security protection.
When a clone occurs, or even a Software Update (under the Apple Menu), you give the program your admin password, which allows it to make permission file changes. Or how else can it clone the whole drive or update the operating system right?
It's these changes that likely need to be changed back to their original settings as a double check just to make sure.
Before you go seriously changing things around in Disk Utility, make sure you know what your doing.
Erasing of data can occur there, but not to your boot drive while booted from it as it won't allow it.
However while booted from the 500GB drive, you do want to erase and reformat the new 750GB drive and rid yourself of the 10.5 install you did there as it's useless (grab a copy of any files you made there first)
https://support.apple.com/kb/ht1782

Using Time Machine to restore to new hard drive missing recent backups

On Mac Book Pro 2009 with OS X 10.5.8.
I have been backing up to Time Machine on an external drive since 2009. A few month ago I upgrade to OS X 10.9 Mavericks.
Trying to install a new hard drive and restoring from Time Machine. Just before installing the hard drive I again backed up to Time Machine.
Trying to restore from Time Machine.
Note: this link shows the screen I am on. It isn't from my computer. Just showing for display purpose.
http://www.imore.com/sites/imore.com/files/styles/xlarge/public/field/image/2014 /03/time_machine_select_backup.jpg?itok=G2WbV0Vu
"Select a backup. Select the Time Machine backup you want to restore. Only complete backups of Mac OS X appear in the list"
The problem is, the most recent "complete" restore point in the list is August 2011 (OS X 10.5.8). How can that be? Over the years I have checked Time Machine and I have back ups way past 2011.
What should I do?
Thanks

Daniel Greeney wrote:
So I just purchased an internal drive (separate from my system drive) to use as a Time Machine drive, for both of my computers (only one partition). Since they will be backing up every day, I will retain much more recent material in case of drive failure.
Let Time Machine back up every hour, as it's designed. That will protect you best.
My question is this - if I have a drive failure on my current internal system drive, and the internal Time Machine is intact, is it possible for me to take my external bootable backup (say 3 weeks older than Time Machine in how recently it was backed up), make a cone of that on a new internal system drive, and then use Time Machine to restore that drive to what is most current on Time Machine?
Does this question make sense?
The question makes sense until you realize that Time Machine backups contain everything you need (unless you do something silly, like exclude your system files).
Once the new drive is installed and formatted, you can restore your entire system from the TM backups faster than you can copy the clone to the new internal HD. See #14 in the Frequently Asked Questions *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum. Note that you use the Snow Leopard Install disc only for the Installer on it; you don't install OSX from it.

New Hard Drive and Iphone Backups

Hi I am migrating to Windows 7 from Windows XP next week and I have purchased a new hard drive to install the new OS. My Itunes and Iphone backups are on the old windows XP hard drive which I want to wipe clean for future storage. How can I move to Win 7 without losing all of my contacts, music, apps etc that are currently on my Iphone 3G? Is there a way to move the iphone backup file to another location( ie: flash drive) before I install the new OS? Or is there a way to get the data that's on my Iphone to download to the newly installed Itunes/Windows 7 hard drive? Thanks I

The iPhone's backup does not include all content available on the iPhone. The backup does not include any iTunes content including 3rd party apps, and it doesn't include any photos transferred from your computer to your iPhone via the iTunes sync process.
All iTunes content including 3rd party apps is stored in an iTunes folder. You can copy the iTunes folder to your backup drive.
Contacts are designed to be synced with a supported application on your computer. This can be with Outlook 2003 or 2007 along with calendar events, or with the address book used by Outlook Express call Windows Contacts for contact info only.
If you copy the iTunes folder to a backup drive and place the iTunes folder in the same location after installing Windows 7, your iPhone should not be erased of all iTunes content with the first sync. All iPhone data is not erased regardless including contact info and calendar events. You also need to place all photos on your computer's hard drive on your backup drive especially any photos that were transferred to your iPhone via the iTunes sync process.

Hard drive failure! New hard drive/Time machine backup/iPhone questions

Hello,
I have a 2011 MacBook Pro who's hard drive failed (rather acutely too, I do use disk utility to check it's health regularly) and I bought a replacement to install (SSD!). I have a bunch of questions but have only found partial answers in searches. Maybe it's best to list them:
1. I'd like to do a fresh install of the OS X using OS X Recovery because I'm concerned my Time Machine backup is partly corrupted. I hadn't updated to Mavericks, will I be able to install Mountain Lion? If not: will this be a problem with my backup files?
2. Say the OS X Recovery works, how do I use Time Machine to restore things like my iTunes library/iMessages/email/iPhoto library etc? In other words: just the data I can't get any other way (I hope it's not too corrupted). And/or should I use my iCloud backup on a few of these (iMessages/contacts)?
3. Do I need to set up the new OS X install with the same account names/home disk name etc. for the restored backup files to function?
4. Is this going to f'up iCloud or vice versa?
5. Finally, how do I sync my iPhone to the "new" computer without erasing the iPhone (which had an iOS update since my last backup to Time Machine). Or do I have to restore the iPhone too.
6. How come Apple doesn't have a mobile theme for their website yet?
Any help would be much appreciated,
Matt

Do you still have the original System Reinstall DVD set that came with your Mac?
If you created that Lion external drive you have from YOUR Mac, when Lion was installed on it, and it also contains a Recovery HD partition you can use that to boot to the Recovery HD and reinstall Lion on the new drive. And or Clone that external to the new internal drive you installed.
Right since your Mac came with Snow Leopard you can't use the Online Internet Recovery system to reinstall Lion, as your system didn't originally come with Lion, but you should still be able to boot to it to do diagnosic things like using Disk Utility, going to the Net to get help and even Restoring the system from a Time Machine backup. But you will get an error if you select Reinstall Mac OS X. The firmware update is usually applied with system updates.
If you created a New Time Machine Backup when any of the Download Only version of OS X were installed on your internal drive Time Machine, the system, Copies over the files needed to boot the system from that backup drive. If it was a care over backup from when Snow Leopard was installed is might or might not be bootable. Only way to tell is to connect it and at startup hold down the Option key to get the Boot selection screen, IE The Boot Manager screen, and see if it shows up as a Boot Source. If it does thenn it contains the files needed to get to the Mac OS X Utilities, IE the Recovery HD files.
What you should do is Boot the system from either the Time Machine backup, if it is bootable, or your External that has Lion on it, The Recovery HD if that drive contains a Recovery HD, or your Original Snow Leopard reinstall DVD that came with your Mac and then try to Restore from your Time Machine backup drive.
If that fails to restore your system properly then nyou should reinstall Snow Leopard and the iLife Apps from the Original Discs then upgrade to Mt Lion which will be in the Mac App Store under your Purchases area. Then maybe you can restore your files from that Time Machine backup.
scardanelli wrote:
I've had a bunch of issues with my computer (you can look at some of my other questions on these forums) which, to my mind anyway, seemed to be finally given a diagnosis when my HD crashed. It may be paranoia but there have been enough problems that I'd rather do a clean install to be on the safe side.
I have an early 2011, shipped with Snow Leopard.
I was under the impression that Time Machine can't be used as a boot drive and the OS X Recovery is a firmware update (on my computer) or hard wired in (on later computers). I might be wrong. I was planning on using the internet recovery, the HD failed right after I got some password protected files unencrypted and onto an external drive (was that necessary?) but wasn't sure if it's a problem if it installs Mavericks.
So Setup Assistant will configure my accounts the same and I don't need to worry about that? That's a relief.
Thanks for the lengthy response.

Brand new hard drive full from backup

I just upgraded my macbook from a 320GB hard drive to 500GB and reinstalled using Time Machine. But the now the new hd is full? I used OmniSweep to see what is filled up, but it only reports 247GB of disk space being used, am I duplicating somewhere? Thanks!

Nevermind - I found it

Restore Old info on New Hard Drive

Greeting,
I recently sent in my Powerbook G4 (Tiger) to the depot center in order to get my screen fixed (screen was completely dark). The good news is, they fixed the screen and upgraded my hard drive. The bad news is, there is nothing on the updated hard drive.
Prior to sending the unit out, I did two backups to an external drive:
1. Backed up the entire drive using .mac backup utility
2. Created a clone using disk utility
(these were the only two options I had, since I could hardly see the screen and I have used these utilities before)
My first question is, what would be the best way to restore the new hard drive with the backups that I have?
My second question is, I briefly powered up the unit and saw the welcome screen. I assume that I will have to go through the set-up again in order two complete either of the above options. Is this correct?
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Connect the external drive and restart the computer. After the chime press and hold down the OPTION button until the boot manager screen appears. Select the icon for the external drive and click on the large right arrow button.
After startup use Disk Utility to clone the external drive to the new internal drive:
How to Clone Using Restore Option of Disk Utility
1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
2. Select the backup or destination volume from the left side list.
3. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (journaled, if available) and click on the Erase button. This step can be skipped if the destination has already been freshly erased.
4. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
5. Select the backup or destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
6. Select the startup or source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.

Can i access hard drive wirelessly via time capsule?

I have a macbook pro with a full hard drive, a time capsule and an external hard drive.
I want to be able to access my files wirelessly and backup regularly.
Is the best option to use my external hard drive as my new hard drive, with automatic backup to the time capsule?
If I leave the external hard drive connected by usb to the time capsule will this mean I can wirelessly access them?
And finally what is the best way to move my files from my macbook pro to the external hard drive?

As I understand it.. and one of the other eggs spurts here may correct me. There are issues doing this.
An external drive plugged into TC can be used to store your files, but will not be backed up. (Not by Time Machine at least) And extremely inefficiently if you create a directory on the TC drive because it will be copied back to the computer and then onto the TC again. The external drive would have to be plugged directly into the computer for it to include the files in the backup.
So you have some choices. Each with a caveat.
1. Create a directory on the TC and store your files there. That is the best way for speed. Although a USB drive access is probably no worse by wireless. It will not get backed up though. At least not via TM, you can manually do the backup. And should do so if the TC becomes the only place the files are stored.
2. Plug the external hdd into the computer directly.. that is messy and obviously not what you want but the files are then included in the backup. It is considerably faster though.
3. Buy a larger hdd for the MBP.

I recently had to install a new hard drive in my computer. This caused me to have to reload all content back to my iTunes and iPod. I have many apps on my iPod and i don't know how to transfer those back to my iTunes. Can anyone help?

I recently had to install a new hard drive in my computer. This caused me to have to reload all content back to my iTunes and iPod. I have many apps on my iPod and i don't know how to transfer those back to my iTunes. Can anyone help?

Right clicking on your ipod in the device list an d choosing "transfer purchases" will copy apps and bought media from iTunes to your computer. Due to the new iTunes library on your new HD, iTunes will erase your ipod during the first sync. To save your data to the computer take a look at this article about saving data from your device to a computer: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4137
Basically it's backing up manually, transferring her purchases (apps and bought music), letting iTunes erase the ipod due to the new iTunes library, and restoring from the manual backup again, to get all the data and settings back.
Make sure your new computer account is authorized in iTunes. Disable autosync in itunes, connect your ipod, right click on it in the device list and choose backup.
This will save data, pictures and settings to itunes. See what's included in this backup here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1766
Transfer your purchases the same way to copy all apps and bought media from the Store to your computer.
Set up at least one contact and event on your computer to be able the merge your calendars and contacts after your ipod got wiped during the first sync.
The rest of the data can be restored from the backup you made.
Restoring: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1414
Music is one way only, from the computer to your device, unless you bought the songs in itunes and transferred your purchases.
There is 3rd party software out there, but not supported by Apple, see this thread: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2013615&tstart=0

Trying to restore after getting a new hard drive. I can see the backup on the Time Capsule and on the correct date but it is Greyed out. That is it wont let me open it and restore the machine. Have tried also Migration Assistant, no luck.

Trying to restore after getting a new hard drive. I can see the backup on the Time Capsule and on the correct date but it is Greyed out. That is it wont let me open it and restore the machine. Have tried also Migration Assistant, no luck.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5210788?tstart=0
At startup hold down the Command+Option/Alt+r keys until you see a globe on the screen. Then use disk utility to partition and format the drive HSF+ and then select Reinstall Mac OS X. whatever version of OS X that originally came on your system will be installed and then you can upgrade back to Mavericks.

I lost my iTunes library on my pc when the hard drive crashed. None of the data on the drive was recoverable and I did not have a backup. How can I get the music that resides on my ipod nano (4th generation back onto the new hard drive on my pc.

I lost my iTunes library on my pc when the hard drive crashed. None of the data on the drive was recoverable and I did not have a backup either locally or on the cloud. Much of the music is from old vinyl and podcasts which are no longer available.
How can I get the music that resides on my ipod nano (4th generation) back onto the new hard drive on my pc.
I have been reluctant to install iTunes on the new hard drive out of fear that I will lose all the contents on the ipod if I try to synch to the new hard drive.
Help!

No backup is a huge mistake.
You can redownload some itunes purchases in some countries:
Downloading past purchases from the App Store ... - Apple - Support

How can i backup my iPod Touch 4g and save my apps onto a new hard drive without having to save onto the current hard drive first?

How can i backup my iPod Touch 4g and save my apps onto a new hard drive without having to save onto the current hard drive first?
My current hard drive is filled up and i'm going to buy a new, bigger hard drive. How can i change the save and backup destination for iTunes so i can backup and transfer my purchases(apps) onto the new hard drive? Without having to backup and save my apps onto the current hard drive because there's no space left on it. Thanks!

have you tried following the steps given here on the apple's knowledge base site may be they can help you
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1414
here is a video from youtube as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH_1qkHkZi0
also this tutorial
http://www.imore.com/how-to-setup-backup-restore-update-use-icloud

New hard drive on iMac but can't use time machine backup

I just installed a new hard drive on my 2007 iMac but it will not let me back up to a time machine backup. I can see the files i want but has the red circle with this message :The folder “Documents” can’t be opened because you don’t have permission to see its contents. help!

You haven't gone about this the right way. After installing OS X, when you booted from the new drive, you were prompted to transfer data from a Time Machine backup, among other options. That's what you should have done. The simplest, but not the fastest, way to recover is to start over by erasing the startup volume and installing again.
OS X: How to migrate data from another Mac using Mountain Lion and earlier

HT3275 Since Installing a new hard drive on my 2008 macbook and reconnecting to to time capsule through time machine, I can only get backups since the install.

Since Installing a new hard drive on my 2008 macbook and reconnecting to to time capsule through time machine, I can only get backups since the install.
I receive a message saying identity of backup dis has changed and offers me the choice of either Don't back up or Use this disc.

Time Machine treats any new drive like a new computer. It starts a completely new Time Machine backup. So you now have two backups - a new one and all your old ones.
Visit Pondini's Time Machine FAQ for help with managing your Time Machine backups.

Can My New Hard Drive Be Causing BackUp Weirdness?

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