Can two HDs be backed up to the external using Time Machine

Here is my situation: I am using a MBP with the standard 160 GB HD. I am sure glad I went for the 160 GB instead of the "faster" 100 GB option because I'm down to just 15 GB now!
One huge file is my iPhoto 08 library, which has about 35 GB of photos in it - way over 20,000 photos and video clips from over 20 years now.
I want to use Time Machine to keep backups of it, but it really does take up a lot of MBP space.
I also have a portable USB HD I bought for my recent trip. It has like 240 GB of space on it - plenty to handle the iPhoto 08 library. I think there is an option in iPhoto for specifying that the library be on an external disk, right?
What I was wondering, if I put the iPhoto 08 library on the external portable USB HD, would it still get backed up with Time Machine, as though it were on my MBP internal drive?
Thanks,
doug

Time Machine will back up external drives if they are formatted in Mac OS Extended or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Most drives ship formatted FAT32. The directions in this article are for formatting a Time Machine drive but they do a good job of getting rid of the FAT32 formatting so they will work for your purposes as well. People with PPC Macs should substitute Apple Partition Map for GUID when following the directions.
You also may have to drag the drive you want to back up out of Time Machine's "Do not back up" pane which is in System Preferences > Time Machine under Options.
+I am sure glad I went for the 160 GB instead of the "faster" 100 GB option because I'm down to just 15 GB now!+
You're skating on very thin ice. Mac OS X likes about fifteen to twenty percent of free disk space to function properly. An overly full disk can cause some extremely nasty problems.
+One huge file is my iPhoto 08 library, which has about 35 GB of photos in it - way over 20,000 photos and video clips from over 20 years now.+
One backup is not adequate for this type of data that usually has a lot of sentimental or business value. It would be best if you kept two copies of the data on different hard drives using different back up software. It would also be a very good idea to burn all your files to DVD/CD as well. One copy of the backups should be stored offsite.

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I backed up my macbook pro using time machine and now my iphoto and itunes are empty. how do I reset the computer to an earlier date?

I backed up my macbook pro using time machine and now my iphoto and itunes are empty. how do I reset the computer to an earlier date? and why would this have happened?

Without more information, I can't tell you why it happened. As to how to restore to an earlier date, please check out the article below. Should help you to restore form a time machine backup.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427

How can I back up only selected files using Time Machine?

I'm a graphic designer, I use a number of Time Capsules to periodically back up my entire computer. But I also want to set up another Time Capsule (bus powered external hard drive) that will continually run as I work and only back up a single folder and all it's sub folders - in this case a folder called 'Client Files'.
QUESTION: How do I use Time Machine to back up only my 'Client Files' folder and all it's sub folders?

Frankly, this is probably not worth the time and trouble that it will take to set it up.
Time Machine backs up your entire Mac by default.
Time Machine Preferences / Options gives you the ability to Exclude items from backup, so to do what you want, you basically will have to Exclude everything else on the Mac from being backed up. That is going to be quite a task depending on where your Client Files folder resides and you have your Finder files set up.
It will not be that difficult to Exclude major folders..... things like Applicatons, Pictures, Music, Documents, etc.....but to get to the point where you want may not be that easy.
Take a look at things by opening Time Machine Preferences, then click on Options
Since you will be adding items to be Excluded, you would need to click the + button at the bottom of the window and then navigate to find the general folder that you want to Exclude.
Unfortunately, you cannot simply tell Time Machine to only back up the items that you want.....you have to tell Time Machine what NOT to back up.....which is going to be most of your Mac.
And.....whatever you set up in Time Machine /Options to be Excluded will apply to all backups to all Time Capsules. You cannot specify what is Excluded on one Time Capsule and not another. It's all or nothing. Not what you want to do, I am sure.
Good luck

I recently upgraded my Macbook pro with a new Hard Drive. I then transferred the data using Time Machine. Now when I want to backup using Time Machine again, it won't do it as it did before to the same external HD. How can I get it to reconnect?

Purchased a new, larger solid state drive to replace my old drive. I installed OSX then I had Time Machine do it's magic.
Now when I want to do a backup using Time Machine, it tells me that the external HD is full. When I did so prior to upgrade, it would erase old backups and then do a new backup.
Please help. I am worried about losing files, and am tired of seeing the "Time Machine hasn't backed up in xxx days" Error Message.
Thanks.

it thinks yours is a new machine so it doesn't want to start deleting another machine's backups
see the bottom of this page
http://pondini.org/TM/19.html

How do I back up Wireless Hard Drive using Time Machine

I have a MacBook Pro and I'm running OSX Lion.
I'm having trouble setting up time machine to back up two USB external hard drives (named Portable iTunes and Portable iPhoto) connected to my Airport Extreme Base Station. I have a time capsule with a 3TB USB WD MyBook external hard drive that I'm using as the Time Machine Hard Drive.
Portable iTunes, Portable, iPhoto and MyBook are wirelessly mounted to my desktop.
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Thanks in advance.
Wyatt.

Will someone please explain how I can set up MyBook to wirelessly back up the two portable drives using Time Machine?
Sorry, but Time Machine can only backup a hard drive that is connected directly to your Mac using USB or Firewire.

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If you use Office 2011 with the most recent version, you should be able to use Versions > http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11444

Can't find 2011 Microsoft Office product key after using Time Machine

I just upgraded my macbook pro to a 512gb crucial ssd. In order for me to do this without downloading any other software off the internet, I bought an external drive and had time machine back up everything. I installed the SSD, started up the computer and had time machine do its thing and booted everything up onto the ssd. Everything went perfectly up, until I went to open up any Microsoft Office application because they required I put in the product key. The last time I put in the product key was when I first bought the macbook pro about 4 years ago(I installed everything using the disc). What I tried to do was boot the computer using the old hard drive and we have the same story.... I need a product key that I don't have. I even tried installing a product key finder and it found no Microsoft Office product key.
Tomorrow my plan is to use time machine to bring me back to the couple minutes before I setup the new SSD. Before I do that, I want to know what your opinions are on this matter or more importantly, what should I do?
Thanks in advance.

Read the instructions that came with your PIN - they tell you how to get the Product Key from the MS Shop (I think it comes from there, anyhow!)
This link may work... https://office2010.getmicrosoftkey.com/
If not, please repost your query in the more appropriate Office Community forums here...
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/mac
Noel Paton | Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
CrashFixPC |
The Three-toed Sloth
No - I do not work for Microsoft, or any of its contractors.

How do I restore the iMac using Time Machine?, How do I restore the iMac using Time Machine?

My Outlook 2011 shows no messages which started right after I ran SyncMate. I decided to restore my system using Time Machine, but that did not make Outlook show my emails. Outlook indicates that I have several messages, but none appear. Suggestions please.
CH

Thanks den.thed,
Apologies for not replying back sooner - I've been away.
Although your suggestion helped me in getting a copy of Lion that I could use, it didn't help with the restore from Time Capsule issue. I had to download the Lion app onto my MacBook & then transfer it across but it wouldn't let me upgrade my OS for some reason, so I ended up wiping the iMac completely and restoring via my Snow Leopard install disk. For some reason, this time, it let me have the option of using Setup Assistant to access the Time Capsule for a complete restore.
Now, over a week later, with various bits of tweaking and reinstalling some apps that didn't seem to come across, I have my system back.
Thanks for the help anyway.
Cheers,
Paul

Can you recover deleted files which were stored on an external HD after emptying the trash on the Imac using Time Machine.

Hello - I had deleted files off of my external HD which I thought would not affect my Itunes library... Unfortunately I was incorrect in my assumption. Additionally, I empty the trash as I was hoping to regain storage space for the external HD. My question is, can i restore these files now that the trash has been emptied? I do have a regular back-up running on a Time Capsule, however when I chose the ext HD and enter into the time machine to restore it will not allow me to locate any files on the external HD??
Help!!!

Is Time Machine configured to backup the external disk drive?
It doesn't sound like it is. Which means that they is no way to get anything from that EDD from TM.
Your only alternative now is file recovery software. For a review on such software, try http://data-recovery-software-review.toptenreviews.com/mac-recovery-software/

Backing up my MacBook Air using Time Machine, can it backup while asleep?

I am backing up my laptop for the first time with Time Machine and a USB, will it still backup even when my laptop is asleep? I have noticed that when I close my laptop and then I open it again it connects to wifi again so I think that when its closed it isnt connected to the internet. But im not sure, can someone please help?

When plugged into power and asleep, your MacBook Air CAN and will backup to your TM.

I accidentally delete all my photo in the "all my files". How could I back up all the photo? (time machine is turn off)

I accidentally delete all my photo in the "all my files".
actually I delete every thing in ALL MY FILES.
How could I back up all the photo?
and other data, such as movies and so on?
Do I need to go to Apple store to back up?
(time machine is turn off)

If you don't have a back up then you'll need to use a file recovery app like File Salvage
To back up iPhoto you make a copy of the Library on another disk.
Regards
TD

If I have backed-up my Macbook while using Time Machine with Mavericks, can I erase my drive, install Snow Leopard, then re-load my Mavericks backup from Time Machine?

Hi there. This is my first time using this community, so thanks for reading. It pretty much says it all up there on the top. I backed up my computer with Time Machine while using Mavericks OS. For the sake of optimizing my computer and giving it a fresh start, I want to erase my drive and re-boot it with Snow Leopard, which I have a disc for. Once all that is done and I have a "brand-new" computer, will I be able to reload my Time Machine back-up?? Thanks!!

Some info on these threads.
https://discussions.apple.com/message/23976586#23976586
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6162

Backing up files to external HDD, time machine? Super Duper?

Well I finally did it. I gave myself an early Xmas gift... a 1TB WD drive. I currently have 4 internal drives in my G4 tower with OSX Tiger on one drive and OSX Leopard on another. I have my itunes, iphoto, imovie and idvd libraries running from the other two internal drives. Dont remember if I asked this before but here goes. What's the best way to back up files without interrupting the library directory system? In other words, itunes and iphoto will be asking me where are my **** files? I was also debating on creating a disk image of the OSX Tiger drive and erase it for other use? I can always mount it later if I need it, correct?
Your input is appreaciated. Thanks

how many drives do you have running?
Currently have 6 machines and a total of 21 drives running.
In two machines I use TM and SD! backup, in the other four I use SD! only.
I've never fallen back/used a TM backup, but constantly use SD! backups.
The performance benefit of running a SD! clone is one main reason.
When would it be appropriate to run SP or CCC?
I run the initial SD! clone upon setup of a drive.
After that, I base frequency on the usage.
With full time machines, Smart Update of SD! runs every night.
In other machines, I run Smart Update once a week.
Having so many drives, it can get hard to cover backups drive for drive, but 1:1 is a better backup scheme.
With the 1TB, 2 TB and 3 TB drives getting so reasonable, a single drive can be partitioned to serve as backup for two, three or even four volumes.
Of course, it is better to limit the number of volumes on a single drive in case of catastrophy....

Backing up iPhoto pics without using Time Machine or an external hard drive

I cannot figure out how to back up my photos on my one year old MBP. I haven't gotten around to buying an external hard drive (so many choices and there seems to be problems with every one I look at - advice?), but at this time the only important data on my MBP are my photos (approx 9 GB). I've searched the various forums, looked in The Missing Manual (Mac OS X Leopard), and read the help sections on the computer but cannot seem to find step-by-step directions for backing up to a flash drive or a few DVDs. Thanks for your help.

Welcome to the Apple Discussions. Unless you have an external storage source you can't backup your photos.
You could burn the image file to a DVD disc by selecting about 4GB of files in iPhoto and exporting the photos to a folder on the Desktop and burning that folder to a DVD with the Finder.
Or select about 4GB worth of files in iPhoto and use the Share->Burn menu option. That will give you a DVD disc with a mini iPhoto library on it that contains those 4GB of original files, their modified versions and all metadata associated with them.
Click to view full size
When you want to copy any of the file on the disc back into iPhoto mount the disk in your optical drive and it will show in iPhoto where you can select what you want and drag to the Library icon to copy them back into the library.
CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO
I'm sure you have other documents on your MBP that you need to backup. An external FW hard drive for use as a Time Machine backup drive is essential if you value your photos and other data on the hard drive. Consider for a moment what you would have to do to get back where you are right now if you lost the entire internal HD.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier versions) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. There are versions that are compatible with iPhoto 5, 6, 7 and 8 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.
NOTE: The new rebuild option in iPhoto 09 (v. 8.0.2), Rebuild the iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup" makes this tip obsolete.

I just had the hard drive replaced in my computer under the Seagate 1TB Hard Drive replacement program. I backed up my files prior using Time Machine. Everything is back as it should be but I do not understand how to replace iLife app to access my photo

iLife apparently was installed on the iMac at the time of the purchase. How do I get the program back on the machine. The Apple "Genius" at the Apple Stpore advised me to go to the iTunes store and get a download. How do THEY know that I have iLife? If the store in fact did install the program at purchase how do you get a copy to reinstall on the machine?
Larry

iLife is preinstalled on all the Macs. If you purchased iLife in the App Store or your computer came without DVDs, open App Store > Purchases and download the applications. If your Mac came with discs, insert the Applications DVD and install iLife applications

Can two HDs be backed up to the external using Time Machine

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