Full Backup of my Mac Mini OS X 10.8.1

Question

Hello
I've recently purchased the new Mac Mini (i5 model), and take my first steps in Mac world.
I've installed a few applications that i frecvently use and i was thinking to back up, or create an image of my disk ( in windows i had used clonezilla or norton ghost to clone my partition or entire disk ). I don't know if the firmware can be saved also... to go back to my previous os/firmware if i get an upgrade and i don't like it.
I red some discutions about backing up with Time Machine and then restoring with the installer (i don't understand exactly how), but it seems like many got problems with it and files were corrupted when they try to restore.
I've tried the Time Machine and it takes about 9 hours to back up 12Gb on a stick. Not to mention that i cannot use the stick anymore unless i want to restore the system.
Now i have OS X 10.8.1. . I'm thinking of upgrade to 10.8.2. But first i need to back up so i can go back to 10.8.1 if something goes bad...
Can anyone help me with this?
Thanks.

Answer 1

Basic Backup
For some people Time Machine will be more than adequate. Time Machine is part of OS X. There are two components:
1. A Time Machine preferences panel as part of System Preferences;
2. A Time Machine application located in the Applications folder. It is
     used to manage backups and to restore backups. Time Machine
     requires a backup drive that is at least twice the capacity of the
     drive being backed up.
Alternatively, get an external drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
  1. Carbon Copy Cloner
  2. Data Backup
  3. Deja Vu
  4. SuperDuper!
  5. Synk Pro
  6. Tri-Backup
Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on backup and restore.  Also read How to Back Up and Restore Your Files. For help with using Time Machine visit Pondini's Time Machine FAQ for help with all things Time Machine.
Although you can buy a complete external drive system, you can also put one together if you are so inclined.  It's relatively easy and only requires a Phillips head screwdriver (typically.)  You can purchase hard drives separately.  This gives you an opportunity to shop for the best prices on a hard drive of your choice.  Reliable brands include Seagate, Hitachi, Western Digital, Toshiba, and Fujitsu.  You can find reviews and benchmarks on many drives at Storage Review.
Enclosures for FireWire and USB are readily available.  You can find only FireWire enclosures, only USB enclosures, and enclosures that feature multiple ports.  I would stress getting enclosures that use the Oxford chipsets especially for Firewire drives (911, 921, 922, for example.)  You can find enclosures at places such as;
  1. Cool Drives
  2. OWC
  3. WiebeTech
  4. Firewire Direct
  5. California Drives
  6. NewEgg
All you need do is remove a case cover, mount the hard drive in the enclosure and connect the cables, then re-attach the case cover.  Usually the only tool required is a small or medium Phillips screwdriver.
Clone Lion/Mountain Lion using Restore Option of Disk Utility
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
     1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu then press the Continue
         button.
     2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
     3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
     4. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it
         to the Destination entry field.
     5. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to
         the Source entry field.
     6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.
You no longer can upgrade to 10.8.2. The current version is 10.8.4, and you update by downloading and installing 10.8.4 Mountain Lion Update v10.8.4 (Combo).
Firmware is not backed up. Apple does not support "downgrading" firmware.