How to Backup Home Folder Only?

How do I backup only my home folder. I only want to backup my data not all the system stuff and applications. Time Machine only lets me exclude things. So what it the best way of telling it to exclude everything except my HOME folder? Thanks....

If you just want to do... then don't use Time Machine...
You should be looking at Backup... it was just updated.
You can use it to easily schedule a backup of your home folder.

Similar Messages

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    How to change home folder name ?

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    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1428

  • How do I Rename Mac Hard Drive with Home Folder Only?

    Hello,
    I have a Macbook Pro with an SSD which has OSX Snow Leopard and my Applications, and the other hard drive has my Home Folder. I replaced the optical drive with the SSD.
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    I don't have a setup to test this, but you might try the following:
    Create a second "normal" admin account with its home folder on the boot drive, then log out of your regular account and log into the new one. From there you could rename the large hard drive, then go to System Preferences>Accounts, select the first account, then right-click>Advanced options to change its home directory path to match the new HD name. That way you're not changing the home folder path "in mid-air."
    It's probably a good idea to keep a tiny "self-contained" admin account on the boot drive anyway, so you don't get locked out in the event of future trouble accessing the large disk.

  • Backup application folder only

    Hi first thanks for read my quetion. My question is how can I back up only my application folder to a DVD, CD or ipod? can I just copy the app folder in a DVD, CD or ipod, do an erase and install and the drop the app folder from the DVD CD or ipod in the hard drive and the apps will work.
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    You could drag over the apps, but may also need to drag over relevant preference and application support files as well to make them work as expected. Best to backup as much as possible (ideally a clone) to a backup drive first, then you can drag over files as required without losing anything vital!

  • How to replace home folder after yosemite erase-reinstall?

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  • Backup Home folder to XHD

    Hi,
    I'm trying to backup my Home folder to a Lacie external harddrive.
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    This time I've worked out that it doesn't want to copy a folder of the Skype programme that's directly in Home>Library
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    I'm not using Skype at the moment. Would it be best to uninstall Skype?
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    If the Skype folder is truly an alias, that means that its linking to another folder, perhaps a folder that you don't have permissions to copy (although that seems odd as all you need are read permissions to copy). You are trying to copy, rather than move, right? You could also try to copy from the terminal at which point it would give you an error for every file that doesn't get copied. HTH.
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  • Time Machine does not backup home folder

    I upgraded to Lion recently and time machine was working properly, my hard disk failed and apple replaced it, but put in a HD with 10.6.8 on it.  I then restored from time capsule (1 TB- first gen) and eventually it worked and everything seemed to be working.  However it also changed the name of my home folder (reversing the name) and now my home folder is not backed up on to time capsule, local snapshots include it but not on the tc.  I have reset (using pondini guide) the preferences and also eventually deleted the previous time machine and completely set up a new one but still no luck.  Can anyone help as i am uncomfortable without a backup of my home folder.  Nothing is encrypted and file vault turned off.  Please help.

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  • [SOLVED] How to recreate home folder subdirectories

    I have accidentally removed home folder stuff (shame on me), and i have recovered data,
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    EDIT: This is file list of /etc/skel
    .bash_logout  .bash_profile  .bashrc  .config  .xscreensaver
    Last edited by mirko28 (2015-03-18 20:03:23)

    @nullified and @Radioactiveman
    Thanks a lot! I needed to create them manually and change ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs variables to those folders.
    @karol
    I used sass --watch to compile my .scss files, and sass created ~ folder in my project (I have no idea why). After that i was trying to delete that damned folder using rm -r ~ and that deleted my real ~ folder. I was in project folder i don't know why it deleted home.
    Thanks guys you saved me, I was about to reinstall arch !
    Last edited by mirko28 (2015-03-18 20:06:01)

  • How to Encrypt Home Folder Located on External Drive

    I have an iMac 5K with a 512GB internal SSD.  I decided to relocate my users' home folders to an external HDD due to their size (won't all fit on the SSD).
    That part is working fine.  However, it has now dawned on me that I would like to encrypt those home folders in case that external HDD is stolen.  The problem, of course, is that by encrypting that external HDD, those users won't be able to login, since you can't login if your home folder is not immediately available.
    Only solution that I read about is to have another user (with a home folder on the SSD) login first after startup and decrypt the HDD.  The would then allow the other users to login successfully.
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    If your pictures, music, movies are not sensitive, you could relocate those to the external drive.

  • How to relocate Home folder to second internal drive

    What is the process to migrate my Home Folder from the boot drive (256Gb SSD) to a new internal drive (960Gb SSD)? Can this be accomplished in finder or should one use the Terminal window?

    Interesting, I'm having the same issue on my MacBook Pro that has both an SSD (for the OS and Apps) and a Hard Disk in place of the Superdrive. This config worked just fine with Mountain Lion; since upgrading to Mavericks this morning, I am unable to log into my personal account that has its home folder on the hard disk.
    Unfortunately, it also seems to be an issue with the library folder, as I've been able to solve this issue with symlinks just fine with the exception of Library: the system keeps asking me to key in my password because the Library folder "needs to be repaired".
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    Oddly enough, on my Mac Mini at home, which also has the SSD/HD pair, the moved home folder works fine - of course, here the HD isn't encrypted...
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  • How to reset home folder permissions ?

    Hello everyone I have a pretty tough problem that I would really like to fix
    Here's the little story... I bought a macbook pro (mid 2010) and I accidentally broke it.. I made a ghost of my hard drive before erasing it and sending the macbook to be repaired. It came back as I sent it, because the cost to repair was almost equal as getting a new macbook..
    So I bought the brand new (2011) macbook pro and I'm trying to get my data back onto it.. I took out the new hard drive, ran my ghost program (Ghost 4 Linux in RAW mode in case you want to know) and I put the hard drive back into the mac. I just won't boot.
    It appears that the new macbooks require some new kexts or files to be able to boot up. I couldn't even boot my 10.6.3 retail DVD...
    I reinstalled Snow Leo with no problems, and I wanted to copy directly my previous home folder (or all content inside) to my new one. It appears to be impossible, because I had a password on my previous macbook.. Chmod or Chown (as root) do nothing at all, programs like Batchmod or permission reset do not work either. Linux can't reset permissions saying it's a "read only file system" (although I can see the name of all files inside folders while it's trying to change permissions even if it always fails). I can't manually modify permissions by pressing Command + i because it says I have "custom access rights"...
    I'm really stuck on this one, I've done some searching and I'm astonished I couldn't find any answer about that. I'm pretty sure many pple have had that problem before.
    I hope you guys will have an answer for me, otherwise I've lost all my family pictures, music, documents and.....everything else ?
    Thank you.

    No, I didn't say that. If you weren't using FileVault, you should be fine, unless something is wrong with the old drive.
    In the Finder, select the icon of the drive you're trying to copy from, and open the Info window. In the Sharing & Permissions section, there's a checkbox labeled "Ignore ownership on this disk." If that box is not checked, click the lock icon in the corner of the window, authenticate with your administrator name and password, check the box, then try the copy again.

  • How to clean home folder?

    Can't use Mail as message comes up to clean up home folder first. I know this must be elementary, but I can't figure it out. I've cleaned up everywhere! What could cause this? Any tips welcome!

    what version of the OS and Mail are you using and what is the exact error message?

  • How To Backup Home Dir?

    I am wanting to backup my home dir. What is the easiest and most efficient way of backing up my home dir. without having to purchase software of any sort? I want to be able to easily replace my home dir. if I have to do a format and clean install of any sort of OS X and not run into problems of being locked out of my files.
    Thanks

    There are numerous backup solutions available:
    Backup Utilities for OS X
    (In the order of my personal ranking)
    1. The Restore option of Disk Utility (only for full backups.)
    2. Retrospect Desktop (Commercial $129 - not universal binary)
    3. Synchronize! Pro X (Shareware $99)
    4. Synk 6 (Shareware - 3 versions: Pro $45, Standard $35, Basic $25)
    5. Deja Vu (Shareware $25)
    6. LaCie SilverKeeper (Freeware - not universal binary.)
    7. Carbon Copy Cloner 3.0 Beta (Freeware.)
    8. RSyncX and PSyncX (Freeware - GUIs wrapped around Unix tools.)
    9. arRsync (Freeware - GUI wrapper on rsync.)
    For a good discussion of backup and restore visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on backup and restore strategies.
    Except for Retrospect you can download the others from www.versiontracker.com or www.macupdate.com.
    You will need backup media. The best solution is to purchase an external Firewire drive equal to or larger than the internal drive. You can then clone your entire system using the Restore option of Disk Utility. Alternatively you can save your backups to DVDs.
    Why reward points?(Quoted from Discussions Terms of Use.)
    The reward system helps to increase community participation. When a community member gives you (or another member) a reward for providing helpful advice or a solution to their question, your accumulated points will increase your status level within the community.
    Members may reward you with 5 points if they deem that your reply is helpful and 10 points if you post a solution to their issue. Likewise, when you mark a reply as Helpful or Solved in your own created topic, you will be awarding the respondent with the same point values.

  • OS X Mavericks - How to backup system files only

    Okay ... ;
    is there a way for e.g. Time Machine to back up system files / resources only .
    ... I mean I have a fully working core system software, that I want to backup, but ...
    ... I have also downloaded lots of other files / third party software,
    which I'd like to exclude from the backup .
    Is Time Machine capable of doing this ...
    or is there some other software, that could to this ....
    Regards,
    zergei W ;

    System Preferences/Time Machine/Options - add what you don't want to backup there and it will be excluded from the backup.

  • How to change name on Home folder?

    I have an Apple iBook PPC G4 1.33 GHz running Leopard OS X version 10.5.8 and with 1 GB Memory. I just purchased this machine, which is in excellent condition, but I have a problem. It is not earthshattering and doesn't threaten the life of the machine in any way, but it is my machine and I would like the Home directory to reflect that.
    The name in the System Preferences for Administrator is "gdavies", which is myself, but the Home Folder in the Finder sidebar is named "macuser". I went in as root user and came close to complete disaster, but got out in time. Having me named as administrator in Accounts but not on the Home directory is unusual. If both were called "macuser" I believe I could fix it, but this requires a greater level of expertise than I have.
    Any ideas how to make home folder read "gdavies"? I just bought this iBook and it came with the Home folder named as "macuser". I changed the computer's name in "Sharing" in system prefs and I believe I may have changed the name in the Accounts. I know I should not have done it that way, but it doesn't help changing it back.
    When I open the Users folder in the Mac HD there are there folders, one called "gdavies" with 10 items, most empty, such as desktop, downloads and so on, though dropbox is there.
    The next folder is the house icon for the Home directory named "macuser" with 38 items and is the working folder. Then there is a folder called "shared", which contains no items.
    How do I change the Home directory name in the Finder window sidebar to "gdavies'?

    Kappy, you are indeed working overtime to help me and I just want you to know how appreciative I am.
    Now, I shall take your answer step by step.
    1. Log into Accounts using the admin password for "macuser". That password and the "other" admin password for gadvies is one and the same. However, done.
    2. Click on Login Options, done - verify gdavies has admin status - done - answer "yes, gadvies has admin status".
    3. Turn off Auto login - done.
    4. Logged out then logged into "gdavies".
    5. Returned to Accounts pane authenticating with "gdavies" password - done. But remember that the admin password is one and the same for "macuser" and "gdavies". Now, I did *not* set it up like that. It just seemed to happen. do I :- )  or do I :- (    ???
    6. Select "macuser" account and using Login options delete. Select the option to remove completely.
    I am sorry Kappy, but this pesky "macuser" sits in the home directory without any account in Accounts. So there is no "macuser" account to delete.
    I went through all the motions and I was sort of hoping that a "macuser" account would *appear* in the Accounts pane beneath the Guest account so that I could delete it, but no such luck. You know, sometimes things like that do happen.
    Thanks a heap for the try, Kappy, I do appreciate you exercising on my behalf "those little grey cells" as Hercule Poirot would say - my favorite Private Eye (Agatha Christie).
    Cheers, Gareth

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