Multiple Mac backup to external HD

I want to backup 3 Macs to a single 1T external HD partioned with space for each. The HD is FW attached to an iMac (OS X 10.5.5), which is ethernet connected to another iMac (OS X 10.4.11) and an eMac (OS X 10.4.11). I want the backup on the 1T HD to be a bootable copy of each computer's internal HD.
I've tried using Silverkeeper (comes with LaCie drives) and Carbon Copy Cloner, but neither is able to make a bootable backup. Each can "see" the external HD but don't want to acknowledge it's a simple backup. Dragging and dropping the internal HD image from each computer to the external HD results in an alias being created, not a real copy.
Ideally I can get this system to work such that it scans for anything that's changed on the source HD's and only copies that to the destination HD, but if it takes copying everything each time that would be OK for me as well.
Any suggestions on Mac configurations or software that will enable me to do this? My goal is to have the external HD set up in one place and backup all the machines without moving the HD around to different rooms.
Thanks for the advice!

I have SuperDuper! backup my Macbook 10.5.5 system to my PowerMac G5 10.4.11 over ethernet into a .sparseimage file.
It is not bootable, but I can always put the system needing to be restored into Target mode and restore the data from the .sparseimage if I need it. And for systems that can not be put into Target mode, I can always install a minimum Mac OS X, then mount the backup volume and restore the .sparseimage that way.
I mount the the backup volume on my PowerMac G5 and SuperDuper! then mounts the .sparseimage.
If you create an alias of the mounted volume, it will save all the connection information for the volume. You can then create an AppleScript (or Automator workflow) to open the Alias, causing the network volume to be mounted, then invoke SuperDuper!.
Using a .sparseimage also means you do not need to partition your disk. Each Mac can just use its own .sparseimage
It is possible that you could do something similar for other backup utilities, but your *Mileage May Vary*.
If everyone was running Leopard, you could use Time Machine, as another Mac running Leopard can provide the same services as a TimeCapsule. I'm doing this with a Mac mini and 3TB of external Drobo storage.

Similar Messages

Time Machine: Multiple volumes backup to external drive

It is slightly more complicated:
I have a Mac Pro with two internal hard drives. Drive A has 5 partitions and Drive B has a single large partition.
I have one external drive that I divided into two partitions, with the plan of backing up Drive A to one and Drive B to the other.
The backup of Drive A to the first partition went well. The problem is that I cannot figure out how to get Drive B to the 2nd partition on external drive.
Suggestions?

By default, Time Machine backs up everything on all attached drives.
You can reduce the size of the backup set (by about 10 to 20GB depending on Applications installed) by choosing to exclude System files and Applications. Then you can back those up separately if you prefer.
Time Machine's claim to fame is that it is the backup that actually happens, as opposed to the more specific hand crafted backup that, oops, did not get done since last month.

Multiple Mac Backup

I've just bought an iMac with a 500Gb SSD. That's not much storage, so I need to archive stuff and remove it from the internal drive on a regular basis. I also still have my macbook pro which I'll use when I need to be portable and my wife will use as her main computer. Can anyone suggest to me an elegant backup solution for backing up both machines and also ensuring security against HD failure. I was wondering whether I could network the machines and have a common backup and backup backup if you see what I mean.
I think also that the backup needs to be separate from the Archive thing. I do music projects and when a project is finished I'll want to remove it to the archive. Obviously the Archive needs a backup solution too.
I didn't get a fusion drive, because I was told that this could create problems with audio processing.

You are correct that the backup and archive must be on separate drives.
You are also correct that the archive should be backed up.
Rather then doing a backup of a backup, what I choice to do instead is to do multiple backups using different software for each.
Allan

MULTIPLE MAC BACKUPS BUT MACBOOK SLOW

We bought a 2 TB timecapsule and are backing up 2 imac's. We have a 3rd MacBook and the backups seem really slow and seem to be backing up the whole computer every time 19 Gig instead of the changes made. Is this norman?

Check Pondini's excellent support document....Time Machine --- Troubleshooting.
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
See # D7

Backup multiple Macs to external HDD

I have an iMac (OS X 10.8.2) with a new Seagate BackupPlus external HDD attached by thunderbolt. The external HDD has 5 partitions (all Mac OS X Extended Journaled format). 4 partitions are dedicated back ups for 4 Macs (the iMac connected via thunderbolt to the external HDD, plus 3 MacBookAirs (MBA's)). The 5th partition is just for storing random data (I realize TM won't back up the data on the same drive as the TM backups, but that's ok).
Following the steps FAQ #22 on the great pondini site http://pondini.org/TM/22.html I was able to set up Time Machine to back up my iMac (with the external HDD physically attached) AND I was able to setup TM on my MacBookAir (also running OS X 10.8.2) to wirelessly back up to the external HDD attached to the iMac.
I am now trying to do the same for wife and kids MBA's (i.e., get them to have TM back up wirelessly to the external HDD that is attached to the iMac on the same network). However, while I can get TM to backup my MBA, I can't get their to work, even though I followed the same steps on their "source" MBA's as I did on mine. The other MBAs can see the external HDD (attached to the iMac) and even remotely read/write to it (which I did as a test). TM on their MBA sees and lets me select the appropriate partition on the external HDD, but when I try to do a backup, after a few seconds TM stops running. It may be worth noting I also have TM backing the MBAs (including wife and kids MBAs) wirelessly to a TimeCapsule too... and that works flawlessly (I am trying to get my MBAs backed up on both my TimeCapsule and an external HDD connected to the iMac, so I have two backups).
The error log from TimeMachine Buddy on my wife's MBA shows:
Starting manual backup
Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://melaniebernitz@Bradley%E2%80%99s%20iMac._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Mel%20MBA% 20External%20Backup
NAConnectToServerSync failed with error: 80 for url: afp://melaniebernitz@Bradley%E2%80%99s%20iMac._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Mel%20MBA% 20External%20Backup
Attempting to mount network destination using URL: afp://[email protected]/Mel%20MBA%20External%20Backup
NAConnectToServerSync failed with error: 80 for url: afp://[email protected]/Mel%20MBA%20External%20Backup
Backup failed with error: 19
To try and fix, I have:
-- rebooted both machines.
-- ran "Verify Disk" on external HDD partition (verify disk finds no issues)
-- checked file sharing on iMac (again, the MBA's can read and write to the external HDD connected to the iMac with no problems so it has read/write/share "access" to the external HDD)
-- did full reset of Time Machine preference on my MBA per pondini.org/TM/A4.html
-- on the MBA's that won't back up wirelessly to the external drive, I can still "see" and select the external HDD (connected to the iMac) in Time Machine
-- tried running TM from different users on each MBA (including adminstrators, of course)
-- have shut off and re-turned on Time Machine
In case it helps diagnose the issue, here's the TimeMachine Buddy log for the my MBA (for which TM successfully completes the wireless backup to the external HDD on the iMac).
Starting manual backup
Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://bradley%20katcher@Bradley%E2%80%99s%20iMac._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Brad%20M BA%20External%20Backup
Mounted network destination at mount point: /Volumes/Brad MBA External Backup using URL: afp://bradley%20katcher@Bradley%E2%80%99s%20iMac._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Brad%20M BA%20External%20Backup
Resizing backup disk image from 924.24 GB to 923.9 GB
Disk image /Volumes/Brad MBA External Backup/Brad MacBook Air.sparsebundle mounted at: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups
Backing up to: /Volumes/Time Machine Backups/Backups.backupdb
Using file event preflight for Macintosh HD
Will copy (1.4 MB) from Macintosh HD
Found 63 files (1.4 MB) needing backup
626.4 MB required (including padding), 779.13 GB available
Copied 973 files (1.5 MB) from volume Macintosh HD.
Using file event preflight for Macintosh HD
Will copy (Zero KB) from Macintosh HD
Found 11 files (Zero KB) needing backup
624.8 MB required (including padding), 779.13 GB available
Copied 248 files (82 bytes) from volume Macintosh HD.
Created new backup: 2013-02-09-013813
Starting post-backup thinning
No post-back up thinning needed: no expired backups exist
Backup completed successfully.
Ejected Time Machine disk image: /Volumes/Brad MBA External Backup/Brad MacBook Air.sparsebundle
Ejected Time Machine network volume.
So, to make a long story short, even though the external HDD partitions are mounted and can be read by all MBA's....
-- My MBA has no problem backing up (via TM) to the external HDD physically attached to my iMac
-- Other MBA's can wirelessy back up (via TM) to TimeCapsule on my network, but NOT to the external HDD on the iMac (even though they can remotely see/share files on it).
All in all, I'm at a loss as to why it works for one MBA but not others (since I followed same steps to set up the MBA's for TM).
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

Bkat wrote:
The external HDD has 5 partitions (all Mac OS X Extended Journaled format).
What Partition Map Scheme does it have? (click the top line for the drive in Disk Utility's sidebar -- it will be shown at the lower-right). It should be GUID, but should work if it's APM (Apple Partition Map). If it's MBR (Master Boot Record), a Windows setup and often the way externals come from the factory, that may be the problem. I've never been sure of the details, but there's a message somewhere that says "not all partitions may be accessible" to Time Machine with MBR.
-- tried running TM from different users on each MBA (including adminstrators, of course)
It doesn't matter what user does the setup, or even does a Back Up Now, since the actual backup runs with "root" privileges (permission to everything). It sounds like you have the right Sharing setup on the iMac, but be sure each of those Macs is connecting as the right user on the iMac.
I've not done this myself with multiple Macs (I don't have enough hardware); only one Mac backing-up to a shared drive on another.
Attempting to mount network destination URL: afp://melaniebernitz@Bradley%E2%80%99s%20iMac._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Mel%20MBA% 20External%20Backup
Looks like you've got some special characters in some names. I realize two Macs seem to back up ok, but oddly enough, sometimes such characters in names are a problem -- they'll work fine sometimes, but not always. See #C9 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.
(I am trying to get my MBAs backed up on both my TimeCapsule and an external HDD connected to the iMac, so I have two backups).
You might want to reconsider using Time Machine for both sets of backups. It's prudent to want two separate backups in case one piece of hardware fails. But what if there's a problem with Time Machine itself, on one (or more) of your Macs? TM is pretty reliable, but no app is perfect. See Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #27 for details, and the green box there for some alternatives (some of those may not work over a network. CarbonCopyCloner and ChronoSync do -- I use CCC locally, in addition to TM, but not over a network).
Message was edited by: Pondini

Using a seagate external drive with multiple macs

i got a 1TB seagate external hard drive for backup and transfer purposes... it had a little program to help set it up and i set it up for use with mac and pc ( only onther option was stricty this computer.) it works on my computer and a pc but when i tried transfering files from another older mac i have it showed that i could only read on that computer...
how can i get it to work with multiple macs...?

I have the oldest macbook (1.83. 2 gigs ram, 60 gig internal hard drive)
I have all my logic content on my external maxtor firewire 400 drive (usb 2.0 is actually faster than firewire 400) and everything is fine. the good thing is if your external drive has 7200rpm, but the ones with 5600rpm should do as well.
Once you drag your apple loops to logic from your external drive, logic will remember for the next visit. And when you are opening a project which is on the external drive , just find it with logic finder and all should be fine.

Using external NAS drive for Time Machine and multiple Macs

I just installed an external NAS drive from OWC's sister company Newer Tech. It is 500g with ethernet and usb2.0 connections. It works very well with easy setup with Time Machine with no hassle.
However, in very fine print that I missed in the ad, it supports 20 computers but not for Mac only for PC. OWC customer service said I could return it but I'll keep it anyway since it works well but only for one computer at a time in read/write mode.
Anyone know of a way around this? Are there any drivers from other vendors that would allow this to be used with the multiple Macs on my home network?

Very doubtful, but even if there is a workaround, you do not want to take that kind of risk with your backups.
See the pink and yellow boxes in #2 of [Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/FAQ.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).

Upgraded: New Mac, Setting up iPhoto Library From Multiple Old Backups

Over the years (Jaguar to Snow Leopard), I've had multiple Macs in different locations (work, home) to which I've loaded photos from cameras into multiple iPhoto libraries. As these Macs have died (G4s, G5s), or I've been forced to upgrade, I've made a backup on CDs and DVDs of the iPhoto libraries (different versions of iPhoto over the years).
Now I've got a brand new Macbook Pro and I want to put all these photos into one library on one disk. I don't care much about preserving photos edited in iPhoto (I use Photoshop for serious editing), nor do I have particular album or roll data from these old libraries that matters. I just want to get all the original photos into one library so I can search and access them all in one place.
I have always found the way iPhoto organizes the photos on disk a bit confusing, especailly when it comes to backing up and accessing the files at the Finder level. And now it seems things have gotten even more dumbed away from the user in "package" w/ the latest iPhoto.
I would like to just have my photos in a folder, not a "package," but I would like to be able to search and organize photos and load them to my iPod Touch. (Maybe isn't the best application for me?) I'd also like my iPhoto folder to be on an external HD.
This is one of those grueling tasks I've been putting off for years. So many disks, so many libraries, how to get them all into one. I want to get it right once and for all, so I'll have all my photos on in one place and hopefully in a Finder-level folder that will be easy to back up and easy to port to my next Mac down the road in the future.
Can anyone offer any advice on the best way to proceed? Anyone else been through something like this?
Thanks in advance,
Babz

This is actually more simple than it seems as you
just want to get all the original photos into one library so I can search and access them all in one place.
So, create a Library: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library' and import the contents of the originals from the other Libraries: (File -> Import, Drag to the iPhoto Window, Drag to the iPhoto icon on the Dock)
That's all your originals in a single Library.
I have always found the way iPhoto organizes the photos on disk a bit confusing, especailly when it comes to backing up and accessing the files at the Finder level.
It's actually quite straightforward, but the key is +you don't access the files at a Finder level+.
And now it seems things have gotten even more dumbed away from the user in "package" w/ the latest iPhoto.
Remember: iPhoto is a Database. Like any database, you need to manipulate the data via the db and not a back door.
Since iPhoto 7 (iLife 08) the old iPhoto Library Folder is now a Package File. This is simply a folder that looks like a file in the Finder. The change was made to the format of the iPhoto library because many users were inadvertently corrupting their library by browsing through it with other software or making changes in it themselves. That's why +you don't access the files at a Finder level+.
Want to see inside: Go to your Pictures Folder and find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed.
Standard Warning: Don't change anything in the iPhoto Library Folder via the Finder or any other application. iPhoto depends on the structure as well as the contents of this folder. Moving things, renaming things or otherwise making changes will prevent iPhoto from working and could even cause you to damage or lose your photos.
How the library is organised: There are various files, which are the Library itself and some ancillary files. Then you have three core folders
Originals are the photos as they were downloaded from your camera or scanner.
(ii) Modified contains edited pics, shots that you have cropped, rotated or changed in any way.
(iii) Data holds the thumbnails the the app needs to show you the photos in the iPhoto Window.
But none of that matters, as you never access the files via the Finder.
*To back up an iPhoto Library* make a copy of the Library on another disk. You can automate this process with Time Machine or many other back up apps like Chronosync or DejaVu. There are many, many other options. Search on MacUpdate.
I would like to just have my photos in a folder, not a "package,"
*How to do it:*
Simply go to iPhoto Menu -> Preferences -> Advanced and uncheck 'Copy Files to the iPhoto Library on Import'.
*What Happens:*
Now iPhoto will not copy the files, but rather simply reference them on your HD. To do this it will create an alias in the Originals Folder that points to your file. It will still create a thumbnail and, if you modify the pics, a Modified version within the iPhoto Library Folder.
*Some things to consider:*
1. Importing and deleting pics are more complex procedures. You have to to put the files where they will be stored before importing them. When you delete them you'll need to remove the files from the HD yourself.
2. You cannot move or rename the files on your system or iPhoto will lose track of them on systems prior to 10.5 and iPhoto 08. Even with the later versions issues can still arise if you move the referenced files to new volumes or between volumes.
3. Most importantly, migrating to a new disk or computer can be much more complex.
4. Because iPhoto has no tools for managing Referenced Files, if, for some reason, the path to the photos changes then you could find yourself resolving aliases for +each photo in the Library+ one by one.
My own opinion:
I've yet to see a good reason to run iPhoto in referenced mode unless you're using two photo organiser
If disk space is an issue, you can run an entire iPhoto Library from an external disk:
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.
If you're concerned about accessing the files, There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
*For Users of 10.5 and later*
You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
*For users of 10.4 and later* ...
Many internet sites such as Flickr and SmugMug have plug-ins for accessing the iPhoto Library. If the site you want to use doesn’t then some, one or any of these will also work:
To upload to a site that does not have an iPhoto Export Plug-in the recommended way is to Select the Pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pic to the desktop, then upload from there. After the upload you can trash the pic on the desktop. It's only a copy and your original is safe in iPhoto.
This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. However, if you're using Gmail you can use iPhoto2GMail
If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.
If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.
*If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running*:
For users of 10.6 and later:
You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu. Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.
For Users of 10.4 and later:
Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser
Other options include:
1. *Drag and Drop*: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
2. *File -> Export*: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size. Again, producing a copy.
3. *Show File*: Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
*To use iPhoto with Photoshop*
You can set Photoshop (or any image editor) as an external editor in iPhoto. (Preferences -> General -> Edit Photo: Choose from the Drop Down Menu.) This way, when you double click a pic to edit in iPhoto it will open automatically in Photoshop or your Image Editor, and when you save it it's sent back to iPhoto automatically. This is the only way that edits made in another application will be displayed in iPhoto.
Note that iPhoto sends a copy+ of the file to Photoshop, so when you save be sure to use the Save command, not Save As... If you use Save As then you're creating a new file and iPhoto has no way of knowing about this new file. iPhoto is preserving your original anyway.
There's a lot of material there. By all means come back for clarification if you need it. But I strongly urge you to think very carefully before running a Referenced Library.
Regards
TD

Backup on external HD for Mac and PC

I'm planning to use LaCie's Silverkeeper to do a backup of my Mac onto an external hard drive that is formatted as MS-DOS (to use with both Mac and PC). I also have a PC in my household that I'd like to backup a few things onto this external drive. I've been reading these discussions about people having problems with not being able to copy certain Mac files due to some characters not allowed on Windows (such as "/"), and restoring issues due to the drive not being Mac Extended format. So is there a way I can confidently use this drive to backup data from both the Mac and PC, and be able to restore? If I reformat the drive to Mac Extended, will I be able to copy any files from the PC onto it?

An MSDOS formatted drive should not be used for OS X backups. If you need to do PC backups then I would suggest a separate external drive. Otherwise, format the drive for use with OS X (Mac OS Extended.) Get MacDrive (Media Four) for the PC which enables Windows to read/write Mac drives.
Alternatively if you think you are sufficiently skilled you can try the technique outlined here for creating HFS+ and FAT32 partitions on one drive.

I am out of space on my Macbook Air and have a Time Machine Backup. I want to complete reset my mac, but wonder if I can pick and choose what I restore to my computer? Can I also use my time machine backup and external storage as well?

I am out of space on my Macbook Air and have a Time Machine Backup. I want to complete reset my mac, but wonder if I can pick and choose what I restore to my computer? Can I also use my time machine backup as external storage as well for the files I don't need everyday?

If you are using "Restore from Time Machine Backup" option from OS X Recovery, you can only choose from the broad categories presented.
... Can I also use my time machine backup as external storage as well for the files I don't need everyday?
To be clear, if you are asking if you can use the volume containing your Time Machine backup to store additional, non-Time Machine files, the short answer is yes.
It's not a good idea though, since the Time Machine backup will eventually fill all available space, after which it begins to remove old, "expired" backups to make room for newer ones. The presence of additional files doesn't change that fact, and Time Machine will not erase them, but you will encounter a dilemma should you want to store additional files on that volume when there is no remaining space. You will have to make room for them on your own, by deleting existing files. Furthermore, since Time Machine cannot back up its own volume, those additional files will not be backed up by Time Machine.
The easy solution for what you describe is to purchase additional external storage. External USB hard disk drives have become very inexpensive; about $55 will buy a perfectly suitable 1 TB drive.
You can also choose to replace your MacBook Air's internal storage with a larger capacity one. Look for a suitable replacement from OWC / MacSales:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Air-Retina
That gets a little more expensive but it is the optimum solution.

Can I use accounts in the Airport Utility to keep backup from multiple macs separate and separate?

Can I use accounts in the Airport Utility to keep backup from multiple macs separate and separate?

Backups from multiple Macs are always kept separate. Each Mac TM will create its own sparsebundle and will not interfere with others.
Using the accounts in AU will simply make each sparsebundle only accessible to that user.. ie it is a purely a security measure.. that is so weak as to be useless .. anyone can bypass it by pressing the reset for 1sec.
And what it will do is cut off everyone from their existing backups.. you will be warned when you set it up that what is about to happen may not be 100% goodness.. pay attention.. it is not.

Can I backup two macs onto one external time machine?

Can I backup two macs onto one external time machine drive? I am trying to do this over Wi-Fi.

Yes, the external drive has to be formatted correctly to HFS+ and shared to the network.
It doesn't matter how the second machine logs into the network but wireless back will be extremely slow as it will involve double hop wireless, I presume to a wifi router somewhere. For incremental backups this is no biggie but do the initial backup with the drive plugged into that particular computer or over ethernet.. gigabit for preference.
Pondini has some instructions as he has for most things.
http://pondini.org/TM/4.html
Also look at Q33 where he lists using a shared drive on another Mac.
If you are planning using something other than wifi router give clear information about the network layout you have and hope to use.

Did a backup on external harddrive since had to have a partition restored. When reloaded mail on computer, none of the folders in "on my mac" reloaded. in m

Did a backup on external drive since had to have a partition repaired. When restored data, mail "on my mac' folders did not restore.
How does one retrieve the 'on the mac' folders? Thanks.

How was the backup made?
Allan

I just backed up my mac to an external hard drive using Time Machine. What would happen if I turn Time Machine off and then plug the external hard drive back into my computer?

I just backed up my mac to an external hard drive using Time Machine. What would happen if I turn Time Machine off and then plug the external hard drive back into my computer?
What I am ultimately wanting to do is make more room on my computer by backing up all of my files onto the external hard drive and then deleting them off of my computer. However, neededing to be able to retrieve them from the external hard drive later down the road.
From what I have read and am trying to understand, is that I probably shouldn't have used time machine. I need to use the external hard drive like a basic flash drive where I can put things on and get things off without having it automatically update through time machine everytime I connect it to my computer.
Not tech savvy at all and barely understand basics. I need very simple and easy to understand explanations.

sydababy wrote:
and then deleting them off of my computer.
BIG BIG MISTAKE ..... youre making a linchpin deathtrap for your data trying to shove everything on a single fragile HD.
Dont suffer the tragedy other people make, buy another or 2 more HD, theyre cheap as dust.
The number of people who have experienced terror by having a single external HD backup is enormous. One failure that WILL HAPPEN, and kaput,......all gone!
Dont do it, its all about redundancy, redundancy, redundancy.
follow here:
Methodology to protect your data. Backups vs. Archives. Long-term data protection
Deleting them off your computer is fine....having only ONE copy is extremely BAD.
The Tragedy that will be, the tragedy that never should be
Always presume correctly that your data is priceless and takes a very long time to create and often is irreplaceable. Always presume accurately that hard drives are extremely cheap, and you have no excuse not to have multiple redundant copies of your data copied on hard drives and squirreled away several places, lockboxes, safes, fireboxes, offsite and otherwise.
Hard drives aren't prone to failure…hard drives are guaranteed to fail (the very same is true of SSD). Hard drives dont die when aged, hard drives die at any age, and peak in death when young and slowly increase in risk as they age.
Never practice at any time for any reason the false premise and unreal sense of security in thinking your data is safe on any single external hard drive. This is never the case and has proven to be the single most common horrible tragedy of data loss that exists.
Many 100s of millions of hours of lost work and data are lost each year due to this single common false security. This is an unnatural disaster that can avoid by making all data redundant and then redundant again. If you let a $60 additional redundant hard drive and 3 hours of copying stand between you and years of work, then you've made a fundamental mistake countless 1000s of people each year have come to regret.

Time machine multiple macs sharing one HD via Wifi

I need help with time machine app.
I would like to use one external hd for multiple macs to backup with time machine.
I read about different method, the one that I think is better for me is to sharing the HD on a network.
I have one Imac and two macbook.
What I did is to connect the HD to the Imac and than I shared the HD volume with sharing files.
I create two accounts for the macbooks and then I connected them.
So far so good.
But I din't use this network configuartion for the first backup, what I did instead was to connects the different computers one by one with thunderbolt.
Now I had to change the destination dirve from the old HD (connected via thunderbolt) and the "new" shared HD - actually is the same drive!
I thought that the macbook time machine app just recognize the last backup and just makes a new one from that point.
But it seems doing a new backup. (Last backup: none)
It creates a new file Macbook of Alessandro.sparsebundle
Any tips?
thanks in advance
Alessandro

Start with B 5/6.
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