My Time Machine Strategy for both iMac and MacBook...

1) Get 1TB external drive, format as HFS+ (including the Gizmodo hint about reformatting Fat32 drives properly by setting GUID Partition table)
2) Attach external drive to MacBook directly-run Time Machine overnight for initial full backup
3) Attach external drive to iMac directly-run Time Machine overnight for initial full backup
4) Attach external drive to my Mac Mini (running Leopard)-don't run Time Machine
5) Point the iMac and MacBook to the networked drive for future incremental Time Machine backups, by mounting the external drive permanently attached now to the Mac Mini as a shared drive.
This way, I get the tedious original backup thru direct connection-native Firewire speeds, then rely on the networked wired (iMac) and networked wireless (MacBook) connections for the incremental backups (which, given our usage, isn't that major on an hourly or daily basis)
Anyone tried something like this successfully?

If you have tried the fixes in Pondini's Time Machine Troublshooting, specifically #C12 and nothing helps, then it is time to let one of the genius types at an Apple Store take a look.
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
If you cannot take the Time Capsule to an Apple Store, contact Apple Support directly.
http://www.apple.com/support/contact/

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I have a mid2009 MacBook Pro for which I have been using a USB WD HD for Time Machine. I'd like to get a wireless HD and start a new Time Machine backup for this Mac and retire the 5 year old WD drive. Can I start over?

I have a mid2009 MacBook Pro running Mavericks for which I have been using a USB WD HD for Time Machine. I'd like to get a wireless HD and start a new Time Machine backup for this Mac and retire the 5 year old WD drive. Can I start over?

no archive/ backup is perfect, HD clones can be set to make incremental additions, same as time machine however, though they are more time involved in doing so.
See the + and - of all data backup/ archives below and "spread it around".... or the "dont put your eggs all in one basket" philosophy.
Peace
Data Storage Platforms; their Drawbacks & Advantages
#1. Time Machine / Time Capsule
Drawbacks:
1. Time Machine is not bootable, if your internal drive fails, you cannot access files or boot from TM directly from the dead computer.
2. Time machine is controlled by complex software, and while you can delve into the TM backup database for specific file(s) extraction, this is not ideal or desirable.
3. Time machine can and does have the potential for many error codes in which data corruption can occur and your important backup files may not be saved correctly, at all, or even damaged. This extra link of failure in placing software between your data and its recovery is a point of risk and failure. A HD clone is not subject to these errors.
4. Time machine mirrors your internal HD, in which cases of data corruption, this corruption can immediately spread to the backup as the two are linked. TM is perpetually connected (or often) to your computer, and corruption spread to corruption, without isolation, which TM lacks (usually), migrating errors or corruption is either automatic or extremely easy to unwittingly do.
5. Time Machine does not keep endless copies of changed or deleted data, and you are often not notified when it deletes them; likewise you may accidently delete files off your computer and this accident is mirrored on TM.
6. Restoring from TM is quite time intensive.
7. TM is a backup and not a data archive, and therefore by definition a low-level security of vital/important data.
8. TM working premise is a “black box” backup of OS, APPS, settings, and vital data that nearly 100% of users never verify until an emergency hits or their computers internal SSD or HD that is corrupt or dead and this is an extremely bad working premise on vital data.
9. Given that data created and stored is growing exponentially, the fact that TM operates as a “store-it-all” backup nexus makes TM inherently incapable to easily backup massive amounts of data, nor is doing so a good idea.
10. TM working premise is a backup of a users system and active working data, and NOT massive amounts of static data, yet most users never take this into consideration, making TM a high-risk locus of data “bloat”.
11. In the case of Time Capsule, wifi data storage is a less than ideal premise given possible wireless data corruption.
12. TM like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
13. *Level-1 security of your vital data.
Advantages:
1. TM is very easy to use either in automatic mode or in 1-click backups.
2. TM is a perfect novice level simplex backup single-layer security save against internal HD failure or corruption.
3. TM can easily provide a seamless no-gap policy of active data that is often not easily capable in HD clones or HD archives (only if the user is lazy is making data saves).
#2. HD archives
Drawbacks:
1. Like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
2. Unless the user ritually copies working active data to HD external archives, then there is a time-gap of potential missing data; as such users must be proactive in archiving data that is being worked on or recently saved or created.
Advantages:
1. Fills the gap left in a week or 2-week-old HD clone, as an example.
2. Simplex no-software data storage that is isolated and autonomous from the computer (in most cases).
3. HD archives are the best idealized storage source for storing huge and multi-terabytes of data.
4. Best-idealized 1st platform redundancy for data protection.
5. *Perfect primary tier and level-2 security of your vital data.
#3. HD clones (see below for full advantages / drawbacks)
Drawbacks:
1. HD clones can be incrementally updated to hourly or daily, however this is time consuming and HD clones are, often, a week or more old, in which case data between today and the most fresh HD clone can and would be lost (however this gap is filled by use of HD archives listed above or by a TM backup).
2. Like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
Advantages:
1. HD clones are the best, quickest way to get back to 100% full operation in mere seconds.
2. Once a HD clone is created, the creation software (Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper) is no longer needed whatsoever, and unlike TM, which requires complex software for its operational transference of data, a HD clone is its own bootable entity.
3. HD clones are unconnected and isolated from recent corruption.
4. HD clones allow a “portable copy” of your computer that you can likewise connect to another same Mac and have all your APPS and data at hand, which is extremely useful.
5. Rather than, as many users do, thinking of a HD clone as a “complimentary backup” to the use of TM, a HD clone is superior to TM both in ease of returning to 100% quickly, and its autonomous nature; while each has its place, TM can and does fill the gap in, say, a 2 week old clone. As an analogy, the HD clone itself is the brick wall of protection, whereas TM can be thought of as the mortar, which will fill any cracks in data on a week, 2-week, or 1-month old HD clone.
6. Best-idealized 2nd platform redundancy for data protection, and 1st level for system restore of your computers internal HD. (Time machine being 2nd level for system restore of the computer’s internal HD).
7. *Level-2 security of your vital data.
HD cloning software options:
1. SuperDuper HD cloning software APP (free)
2. Carbon Copy Cloner APP (will copy the recovery partition as well)
3. Disk utility HD bootable clone.
#4. Online archives
Drawbacks:
1. Subject to server failure or due to non-payment of your hosting account, it can be suspended.
2. Subject, due to lack of security on your part, to being attacked and hacked/erased.
Advantages:
1. In case of house fire, etc. your data is safe.
2. In travels, and propagating files to friends and likewise, a mere link by email is all that is needed and no large media needs to be sent across the net.
3. Online archives are the perfect and best-idealized 3rd platform redundancy for data protection.
4. Supremely useful in data isolation from backups and local archives in being online and offsite for long-distance security in isolation.
5. *Level-1.5 security of your vital data.
#5. DVD professional archival media
Drawbacks:
1. DVD single-layer disks are limited to 4.7Gigabytes of data.
2. DVD media are, given rough handling, prone to scratches and light-degradation if not stored correctly.
Advantages:
1. Archival DVD professional blank media is rated for in excess of 100+ years.
2. DVD is not subject to mechanical breakdown.
3. DVD archival media is not subject to ferromagnetic degradation.
4. DVD archival media correctly sleeved and stored is currently a supreme storage method of archiving vital data.
5. DVD media is once written and therefore free of data corruption if the write is correct.
6. DVD media is the perfect ideal for “freezing” and isolating old copies of data for reference in case newer generations of data become corrupted and an older copy is needed to revert to.
7. Best-idealized 4th platform redundancy for data protection.
8. *Level-3 (highest) security of your vital data.
[*Level-4 data security under development as once-written metallic plates and synthetic sapphire and likewise ultra-long-term data storage]
#6. Cloud based storage
Drawbacks:
1. Cloud storage can only be quasi-possessed.
2. No genuine true security and privacy of data.
3. Should never be considered for vital data storage or especially long-term.
4. *Level-0 security of your vital data.
Advantages:
1. Quick, easy and cheap storage location for simplex files for transfer to keep on hand and yet off the computer.
2. Easy source for small-file data sharing.

HT1270 Used the right memory, both for my iMac and MacBook Pro, iMac worked, MacBook Pro didn't start (warning tone). Any idea?

Used the right memory according to page, both for my iMac and MacBook Pro, iMac worked, MacBook Pro didn't start (warning tone).
Any idea?

I suggest you buy your memory from OWC or DataMem. Both guarantee the memory works or will replace it if it does not, no questions asked, within their 30 day return period. I've used both for over 20 years, and no complaints.

Can time machine back up an imac and an external hard drive?

I currently back up my imac via time machine but to reduce space on my hard drive I want to move my itunes library onto an external hard drive. If i do this can time machine still back up my imac and the external hard drive with the itunes library on automatically?
Regards
Toekoms

toekoms wrote:
I currently back up my imac via time machine but to reduce space on my hard drive I want to move my itunes library onto an external hard drive. If i do this can time machine still back up my imac and the external hard drive with the itunes library on automatically?
yes, given enough space on the destination drive (your library may grow over time). also, the drive needs to be connected directly to your Mac.
you might want to make sure the drive is not excluded from TM backups by checking in system preferences > time machine > options.
also, as for moving your iTunes library, see this read for tips/instructions.
JGG
edited by the Jolly Green Giant (where Green stands for environmentally friendly)

No Time Machine animation - 2007 24" iMac and Snow Leopard (10.6)

I am not getting the spinning stars animation when I enter time machine restore interface on my 2007 24" iMac. This Mac has the ATI Radeon HD 2600 256 MB Graphic Card. I just a white screen. I deleted the time machine prefs and I still do not have the spinning stars interface. I used to get it in Mac OS 10.5.8. Thoughts.

nowak66 wrote:
Okay - it took a while but I went through all the steps in the troubleshooting guide under E4.
Still does not work. I get a white background where the spinning stars animation should be. Other than this visual, the data restore function works fine.
Any thoughts?
It's a long shot, but might be related to your video card.
Try running the *Apple Hardware Tests.* (Instructions should be printed on the disc; if they differ from these, follow them instead)
1. Disconnect all external devices (including the Ethernet cable) except the keyboard and mouse.
2. Insert the "Additional Software & Apple Hardware Test" disc that came with your computer.
3. Restart while holding down the "C" key. When the list of available startup volumes appears, click Apple Hardware Test and the right arrow.
4. When the Apple Hardware Test main screen comes up (after a moment), follow the on-screen instructions.
+(note that when your Video RAM is tested, various patterns, colors, and stripes will appear on the screen).+
5. If it detects a problem, an error code will be displayed. Make a note of it.

Sharing Time Machine Back Up with Desktop and MacBook

Hello,
In preparation for my work on the road I back up my desktop using Time Machine on my Time Capsule, wipe my MacBook clean and Migrate my files to the MacBook so I can take everything. In recent years I notice when syncing my devices, that process has improved and the iPhone,iPad recognises the MacBook as basically the same as my desktop and I don't have to wipe and sync the device. Thank you Apple engineers for that improvement.
This year is a bit different. I have done the migration, but am delayed departing. I would like to share my Time Machine back up across the two computers. Sort of a poor mans macbook sync. I would treat the Macbook as disposable and the Desktop as primary. Make changes to the iMac then update the MacBook before I leave.
Can I use my desktop , back it up to Time Machine, then update the macbook as required? I would do this until I leave.
Also I noticed for the first time the MacBook is running a different OS to the iMac. Will this matter to me?
Thanks,
Ken
Desktop is an iMac 24 running MacOS10.6.8, 2.4 GHz C2D
MacBook is an early 2008 running MacOS 10.6.3, 2.4 GHz C2D
Time Capsule 802.11n, 1st Generation, version 7.6.4
iPhone 3GS iOS 6.1.6
iPad 2 , iOS 7.1.2

So, the macbook today, I did get this message from the OS re TimeMachine
"Would you like to reuse the backup "/Volume/....sparsebundle"
The backup was created on a different computer. If you reuse this backup it can no longer be used by the original computer.
I selected Reuse Backup. This is very convenient. I am wondering now.
How do I select back and forth on the computer to reuse the various back ups?
Ken

Syncing my iPhone 4s on both iMac and MacBook

Help!
When I got my iphone I only had our iMac, which was what I org. synced my phone to. Since then I have purchased a MacBook and connected it to my MacBook (without any data loss, that I know of) I do remember receiving messages of such the first time I plugged it in but have been syncing it to my MacBook for over a year now. My iphone is still on OS 6.0.1, I want/need to update to the new OS but it tells me I need 4.0 GB of storage for the update. Well when I connect my iphone to my Macbook it shows I have 6.74GB of (OTHER DATA) I had a WHOLE bunch of pics and vids in my messages.... I have went through and deleted a TON/MOST of my messages, I still have 6.74GB off (OTHER DATA). However well over half of my apps are not showing up in my itunes acct. on my macbook and when I try to do the update it, it says you have purchased material on your iphone that has not been backed up and that I will lose if I do the update.
So to simplify
1. How do I get rid of the almost 7 GB of Other Data so I can do the update
2. Is there a way to get everything on my macbook so I can simplify down to just it without losing everything in the process, again so I can do the update.
I have macs but do not fully understand the way they work together, however, love how they work together! Is that possible? LOL
If I haven't provided enough info please ask!
Thanks In Advance

When I sync from my phone to macbook it does not sync over half of my apps that I have on the phone? Will I lose them if I do the restore from my macbook? Or should I connect to my iMac and do restore? How and where do I copy my iTunes info from? where is it hidden on my hard drive?

Installing Lion, Office 2011 on both imac and macbook air

Hi, Thanks in advance for the help!
I installed Lion on my imac and found my old version of Microsoft Office unsupported. I have not yet changed my operating system on my mac air, but need to upgrade that also in the immediate future to support other processes and products. At this point, I assume I can upgrade the old copy of Office I have on the mac air to Office 2011 and then transfer Lion to the mac air. Or, do I need to get Lion installed on the mac air first and then download Office 2011. Do both methods, require buying two copies of Office? At this point, I dont mind spending the money for two copies to make the whole process easier.
I am globally confused after trying to read online about this, but am mostly unclear about which process to do first.

Thanks for the info on what to buy. I have the remaining question from the above entry
I installed Lion on my imac and found my old version of Microsoft Office unsupported. I have not yet changed my operating system on my mac air, but need to upgrade that also in the immediate future to support other processes and products. At this point, I assume I can upgrade the old copy of Office I have on the mac air to Office 2011 and then transfer Lion to the mac air. Or, do I need to get Lion installed on the mac air first and then download Office 2011?

Is G4 10.6.8 software install disks the same for both imac and powerbook

My PowerBook G4 is frequently interrupted with the eternal spinning ball. Will a reinstall of the software OS X 10.5.8 solve
this problem. ONYX sometimes helps for a while but within a few days the spinning ball returns.

I don't think a reinstall will help.
Open Console in Utilities & see if there are any clues or repeating messages when this happens.
In the Memory tab of Activity Monitor, are there a lot of Pageouts?
Also...
One way to test is to Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, Test for problem in Safe Mode...
PS. Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive & trash/rebuild cache files
Reboot, test again.
If it only does it in Regular Boot, then it could be some hardware problem like Video card, (Quartz is turned off in Safe Mode), or Airport, or some USB or Firewire device, or 3rd party add-on, Check System Preferences>Accounts (Users & Groups in later OSX versions)>Login Items window to see if it or something relevant is listed. Or an errant process eating up RAM.
Check the System Preferences>Other Row, for 3rd party Pref Panes.
Also look in these if they exist, some are invisible...
/private/var/run/StartupItems
/Library/StartupItems
/System/Library/StartupItems
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons
/Library/LaunchDaemons

One Keychain library on both iMac and MacBook Pro via Dropbox or...?

Hi guys
I would like to have the same Keychain library on both my Macbook Pro and iMac?
Can I get this done via Dropbox or how can I fix this?
Thanks!
Bob

Why do you want to do this (I'm curious)?
I found this article which explains how to copy keychains from one Mac to another. Keep in mind that this does not sync the keychains; it's only a snapshot of your existing keychain at the time you copy it. And ... you are on your own doing this, especially if your Macs have different releases of OS X.

USB Flash Drive no longer shows on Desktop, it does appear in disk utility. I recently upgraded to 10.8 from 10.6 on both iMac and Macbook and the drive does the same on both.

I updated my Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion and have had only minor issues with some software but I plugged in a USB flash drive and went to format it, it now appears only in disk utility and not on the desktop. I have tried restarting and reseting with the drive in and out, I tried it into my macbook and it does exactly the same there. I can't do anything in Disk Utility so can't access it in any way and it says errors if I try to eject it from DU. I'm not normally stumped but I can't figure this out at all. I'm hoping that someone here could give me an idea that I haven't thought of as it's a large Flash Drive and I really would like to keep using it.
Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.

If it has the same (bad) behavior on two different systems then there is a very good chance that the drive is toast.
BTW you'll get better response to your questions if the question actually reflects the problem you are having. In this case it would have been better to say you couldn't access the drive rather then that it doesn't show on the desktop.
regards

How use my indesign CS6 on both iMac and Macbook Pro

Wish to copy my indesign CS6 from my iMac to my Macbook Pro. Have downloaded CS6 3.5 gb from Adobe but will not open and does not show in my applications folder. My idd document is on desktop but is gray and has green letters: exec. Help!

You cannot copy or migrate a copy of InDesign from one computer to another. Adobe applications install a host of files in various locations which are not properly installed.
You must either use the installer file which you originally received or downloaded. You can also download CS6 again from this location:
Other downloads
Unfortunately, before you can do that, you'll have to remove the components you copied to your second computer. You can use this Adobe Cleaner tool to do that:
Use the CC Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems | CC, CS3-CS6

Do I need to buy Keynote app for both iPad and Macbook Pro?

Thus far, I use email to forward my Powerpoint from work (where I use a PC) to home (where I use a Macbook Pro). This results in my occasionally having various forms of my presentations out there and I sometimes get confused as to which is the most current.
Using Keynote to "store" my presentations on the cloud when I'm not editing them would be great. I guess I'm just wondering if I have to buy the app for my Macbook Pro AND buy it for my iPad, or would buying it for one device put it on all of my apple devices (including iPhone)?
Does anybody know?

Yes, you do. The Mac OS X and iOS versions are separate products.
(62854)

Can I use a single external drive to maintain time machine backups for two Mac computers?

Hello
We have an older mac mini and macbook air. I have one Western Digital external USB drive. Can I use the same drive to hold and maintain time machine backups for both machines?
I already have the macbook air time-machined on the WD drive. I now want to backup the mac mini onto the same drive. Is it going to over write the time machine backup or is the software smart enough to maintain two separate files, partitions, whatever it does..?

It will maintain separate backups. Note that it's generally advisable to use separate drives for best practice backup, but yes, it will work for both computers, provided you have enough space (need generally 2-3 times the total used file space for both Macs).
Matt

Can I upload CS6 standard student and teacher version onto both my iMac AND Macbook??

I bought the disk for the CS6 standard student and teacher version a few years ago (before it was controlled through creative cloud)
I have it installed on my iMac but I want to get a Macbook now so I can do work on the go
I want to know if I will be able to install my CS6 onto this new Macbook and then have it on both iMac and Macbook
I still have the disk and the code but am I allowed to have it uploaded onto more than one cumputer?
It is all for personal use but I'd like to have a definite answer before I invest in a Macbook before I realise I have to buy Adobe again
Please someone get back soon! Thanks
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As far as I know, the old license is similar to the new license... which allows 2 activations Licenses and terms of use | Adobe

My Time Machine Strategy for both iMac and MacBook...

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