Time capsule/time machine set up question

Hi there,
I'm getting my new Macbook Pro tomorrow and am going to set up time capsule and have a couple questions on the best way to do it.  I want time machine to back up my macbook at a regular interval.  I also want it to back up my external hard drive manually (ie once every couple of months when I think about it).
Normally my external hard drive will be plugged into the back of my time capsule so I can access it from the macbook.  I realize I'll need to plug it in to the macbook to back it up as I'm pretty sure the Time Capsule won't back up an external hard drive plugged into it.  I'm just not sure what settings I need to change in time machine to acheive this.
Also, I have my Imac on the network which i don't want backed up with Time machine.  Will it try to back it up automatically when I turn on Time Machine?  What do I need to do to prevent this?
Thanks for your help,
Dug

Hello Dug.
I want time machine to back up my macbook at a regular interval.  I also want it to back up my external hard drive manually (ie once every couple of months when I think about it).
This is no problem.. leave TM to do its hourly backups. It is faster that way and it will simply clean up the backups at the end of the day and end of week to remove the excess and repeats.
Read how TM actually works as it is good to understand.. It is not a simple piece of software.
The general info at the top here is great.. about TM and clones.. as well as the article on TM and magic.
http://pondini.org/TM/Home.html
This covers a lot more of the details.
http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
I realize I'll need to plug it in to the macbook to back it up as I'm pretty sure the Time Capsule won't back up an external hard drive plugged into it.
Correct.. TM only backs up the disks plugged into the Mac.
It cannot backup network drives.. ie the TC. Or anything plugged into the TC.
You can setup TM to backup the external drive by removing it from the exclude list in preferences. When it is plugged in you might need to still go to preferences and remove the exclusion .. it will take a long long time to backup.. And I personally think this is the wrong way to do it. I think you are better keeping the backup of the external drive separate. I would use (I do) carbon copy cloner, which works great and is far more flexible than TM.. you can then backup the external USB drive plugged into the TC occasionally to the TC without any unplugging.. (although I would plug the MBP into the TC by ethernet). Which reminds me your first backup of the MBP should be by ethernet.. if you Mac has no ethernet port buy the thunderbolt to ethernet dongle..it is not expensive and well worth the money.
TC cannot do anything.. it is a dumb as a board hard disk in a fairly dumbed down router.
Also, I have my Imac on the network which i don't want backed up with Time machine.  Will it try to back it up automatically when I turn on Time Machine?  What do I need to do to prevent this?
TM is controlled by you.. if you don't want TM to back up, don't turn it on.. I am lost why you think TM will start automatically backing up. It won't.. it is going to sit there off.. and you can leave it off.

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    +Go to Top+
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    |
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    |
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    |
    A directly-connected external disk (USB or FireWire)
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    |
    A Time Capsule
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    An available Mac OS X Server version 10.5 or 10.6 volume
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    |
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    |
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    +Go to Top+
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    |
    If you're backing-up to a USB disk connected to a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme, you can use separate partitions if desired, but it's less of an issue, since the backups for each Mac will be in separate +sparse bundles.+ Those can be deleted via the Finder if necessary.
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    +Go to Top+
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    |
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    +Go to Top+
    _*6. Can I use a drive with other data already on it?*_
    Maybe. First, verify that it has the correct *Partition Map Scheme* using Disk Utility (in your Applications/Utilities folder). Select the top line of your drive (with the size and make). Down towards the bottom of the panel will be the *Partition Map Scheme.* It should be either GUID or +Apple Partition Map.+ If this is not correct, the only way to use this disk for TM backups is to copy the data off somewhere else temporarily and reformat it into at least 2 partitions with the correct Partition Map Scheme per question #5 above, then copy the data back.
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    j. The drive will be re-partitioned, unless DU can't get enough contiguous space; then it will send you an error message, and not change anything.
    |
    There are some 3rd-party apps that will move data around so you can do the partition even when Disk Utility can't. But they all strongly recommend that you back-up the data first, "just in case" something goes wrong. Well, if you're going to do that, you might as well simply do the copy, then erase and reformat the disk, then copy the data back.
    +Go to Top+
    _*7. How can I tell what Time Machine is doing during (or after) a backup?*_
    If you press the TM icon in your Menubar, or right-click the TM icon in your Dock, and select +TM preferences,+ you may see "Preparing" (Leopard) or "Calculating Changes" (Snow Leopard); or a progress message ("xxx MB/GB of yyy MB/GB"), or a number of other messages; plus a progress bar (Preferences pane only; sometimes there's also a separate window with a progress bar).
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    See the yellow box in #C2 in the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* for explanations of common messages.
    If you see messages that seem to indicate an error, or if your backup fails, you should be able to find the message there, or in the Contents, along with one or more possible fixes. If that doesn't help, post a new thread in this forum with details, including all the messages, your setup (especially the destination for the backups), what you've done, and the results.
    +Go to Top+
    _*8. How can I tell what Time Machine is backing-up?*_
    Click here to download the TimeTracker app. It shows most of the files saved by TM for each backup, except the first (excluding some hidden/system files, etc.).
    Some prefer the BackupLoupe application.
    +Go to Top+
    _*9. Why are my backups so large?*_
    There are some OSX features and 3rd-party applications that cause large Time Machine backups. Some common ones are any virtualization software, P2P or Torrent-type apps, and the Directory Protection feature of Tech Tools.
    FileVault (System Preferences > Security) converts your entire Home Folder into a single, encrypted disk image. So any change to anything in your Home Folder is treated as a change to the encrypted image, and the whole thing is backed-up. TM minimizes the impact, though, by only backing it up when you log out, but it's still going to eat up a lot of space on your TM disk. Also, you can't view or restore individual items from your Home Folder via Time Machine; just the whole thing.
    Some apps, such as Entourage, sometimes use a single file, often a database, to store their data. With Entourage, for example, every time you send or receive a single message, the whole database is changed, and will be backed-up the next time. Apple mail, of course, stores messages individually, so this doesn't happen.
    If in doubt, use the +Time Tracker+ app to see what's taking-up the space. See question #8.
    One solution is to simply exclude the item from TM so it isn't backed-up regularly, then when you do want it backed-up, just copy it somewhere that's not excluded. See question #10.
    +Go to Top+
    _*10. Can I tell Time Machine not to back up certain things?*_
    Sure. Go to TM's Preferences and click Options.
    In the next panel, click the plus sign at the bottom.
    In the sidebar of the next panel, select your computer, drive, or home folder as appropriate; then navigate to the file/folder you want to exclude. If you can't find it, and it's name starts with a dot (period), or it's in a top-level folder that doesn't appear when you click your internal HD in the sidebar, it's a hidden item. Click the +Show invisible items+ box to make it show up.
    Select it, click Exclude, then Done.
    +Go to Top+
    _*11. What should I exclude, and what should I not exclude?*_
    First, TM automatically excludes most caches, work files, logs, trash, etc., so you don't need to worry about those (see below for the gory details).
    You may want to exclude some special files/folders that cause extra-large backups (see question #9.)
    Some folks exclude their Desktop and/or Downloads folders, as they use these for "working storage" and put the finished product in a permanent location that does get backed-up.
    If you do a lot of step-by-step processing of large files, such as video processing, you might want to do it on a "scratch" disk, partition, or folder that you exclude from TM, so the intermediate steps won't all be backed-up. When done, be sure to put the finished product somewhere it will be backed-up.
    Some people exclude their /System and/or /Library and/or /Applications folders, to save space. Generally this is unwise, as it won't save very much disk space, but will make recovery from a disk failure *very, very* tedious and time-consuming. You'd have to install OSX from your disc; migrate or restore your data; download and install the "combo" Software Update to bring your OS current; and reinstall all 3rd-party software and re-enter any license codes; then hope you didn't miss anything. Major hassle for minor space saving (usually 14-20 GB).
    |
    *Details of automatically-excluded items:*
    |
    Sometimes, changes to your iPhoto and/or Aperture libraries may not be backed-up if those apps are open.
    Most things omitted are listed in a special "plist" on your system. See this file:
    /System/Library/CoreServices/backupd.bundle/Contents/Resources/StdExclusions.pli st
    A few others are excluded via special "extended attributes" on certain items, mostly in the iTunes and iPhoto libraries. These are automatically rebuilt or re-indexed when restored, so don't need to be backed-up.
    To see which ones are excluded, open the Terminal app (in your Applications/Utilities folder). Be *very careful* with this app. It's a direct link into UNIX, the underpinnings of OSX, but without the protections of OSX.
    In Terminal, the prompt looks like this: user-xxxxxx:~ <your name>$
    (where <your name> is your short user name). It's followed by a non-blinking block cursor (unless it's been changed via Terminal > Preferences).
    Copy the following after the prompt exactly, then press Return.
    sudo mdfind "comapple_backupexcludeItem = 'com.apple.backupd'"
    You'll be prompted to enter your Admin password (it won't be displayed). That will list the items excluded this way.
    If you use Xcode, the "build" folders are not backed-up.
    |
    +Go to Top+
    _*12. Should I delete old backups? If so, How?*_
    Under normal circumstances, you shouldn't have to. TM automatically "thins" (deletes) backups every time it does a new backup, on the following schedule:
    "Hourly" backups after 24 hours (except the first of the day, which is a "Daily" backup).
    "Daily" backups after a month (except the first of each week, which is a "Weekly" backup.)
    "Weekly" backups are kept until TM needs the space for new backups; then one or more of the oldest weeklies will be deleted.
    However, TM will never delete the backup copy of anything that was on the disk being backed-up at the time of any remaining backup. So all that's actually deleted are copies of items whose originals were changed or deleted before the next remaining backup.
    But if you want or need to, you can delete either all backups of a particular file or folder, or an entire backup (sort of). Do not attempt this via the Finder. First, if you're on Leopard, be sure you have the "action" or "gear" icon in your Finder's toolbar +(Finder > View > Customize Toolbar).+ If there's no toolbar, click the lozenge at the upper-right of the Finder window's title bar.
    Use the TM interface: +Enter Time Machine.+ (To delete backups for a different Mac, see question #17).
    |
    Locate the backup or item you want to delete via the "cascade" of Finder windows.
    If you want to delete all backups of a particular item, select it in the window.
    Right-click the item (if you're on Leopard, Click the "gear" icon in the toolbar) and select either +Delete Backup+ (the entire backup) or +Delete all Backups of <item selected>.+
    |
    You'll see a confirmation prompt, then one for your Administrator's password. This may take a while, especially over a network.
    If you delete an entire backup, it will disappear from the timeline and the "cascade" of Finder windows, but it will not actually delete the backup copy of any item that was present at the time of any remaining backup. Thus you may not gain much space. This is usually fairly quick, but sometimes quite lengthy (if you exit TM, you may see a progress bar for it). Unfortunately, you cannot predict which will be fast and which won't.
    |
    If you're backing-up over a network, there's an additional complication: Those backups are in a +sparse bundle,+ not a normal folder. A sparse bundle doesn't shrink automatically when things are removed from it, so you won't see how much space you've gained. TM will automatically "compact" a sparse bundle when it needs room for new backups, but you can do it manually via a command in the Terminal app (in your Applications/Utilities folder.
    Be extremely careful when using Terminal. It is a direct interface into UNIX, the underpinning of OSX. Unlike the Finder, there are few protections against making a mistake, which can cause untold damage.
    In Terminal, the prompt looks like this: user-xxxxxx:~ <your name>$
    (where <your name> is your short user name). It's followed by a non-blinking block cursor (unless it's been changed via Terminal > Preferences).
    At the prompt, type +*hdiutil compact+* followed by a space.
    Then drag the Sparse Bundle to the Terminal window, and press Return.
    |
    If you delete all backups of an item, TM will not back it up again unless/until it's changed, or TM does a "deep traversal" (see the yellow box in #C2 in theTime Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum).
    +Go to Top+
    _*13. How can I change TM's schedule of hourly backups?*_
    It's usually best to let TM do it's hourly backups. It was designed to protect you best that way.
    If they're using too much time or disk space, see item #9.
    If they're slow or hanging, see item #D2 in the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip,* also at the top of this forum.
    If you still want to do this, you can use the free Time Machine Editor.
    It may change the following files, in your /System/Library/LaunchDaemons folder:
    com.apple.backupd-attach.plist
    com.apple.backupd-auto.plist
    com.apple.backupd-wake.plist
    com.apple.backupd.plist
    It's a good idea to copy these somewhere safe before using the Editor. Then if there's a problem, you can delete the corrupted ones and put the copies back. Do not attempt to edit these yourself.
    Also note that if you ever want to resume hourly backups, use Time Machine Editor to change back to that schedule before deleting the app. Otherwise, Time Machine will keep using the last schedule set by Time Machine Editor.
    +Go to Top+
    _*14. How do I restore my entire system?*_
    You can restore your entire system from it's backups, unless you excluded System folders (see item #11).
    But do not try this full system restore from a *different Mac's* backups. If it boots at all, many things will likely go wrong. See these Apple articles for details: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2186 and http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3243 Instead, boot from your Install disc, erase your internal HD, install OSX, then use +Setup Assistant+ (see item #19 ).
    To restore your entire system, you need the Leopard or Snow Leopard Install disc that came with your Mac (gray), or any retail Leopard (black) or Snow Leopard (white) disc. It doesn't matter what version it is (and doesn't violate the license if you borrow one), since you won't be loading OSX from it, just using the Installer utility. You can use either a Leopard or Snow Leopard disc to restore a Leopard backup, but only a Snow Leopard disc to restore a Snow Leopard backup.
    If you backed-up multiple drives/partitions, note that this procedure will restore one OSX drive/partition at a time. Use the normal Time Machine "Star Wars" interface to restore data-only drives or partitions (see item #15).
    If your backups are on a Time Capsule, connect to it via an Ethernet cable if possible; it will be much faster than WIFI. If your backups are on a disk connected to a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme, or a shared drive on another Mac on the same local network, connect it directly to your Mac if possible. It will be much faster than Ethernet or WIFI.
    |
    a. Boot from the Leopard/Snow Leopard disc. Insert it and either wait for the +Mac OS X Install DVD+ window and double-click the "Install" icon; or power down, then start up normally while holding down the "C" key. That takes a few minutes.
    b. Select your language from the list shown. On the next screen, select Utilities from the top menubar.
    c. If you're restoring to a new disk, or one that may not be formatted properly, select +Disk Utility+ from the list of Utilities in the menubar, and format the drive: Select the top line (with the make and size), click the Partition tab and select +1 Partition+ from the the pop-up menu under *Volume Scheme.*
    Give it a name (probably +Macintosh HD)+ under *Volume Information,* and select +Mac OS Extended (Journaled)+ for the Format unless you're certain you need +Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled).+ Click the Options button below the box, and select GUID for an Intel Mac, or +Apple Partition Map+ for a PPC Mac and click the OK button, then Apply. That should only take a few moments. Quit Disk Utility and you should see the Utilities menu again.
    d. Select +Restore from Backups+, and follow the on-screen instructions:
    e. You'll be prompted to select the disk where your TM backups are (or search for a Time Capsule). If you're restoring from a network drive (instead of connecting it directly), click the Airport icon in the Menubar and join the network.
    f. You'll next be prompted to select which of the backups you want, and, if you backed-up multiple OSX drives/partitions, which one to restore from. There will be a list showing the date & time of each completed backup of the disk selected, and the version of OSX on that backup. Note that the times on the list may not match your current time zone: they may be shown in *U.S. Pacific Time.*
    g. You're also prompted to select a destination (probably your internal HD), then a confirmation, then the process starts.
    h. If you want to monitor the installation, select Window, then +Show Log+ and +Show All logs+ from the menubar.
    |
    This is, naturally, a lengthy process, but your Mac will be restored exactly as it was at the time of the backup you selected (unless, of course, you excluded things from TM backups). Then your Mac will start up normally.
    When it does, you should immediately turn Time Machine off, as it's next backup will probably be a full one -- everything it just restored is considered changed and will be backed-up again. You cannot prevent this, only delay it. It will of course take quite a while, and a lot of space on your TM disk, so you may wish to wait until you're sure your system is the way you want it, or even erase your TM disk with Disk Utility and let your backups start anew.
    +Go to Top+
    _*15. How do I restore selected items?*_
    Time Machine has special handling for the data in these Apple applications: *Address Book, Mail,* and iPhoto. See below.
    All other data (including apps) is handled via the Finder. There's a demonstration of two ways in the Time Machine Tutorial. With a Finder window open, +Enter Time Machine.+ Locate the item you want to restore in the "cascade" of Finder windows, select it, click Restore in the lower right, and TM will put the selected version in the same place it was saved from.
    Note that what you see once you're in Time Machine depends on how your Finder window appeared before you clicked the TM icon. If you were on your Desktop, you'll see a Finder window showing only your desktop; if on your home folder, when you get into TM, that's what you'll see. Once there, you cannot add a sidebar for other selections, or the toolbar (you may need the "gear" icon) by clicking the lozenge in the upper right. If you need these, select them before entering Time Machine.
    |
    *Address Book*
    Start with the +Address Book+ application, then click the Time Machine icon in your Dock.
    Navigate to the desired backup, select whatever you want to restore, and click the Restore button.
    Note that you cannot restore Address Book data to an alternate location via this method.
    *Apple Mail*
    Start with the Mail application, then click the Time Machine icon in your Dock.
    Navigate to the desired backup, select the mailbox you want to restore from (and individual messages if desired), and click the Restore button.
    TM will make a new folder named +Time Machine+ in the +On My Mac+ section, containing a +Recovered Messages+ mailbox. This avoids duplicating messages in the selected mailbox; you can move or delete individual messages wherever you wish.
    If you restore additional mailboxes or messages, Time Machine will make a separate +Recovered Messages-n+ mailbox for them.
    Note that you cannot restore Mail data to an alternate location via this method.
    iPhoto
    Start with the iPhoto application, then click the Time Machine icon in your Dock (or +File > Browse Backups+ from the menubar.
    Navigate to the desired backup. Select the photo(s) you want to restore , and click the Restore button (or, to restore them all, click +Restore All).+
    Note that you cannot restore iPhotos to an alternate location via this method.
    |
    In most cases, if you +Enter Time Machine+ with an item selected that wasn't present (or was excluded) when some of the backups were done, those backups will be grayed-out in the Timeline on the right, and you can't select them. For example, if you recently created a new mailbox, and +Enter Time Machine+ from Mail with that mailbox selected, only backups made since that mailbox was created will appear normally; earlier ones will be grayed-out.
    +Go to Top+
    _*16. How can I restore a file/folder to an alternate location?*_
    First, if you're on Leopard, be sure you have the "action" or "gear" icon in your Finder's toolbar +(Finder > View > Customize Toolbar).+ If there's no toolbar, click the lozenge at the upper-right of the Finder window's title bar.
    Then locate and select the desired item as above, click the "gear" icon in the Finder window (or, on Snow Leopard, right-click it), then +Restore <item selected> to ...".+
    Then you'll see a prompt where you can select a location, and TM will place it there.
    To use the backups from a different Mac, see item #17.
    +Go to Top+
    _*17. How can I see my backups, or the Backups for a different Mac, via +Time Machine+ ?*_
    TM keeps the backups for each Mac separate, and normally only shows the ones for the Mac it's running on, even if there are other Macs' backups on the same disk/partition.
    Also, sometimes TM will start a new "sequence" of backups, as if they were from a different Mac.
    To see these "other" backups, you need the (badly named) +*Browse Other Time Machine Disks*+ option. It's available by holding down the Option key while selecting the TM icon in your Menubar, or by right-clicking the TM icon in your Dock.
    You'll see a selection screen showing all the disks/partitions that have TM backups on them. Select the one you want, and you'll be taken to the normal TM "Star Wars" display, where you should see all the backups on that disk/partition.
    If the backups you want were made over a network, you may have to manually mount the +sparse bundle+ they're in, by double-clicking it via the Finder, for them to show up in the selection screen.
    You may not be able to restore such items normally, to their original location; you'll need to restore them to an +alternate location+ per item #16.
    +Go to Top+
    _*18. How can I copy my TM backups to a different location?*_
    In many cases, you can copy your Time Machine backups to a new location, with some restrictions:
    If your backups were made to an internal or directly-connected USB or FireWire disk or partition, you must copy all the backups for all the Macs that were backed-up to the same disk/partition that way.
    You cannot pick and choose a group of individual backups to copy -- it's "all or nothing."
    You cannot merge two or more sets of backups, even for the same Mac.
    |
    Part of the complexity here is because Time Machine stores it's backups differently depending on how they were made:
    +*Local backups+* (made to an internal disk or a USB or FireWire disk connected directly to a Mac) are stored in a folder named "Backups.backupdb", at the top level of the drive/partition.
    +*Network backups+* (made over a network, whether via WIFI or Ethernet) are stored inside a +*sparse bundle+* at the top level of the drive, in a folder named "Backups.backupdb".
    Normally, you cannot just switch from one method to the other.
    |
    The method of copying is different for Leopard and Snow Leopard; how the backups were made; and whether you're changing from local to network, or vice-versa.
    Note that below, a "volume" is either an entire disk drive or a partition on a disk drive.
    Unless the new volume is a Time Capsule's internal HD (which is pre-formatted), it must be formatted per item #5, especially the pink box there (with a couple of exceptions noted below).
    Before starting to copy, de-select the old destination via TM Preferences (select "none"). When done, select the new destination.
    Copying backups will take a long time under the best of circumstances; even a small set of backups will contain +several hundred thousand+ files; a large one may number in the millions.
    If the copy fails, and everything else seems correct, try Repairing the old backups, per #A5 in the Time Machine - Troubleshooting *User Tip.*
    |
    _*To copy LOCAL BACKUPS from one volume to another LOCAL VOLUME:_*
    *SNOW LEOPARD:* See the *Mac OS X v10.6: How to transfer your back ups from your current hard drive to a new hard drive* section, towards the bottom of this Apple article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427 Note that if the old volume is formatted +Mac OS Extended (case-sensitive, journaled),+ the new one must be formatted the same.
    Or, use the procedure for Leopard:
    LEOPARD: You cannot copy +*local backups+* properly from one volume to another via the Leopard Finder. But you can duplicate the backups to a different volume via Disk Utility (in your Applications/Utilities folder).
    Note that you must duplicate an *entire volume* to another *entire volume* -- if you have other items on the old volume, they will be copied, too (this is a bad idea: see question #3 above). Also, any data already on the new volume will be erased.
    |
    a. Via Time Machine Preferences, de-select the volume (select "none"). Quit System Preferences.
    b. Be sure to format the new drive correctly. See item #5 for instructions.
    c. Connect both drives to your Mac, via separate ports if possible, then open a Finder window. Make sure both volumes are shown in the sidebar (if not, from the Menubar select Preferences > Sidebar, and check the box to show +External disks+ in the sidebar). Leave the Finder window open.
    d. Start Disk Utility, select either volume (indented under the main drive line), and click the Restore tab.
    e. Drag the old volume to the Source box, and the new volume to the Destination box.
    f. Check the +Erase destination+ box, then the Restore button. This may take a long time.
    g. When the duplication is complete, note that Disk Utility has *+changed the name+* of the destination volume to be the same as the source. You do not want to leave it that way, so immediately rename one of them. In the sidebar of the Finder window opened above, right-click the one you want to rename. When done, look back at the Disk Utility display to be sure you renamed the right one, then quit Disk Utility.
    |
    _*To copy TIME CAPSULE BACKUPS to ANOTHER TIME CAPSULE:_*
    See the *Time Capsule and Mac OS X v10.6: How to transfer your back up from an existing Time Capsule to a new one* section towards the bottom of this Apple article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427
    _*To copy NETWORK BACKUPS to a USB drive to be used on a NETWORK (or to a Time Capsule):_*
    *SNOW LEOPARD:* First, configure Time Machine to back up to the new network location, and start a backup. As soon as the +sparse bundle+ is created, cancel the backup. Then, if possible, connect the new drive directly to your Mac (or the Time Capsule via Ethernet). Use the Finder to mount the new sparse bundle, and delete the Backups.backupdb folder inside it. Then drag the Backups.backupdb folder from the old +sparse bundle+ to the new +sparse bundle.+
    LEOPARD: If possible, connect the new drive directly to your Mac (or the Time Capsule via Ethernet). Use the Finder to drag the +sparse bundle+ from the old volume to the new one. The problem here is, the copied sparse bundle will have the same +maximum size+ as the old one, so it may not be able to use the entire volume for backups.
    _*To copy NETWORK BACKUPS to be used LOCALLY:_*
    *SNOW LEOPARD:* Connect the old drive directly to your Mac if possible. Use the Finder to mount the old sparse bundle, then drag the Backups.backupdb folder from the sparse bundle to the top level of the new volume. Note that in this case, the new volume must be formatted +Mac OS Extended (case-sensitive, journaled).+
    LEOPARD: Network backups cannot be copied to be used locally.
    _*To copy LOCAL BACKUPS to be used on a NETWORK:_*
    *SNOW LEOPARD:* First, configure Time Machine to back up to the network location, and start a backup. As soon as the +sparse bundle+ is created, cancel the backup. Then, if possible, connect the new drive directly to your Mac. Use the Finder to mount the new sparse bundle, and delete the Backups.backupdb folder inside it. Then drag the Backups.backupdb folder from the old volume to the new +sparse bundle.+
    LEOPARD: Local backups cannot be copied to be used on a network.
    +Go to Top+
    _*19. How do I set up a new Mac from my old Mac's backups?*_
    The easiest way to set up a new Mac if you already have a Mac, is to use +Setup Assistant,+ which starts automatically when you start up your shiny new Mac.
    There's a little demonstration of this towards the end of the Time Machine Tutorial.
    First, you'll see a Welcome video in many languages, then a screen to select your Country, then one to select your Keyboard.
    The next screen says "Do you already own a Mac?" and "Would you like to transfer" followed by four options:
    From another Mac
    From another volume on this Mac
    From another Mac's Time Machine Backups
    Do not transfer
    To transfer directly from another Mac, you must connect them via FireWire cable, Ethernet cable, or an Airport; and start up the other Mac in +Target Disk+ mode (start up while holding down the T key).
    To transfer from Time Machine backups, they can be on an external FireWire or USB drive, or a Time Capsule. If they're on a Time Capsule, connect to it via Ethernet cable if possible. If they were made on a USB drive connected to a Time Capsule or Airport, connect the drive directly to your Mac if possible. If the backups are on an internal HD on another Mac, connect that Mac in +Target Disk+ mode as above.
    If you have a "clone" of your old Mac on an external HD, made via CarbonCopyCloner, SuperDuper, or the like, it's the equivalent of the old Mac: select +From Another Mac+ and connect the drive.
    If you selected +Time Machine backups,+ then select your TM backups on the next screen. (If they're not shown, connect the drive, or click Join if they're on a Time Capsule).
    Next is the selection for what you want to transfer. You'll see four checkboxes:
    Users
    Applications
    Settings
    Other Files and Folders
    These are "yes" or "no" selections: you can select which users to transfer, but otherwise you can't pick and chose individual items in those categories.
    In nearly all cases, select all four and click the Transfer button (as soon as it completes calculating all the sizes). +Setup Assistant+ will then transfer everything; when you restart, your Mac will be just like the old one: users, passwords, configuration, etc.
    Note that +Setup Assistant+ is smart enough not to replace newer Apple apps that came with the new Mac with older versions from the backups.
    In some cases, there may be a few exceptions:
    If transferring from a PPC Mac to an Intel Mac, some PPC applications may not work properly, or at all. See this Apple article: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1963?viewlocale=en_US
    You may have to re-enter serial numbers/purchase codes for some 3rd-party applications.
    Very rarely, complex 3rd-party apps that were installed with special installers, and put files in unexpected places, may need to be reinstalled (using their installer) to work properly.
    +Go to Top+
    _*20. Once my Mac is backed-up, can I delete some stuff to save space?*_
    +*NO, NO, NO !+* That is a +*terrible idea !+*
    First, the whole point of a good backup strategy is to have (at least) two copies of everything important, in (at least) two separate places. If you delete the originals, you no longer have backups! When your TM drive fails (and all disk drives fail, sooner or later), you risk losing your +*only remaining copy.+*
    Second, Time Machine will, eventually, delete the backup copies of anything that's no longer on your system. The timing varies, depending on how long things were on your system before being deleted, how often backups were run, and how much space is on your TM drive: it may be as long as your oldest backup, or as short as 24 hours.
    +Go to Top+
    _*21. How do I set up Time Machine to an internal or directly-connected external HD?*_
    If you connect an external drive to your Mac, and Time Machine is not set up, OSX will ask if you want to use the drive for Time Machine backups. If you click the +Use as Backup Disk+ button, it will set up Time Machine automatically.
    But there may be some problems with that, so we recommend doing it this way:
    First, set up the drive for use with Time Machine. See item #5 for instructions on setting up a new drive, or one without any data you want to keep. See item #6 to add a partition for Time Machine to an existing drive that already has data that you want to keep.
    Next, if the +Time Machine+ application isn't already in your Dock, drag it there from your Applications folder.
    Right-click it and select +(Open) Time Machine Preferences.+ Check the box to +Show Time Machine status in the menu bar+ and click the +Select Disk+ button (on Leopard, this will be either +Choose Backup Disk+ or +Change Disk.)+ Select the desired drive/partition from the list and click the +Use for Backup+ button.
    In the +Next Backup+ area of the TM Preference panel there should be a 120-second countdown until the backup starts.
    Note that the first backup will copy the entire contents of your system, except for a few things that are skipped automatically, such as system work files, most caches, your logs, trash, etc., and anything else you may have excluded (see item #10 and item #11) so it will be rather lengthy, depending on how much data is on your system, how your Time Machine disk is connected, and how busy your Mac is.
    You can continue to use your Mac while TM is backing-up, and you can even cancel a backup if necessary, but to make the first full backup as fast as possible, try not to overload your Mac or cancel the backup.
    See item #24 for information on the two Time Machine icons you just added.
    +Go to Top+
    _*22. How do I set up Time Machi

    Hi, Nubz!
    Yes, I just saw that, and am still chuckling.
    Maybe that will mollify the Jive gods?
    Thanks again,
    Jim

  • Airport and Time Machine new user questions

    Background: Switched my business from PC to Mac June 07--and loving it! Upgraded to Leopard over the holidays and bought a 500Mb wireless backup drive. Setup was easy (thanks forum) and I backed up both MacBookPro's with this drive. Buffalo popped last week and Mac bias now runs deep and the local AppleStore had the the 1 TB model in stock.
    My connection is: Cable modem (T-W Roadrunner service)-->Time Capsule-->Linksys/Vonage modem. (USB connection from TC to HP 6210 computer). All computers are .n wireless access.
    I have had things happen in my environment that I don't understand and can't figure out how to address:
    1.) Download/Upload speed according to Speakeasy is 7,000 kbpd down and 700 plus up. Very happy with this and this is an improvement over my old Linksys router.
    2.)However my Vonage was set on medium bandwidth and calls are now garbled whereas the old router they were clear. I changed the Vonage bandwidth to high and the calls are OK.
    3.) Software updater called for an update download and the forecasted download time was 8 hours!!!! Web browsing seems to work fine and if anything faster.
    4.) When I send e-mail about~80% of the time the e-mail fails "on the selected server". I can try again or choose my .mac account or another account and it goes. sometimes I choose the same account and it goes.
    I don't understand and have played with manual configuration only to mess things up so nothing works at all. My server is a Pop server. Any ideas?
    Time Machine:
    -Initial backup was extremely fast and at least 2x faster then the initial B/U on the Buffalo. Incrementals are un-noticeable now.
    -Our second MacBook required the preferences file to be wiped out (corrupted) and the Genius told me all I had to do was repoint Time Machine back to Time Capsule. It currently see's her old backups but does not generate new backups. I don't understand this. If it can see the drive and restore works (we restored mailboxes after renewing preferences) why won't it backup? If I do repoint to TC do I lose the previous backups?
    Everything is working but just not as seamless as I would have expected and re-sending e-mail and slow downloads makes no sense to me. Help me if you can.
    Thanks;
    Boomerang

    Boomerang,
    Your email issue could have something to do with DNS settings not being in the TC...
    Repointing your MacBook to the TC should not have any impact on the previous backups... i.e. it will not delete them.
    I am an Apple Consultant in Austin, TX (member of the Apple Consultants Network). Visit my site and keep my info around if you ever need anything. www.mymacplus.com

  • Hard drive failure! New hard drive/Time machine backup/iPhone questions

    Hello,
    I have a 2011 MacBook Pro who's hard drive failed (rather acutely too, I do use disk utility to check it's health regularly) and I bought a replacement to install (SSD!). I have a bunch of questions but have only found partial answers in searches. Maybe it's best to list them:
    1. I'd like to do a fresh install of the OS X using OS X Recovery because I'm concerned my Time Machine backup is partly corrupted. I hadn't updated to Mavericks, will I be able to install Mountain Lion? If not: will this be a problem with my backup files?
    2. Say the OS X Recovery works, how do I use Time Machine to restore things like my iTunes library/iMessages/email/iPhoto library etc? In other words: just the data I can't get any other way (I hope it's not too corrupted). And/or should I use my iCloud backup on a few of these (iMessages/contacts)?
    3. Do I need to set up the new OS X install with the same account names/home disk name etc. for the restored backup files to function?
    4. Is this going to f'up iCloud or vice versa?
    5. Finally, how do I sync my iPhone to the "new" computer without erasing the iPhone (which had an iOS update since my last backup to Time Machine). Or do I have to restore the iPhone too. 
    6. How come Apple doesn't have a mobile theme for their website yet?
    Any help would be much appreciated,
    Matt

    Do you still have the original System Reinstall DVD set that came with your Mac?
    If you created that Lion external drive you have from YOUR Mac, when Lion was installed on it, and it also contains a Recovery HD partition you can use that to boot to the Recovery HD and reinstall Lion on the new drive. And or Clone that external to the new internal drive you installed.
    Right since your Mac came with Snow Leopard you can't use the Online Internet Recovery system to reinstall Lion, as your system didn't originally come with Lion, but you should still be able to boot to it to do diagnosic things like using Disk Utility, going to the Net to get help and even Restoring the system from a Time Machine backup. But you will get an error if you select Reinstall Mac OS X. The firmware update is usually applied with system updates.
    If you created a New Time Machine Backup when any of the Download Only version of OS X were installed on your internal drive Time Machine, the system, Copies over the files needed to boot the system from that backup drive. If it was a care over backup from when Snow Leopard was installed is might or might not be bootable. Only way to tell is to connect it and at startup hold down the Option key to get the Boot selection screen, IE The Boot Manager screen, and see if it shows up as a Boot Source. If it does thenn it contains the files needed to get to the Mac OS X Utilities, IE the Recovery HD files.
    What you should do is Boot the system from either the Time Machine backup, if it is bootable, or your External that has Lion on it, The Recovery HD if that drive contains a Recovery HD, or your Original Snow Leopard reinstall DVD that came with your Mac and then try to Restore from your Time Machine backup drive.
    If that fails to restore your system properly then nyou should reinstall Snow Leopard and the iLife Apps from the Original Discs then upgrade to Mt Lion which will be in the Mac App Store under your Purchases area. Then maybe you can restore your files from that Time Machine backup.
    scardanelli wrote:
    I've had a bunch of issues with my computer (you can look at some of my other questions on these forums) which, to my mind anyway, seemed to be finally given a diagnosis when my HD crashed. It may be paranoia but there have been enough problems that I'd rather do a clean install to be on the safe side.
    I have an early 2011, shipped with Snow Leopard.
    I was under the impression that Time Machine can't be used as a boot drive and the OS X Recovery is a firmware update (on my computer) or hard wired in (on later computers).  I might be wrong. I was planning on using the internet recovery, the HD failed right after I got some password protected files unencrypted and onto an external drive (was that necessary?) but wasn't sure if it's a problem if it installs Mavericks.
    So Setup Assistant will configure my accounts the same and I don't need to worry about that? That's a relief.
    Thanks for the lengthy response.

  • Time Machine Options Settings Question

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    My Time Capsule isn't set up yet, but I was playing with those settings. I *suspect* what happened when you switched from disk to account access is that there was sometime of (virtual?) repartiting taking place; for you went from one large partition (disk) to separate partitions (for each user). If that is right, big *if*, the original backups *may* be gone -- although there may be a way to recover them.
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