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Time Machine - set to only backup iPhoto?

T

themoffster

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 26, 2011
151
0
I got myself a new external HD (non Apple product) which is TM compatible.
I primarily got the drive to move movies etc off my iMac as it is running out of space. However, one of the super important things I need is my photos to be backed up.

I am aware I can just drag the iPhoto library file to my disk, but i was hoping i could do some clever auto backup - however I'd only want to backup that file with time machine.

Any ideas which is the best way forward?
 
Deadeyeshark

Deadeyeshark

macrumors regular
Aug 1, 2011
248
144
England
Time Machine is built to back up eveything on your Mac, it has quite a simplistic front end with no option to pick up individual files or folders.

I was a bit skeptical at first and only wanted particular items backing up, in the long term though it's been a life saver and would recommend you use it as intended.

Maybe there is a work around, if not there will be another third party solution which should fit your needs.
 
I

ItWasNotMe

macrumors 6502
Dec 1, 2012
439
304
themoffster said:
- however I'd only want to backup that file with time machine.

Any ideas ...
Click to expand...
Depends which version you are running.

On Mountain Lion, Time Machine allows you to exclude items. Go to System Preferences, Time Machine, Options

A bit tedious but what you could do is:
- Set up Time Machine
- but turn it Off - System Preferences, Time Machine - there is a slider button
- Using the Options dialog in the preferences; exclude all the top level folders (and files) on the disk except the one that ultimately contains what you want to back up
- For that folder, exclude all the sub-folders (and files) except the one that contains what you want to back up
- Keep repeating until you have excluded everything that you don't want backed up
- Now turn Time Machine on using the slider

I've used this so I have one drive that is fully backed up, another that is partially and a third that isn't at all.
 
2

26139

Suspended
Dec 27, 2003
4,315
377
Not true

Deadeyeshark said:
Time Machine is built to back up eveything on your Mac, it has quite a simplistic front end with no option to pick up individual files or folders.

I was a bit skeptical at first and only wanted particular items backing up, in the long term though it's been a life saver and would recommend you use it as intended.

Maybe there is a work around, if not there will be another third party solution which should fit your needs.
Click to expand...

This isn't true.

In Sys Prefs, click options. Exclude what you'd like, then uncheck what you'd like to keep.
 
T

themoffster

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 26, 2011
151
0
ItWasNotMe said:
Depends which version you are running.

On Mountain Lion, Time Machine allows you to exclude items. Go to System Preferences, Time Machine, Options

A bit tedious but what you could do is:
- Set up Time Machine
- but turn it Off - System Preferences, Time Machine - there is a slider button
- Using the Options dialog in the preferences; exclude all the top level folders (and files) on the disk except the one that ultimately contains what you want to back up
- For that folder, exclude all the sub-folders (and files) except the one that contains what you want to back up
- Keep repeating until you have excluded everything that you don't want backed up
- Now turn Time Machine on using the slider

I've used this so I have one drive that is fully backed up, another that is partially and a third that isn't at all.
Click to expand...
nice one, thanks.
Backing up now
 
I

ItWasNotMe

macrumors 6502
Dec 1, 2012
439
304
Further thoughts

Just beware that:
- The more complex you make the list of exclusions the longer it appears to take Time Machine to work out what to do
- Its generally not a good idea to use it back up a very large and volatile file, otherwise it will consume lots of space (for a copy every hour, day etc) and the disks will continuously thrash as its makes each hourly copy
 
T

themoffster

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 26, 2011
151
0
na thats fine.
i rarely update the iphoto library (maybe once a month at most), but the photos are important so i wanted an automatic backup as well as the manual one i do
 
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