Is Time Machine backing up my internal secondary drive?

Noeb · Sep 5, 2014

Hi,

I just need to be sure:

I have an iMac, with an external SSD connected. This external SSD is my boot drive and contains all my applications. The internal HDD is effectively an "external" HDD.

Time Machine doesn't really say which disks it is backing up. I need to be absolutely sure that it backs up both the external SSD bootdisk, and the internal/"external" HDD.

Anyone that can tell me?

Thanks a lot!

chabig · Sep 5, 2014

I believe Time Machine backs up everything on and connected to your Mac except for those drives/folders that are in the exclude list. By default, external drives are added to the exclude list, so you should go to Time Machine preferences and remove your internal HDD from the list.

DHKaplan · Sep 5, 2014

Why don't you just enter Time Machine, the program, not preferences, while Finder is open to one of your drives.. then try to go back in time and see if it works... Close it and do it for the other drive and you should know for sure! You should always do a test restore of any backup program to see if it is working... Good luck!

flynz4 · Sep 5, 2014

chabig said:
I believe Time Machine backs up everything on and connected to your Mac except for those drives/folders that are in the exclude list. By default, external drives are added to the exclude list, so you should go to Time Machine preferences and remove your internal HDD from the list.

This is the best way. The exclude list is within the options page of Time Machine Preferences:

System Preferences > Time Machine > Options

/Jim

maflynn · Sep 6, 2014

Why not just check Time Machine? That will be your best bet and remove all doubt regardless of what we post here.

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Is Time Machine backing up my internal secondary drive?

Noeb

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chabig

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DHKaplan

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flynz4

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maflynn

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