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Can you change the frequency of Time Machine backups?

D

dvdchance

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 21, 2012
238
8
It currently runs an update every hour.

I use my Mini mainly for web browsing, email and using it as a Plex server and client. Nothing that really needs hourly backups.

The noise from my Time Machine drive is annoying. Especially during say a movie or something.

Can I change it to every 3 or 4 hours instead?
 
dvdchance said:
Thanks for the quick reply Slack.

I did Google but was hoping that their was just a OS X setting or terminal command that would adjust this setting that I didn't see.

Have you personally used the Time Machine Scheduler? Have you found it works good?
Click to expand...

The terminal command doesn't really work (if you ever do come across it).
I find that this Time Machine scheduler sucks, doesn't really work for me. But tons of other people say it does, so it's worth a shot.
 
MacPilot allows you to tweak the interval; it's basically a utility that puts a GUI on all sorts of stuff you'd otherwise have to do via Terminal. You could demo it. There may be others like it.
 
Just wanted to give some feedback.

I've been using Time Machine Scheduler now for nearly 2 weeks, has done just as advertised. I've changed the Time Machine backup interval to 4 hours, and it hasn't missed a beat.
 
dvdchance said:
Just wanted to give some feedback.

I've been using Time Machine Scheduler now for nearly 2 weeks, has done just as advertised. I've changed the Time Machine backup interval to 4 hours, and it hasn't missed a beat.
Click to expand...

Not working for me at all. Can't even get to first base. TMS refuses to do anything as no matter what the actual state of Time Machine is insists "Backup is running..." and refuses to allow any changes at all. Ugh.

I was hoping to set a time to not backup.



Mike
 
Tinmania said:
Not working for me at all. Can't even get to first base. TMS refuses to do anything as no matter what the actual state of Time Machine is insists "Backup is running..." and refuses to allow any changes at all. Ugh.

I was hoping to set a time to not backup.



Mike
Click to expand...

Does the Scheduler even load?
 
dvdchance said:
Does the Scheduler even load?
Click to expand...
No... nothing is clickable, aside from "About."

Oh wait. Just checked again and the backup is running message is gone. I was able to set options and load scheduler.

Still a little confused though. Anytime I do anything in Time Machine prefs the backup is running message appears, locking me out for a period of time. This happens when no backup is actually running.

Also not clear if this app turns Time Machine Backups on as needed, or if it needs to be left on as usual.



Michael
 
I just noticed something a little wonky about using the Time Machine Scheduler app.

If I enter Time Machine my most recent 8 or 9 months of backups are all greyed out. Very old backups I can browse thru.

If I turn on time machine from the preferences, then all the recent backups are available. Very odd.

When I go to Time Machine Scheduler to see if my new 4 hour interval for backups stayed intact, it makes me turn off time machine to do the new interval backups.
 
What happens if you turn Time Machine on, does the scheduler work or does TM continue to work as if there was no scheduler?

Wish there was more than the most basic of docs.



Mike
 
Tinmania said:
What happens if you turn Time Machine on, does the scheduler work or does TM continue to work as if there was no scheduler?

Wish there was more than the most basic of docs.



Mike
Click to expand...

I haven't tried, but my guess would be if you turn on Time Machine it would then backup at the normal 1 hour interval.
 
fhall1 said:
I'm surprised no one mentioned Time Machine Editor
http://timesoftware.free.fr/timemachineeditor/
I've been using it for years to change from hourly backups to twice a day (6AM and 6PM) and it's never let me down.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming Time Machine Editor works in a similar fashion to Time Machine Scheduler? I see that like Scheduler, it requires you to shut off Time Machine and handles it's own backups.

Has anyone used both that can give pros and cons of each?
 
dvdchance said:
I'm assuming Time Machine Editor works in a similar fashion to Time Machine Scheduler? I see that like Scheduler, it requires you to shut off Time Machine and handles it's own backups.

Has anyone used both that can give pros and cons of each?
Click to expand...

It does require you to shut off Time Machine so it can handle the scheduling...I can't compare it to Scheduler because once I found it, I never had the need to try something else.

I've seen no cons for my use (twice a day backups) - it's worked fine through Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Lion on both my Mac Mini and iMac.
 
I have used both now and will be sticking with Time Machine Editor. The only thing I liked better about Time Machine Scheduler was its--at least apparent--ability to exclude certain times from backing up. But with Time Machine Editor's seemingly unlimited ability to set schedules that feature can be duplicated.

I like that TME is just an app not a preference pane that requires the original installation DMG to uninstall. You can even delete the app and the schedule you set beforehand will continue to run--till you turn Time Machine back on, reverting to the usual hourly backups.

For me it is Time Machine Editor.



Michael
 
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