12 inch MacBook arrived yesterday

[martinchivers]

I've just received the used MacBook, from eBay. (its a 2017) I have gone through the setup process, but bypassed the iCloud part. Now need to do that. How do I get back to that part of the process? I've not been able to get it onto the internet in my office (in a garage, separate from my house). as the iMac has a wired connection using the electricity system (can't remember the technical term for that). So will have to try a wifi expender at some point. Using in the house its great. But need to get the iMac/iPhone & new laptop all talking to each other.

My word doc/excel/ photographs.....everything are on my Mac, SSD drive. They are in my own folder structure. Where would I need to put them in order to access and modify on the laptop? I'm thinking it must be "Documents". If so, would they then be backup up automatically, to my Time machine?

Any help much appreciated.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I've just received the used MacBook, from eBay. (its a 2017) I have gone through the setup process, but bypassed the iCloud part. Now need to do that. How do I get back to that part of the process?

System Preferences > Apple ID > Overview . Though you may get prompted before clicking on Overview if you are not signed in.

 

[jmoore5196]

I've been using my wife's 2017 MacBook since Christmas, when I gave her an M1 MacBook Air. The MacBook surprises me; it's a capable little machine, inordinately portable (far moreso than my 16" MacBook Pro) and runs Big Sur without a hiccup. The bottom of the case gets a little warm with sustained use, but other than that ...

I can't help but wish Apple would reissue this machine - or something close to it - with Apple silicon.

 

[martinchivers]

System Preferences > Apple ID > Overview . Though you may get prompted before clicking on Overview if you are not signed in.

thanks! all done

 

[martinchivers]

I've copied a few files into both "documents" and "iCloud" drive on my iMac. (as a test) I can see them from the laptop in iCloud Drive, but not in documents. I was under the impression that the apple operating system had an equivalent of "Word" within it, but the file won't open sensibly. The same with excel. without office suite, can I view & work on the .docs and .xls files?

 

[Mike Boreham]

Pages and Numbers will open and edit Word and Excel files and save them to .docx and .xlsx if you want. Are Pages and Numbers installed? you may need to get from the App Store. It is not an OS capability.

I use iCloud Drive and have "Documents and Desktop in iCloud" option checked (in "Options" button next to "iCloud Drive" in the Apple ID pref pane) turned on. This puts them in iCloud and syncs Desktop and Documents across all devices which I like a lot. There is a local copy so your stuff is still backed up by TM etc. There is only one "Documents" folder after doing this.

 

[martinchivers]

Pages and Numbers will open and edit Word and Excel files and save them to .docx and .xlsx if you want. Are Pages and Numbers installed? you may need to get from the App Store. It is not an OS capability.

I use iCloud Drive and have "Documents and Desktop in iCloud" option checked (in "Options" button next to "iCloud Drive" in the Apple ID pref pane) turned on. This puts them in iCloud and syncs Desktop and Documents across all devices which I like a lot. There is a local copy so your stuff is still backed up by TM etc. There is only one "Documents" folder after doing this.

thanks. looked at both pages and numbers. But don't like either. Will bite the bullet & go with office.

 

[oosamon]

I've been using my wife's 2017 MacBook since Christmas, when I gave her an M1 MacBook Air. The MacBook surprises me; it's a capable little machine, inordinately portable (far moreso than my 16" MacBook Pro) and runs Big Sur without a hiccup. The bottom of the case gets a little warm with sustained use, but other than that ...

I can't help but wish Apple would reissue this machine - or something close to it - with Apple silicon.

I'd buy in a heartbeat. Love my 2017 MB.

 

[martinchivers]

OK, guys. thank you for the info, so far. I'm after a definitive answer to my question regarding files location.

My "main" computer will be my iMac & that currently has all my data within my own folder structure on the hard drive (i.e. not using the Apple presets). 200 gig of stuff approximatly. I could thin that a bit, I ran a test & put some stuff into "Documents" and the same stuff into "iCloud Drive". That magically appeared on my MacBook in both places. The iMac runs Time machine every day, so backup is sorted. I'll need to move my data to either location. But dont know which is best. I pay 70p or whatever for iCloud backup, but that will not give me enough storage space if one or other of those is backed up there, to. I've always found iCloud a bit of a mystery. Hopefully that is clear enough & I've used the correct terminology.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I think you only need have your docs in one place. I have no experience of your set up so can't comment. I have my Documents folder on iCloud Drive (post #6) so there is only one place, which means they are on my compeer, on iCloud and sync'd between all my devices.

 

[martinchivers]

Yes. Definitely. I only want them in one place. So looks like iCloud Drive is favourite then. My data is extremely important to me (isn’t it everyone’s). And i’m mindfull of not messing this up. I don’t want to get myself in a muddle. I suppose I have a time machine backup, so if it was muddled I could always revert back. Thank you for your input. Much appreciated. Martin

 

[Mike Boreham]

Yes. Definitely. I only want them in one place. So looks like iCloud Drive is favourite then. My data is extremely important to me (isn’t it everyone’s). And i’m mindfull of not messing this up. I don’t want to get myself in a muddle. I suppose I have a time machine backup, so if it was muddled I could always revert back. Thank you for your input. Much appreciated. Martin

Have you turned on the "Documents and Desktop in iCloud" setting I mentioned in #6? Some aspects of iCloud can be confusing and I recommend Take Control of iCloud as a primer.

 

[martinchivers]

Have you turned on the "Documents and Desktop in iCloud" setting I mentioned in #6? Some aspects of iCloud can be confusing and I recommend Take Control of iCloud as a primer.

Mike, yes thank you. Its turned on. I've just shut down/restarted the macbook & the programs are still running. I looked to see which were set to start on startup. None are, but my Mac is sitting turned on with them running, so that's why - I assume.

within that same section. everything is ticked (by default I assume) but the are things there that I don't use. Can I just untick those?

 

[Mike Boreham]

Mike, yes thank you. Its turned on. I've just shut down/restarted the macbook & the programs are still running. I looked to see which were set to start on startup. None are, but my Mac is sitting turned on with them running, so that's why - I assume.

within that same section. everything is ticked (by default I assume) but the are things there that I don't use. Can I just untick those?

You don't have to have them all checked. You should now be seeing your Documents folder in the Finder sidebar:

 

[ignatius345]

OK, guys. thank you for the info, so far. I'm after a definitive answer to my question regarding files location.

My "main" computer will be my iMac & that currently has all my data within my own folder structure on the hard drive (i.e. not using the Apple presets). 200 gig of stuff approximatly. I could thin that a bit, I ran a test & put some stuff into "Documents" and the same stuff into "iCloud Drive". That magically appeared on my MacBook in both places. The iMac runs Time machine every day, so backup is sorted. I'll need to move my data to either location. But dont know which is best. I pay 70p or whatever for iCloud backup, but that will not give me enough storage space if one or other of those is backed up there, to. I've always found iCloud a bit of a mystery. Hopefully that is clear enough & I've used the correct terminology.

I have a similar approach. My iMac has a big 2TB SSD and is almost always on and connected to a Time Machine drive, so I treat it as the master repository for everything in iCloud Drive. As such, the iCloud setting on that machine is set to keep everything downloaded locally (not "optimized"). It's set this way for iCloud Drive and also for Photos. Everything saved locally, versions of everything in case of some unforeseen disaster with iCloud.

My MacBook is set to "optimized" so it has access to everything in iCloud Drive but many of the visible files are actually placeholders which get downloaded on demand. It's a pretty smart scheme, as long as you have consistent internet access.

I have the biggest 2TB iCloud plan, and while it's a bit expensive I'm getting more mileage out of it by sharing it via Family Sharing.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Agree, don't use "Optimised" setting unless really tight on space, and you have another computer which has the full size docs.

 

[IowaLynn]

I've just received the used MacBook, from eBay. (its a 2017) I have gone through the setup process, but bypassed the iCloud part. Now need to do that. How do I get back to that part of the process? I've not been able to get it onto the internet in my office (in a garage, separate from my house). as the iMac has a wired connection using the electricity system (can't remember the technical term for that). So will have to try a wifi expender at some point. Using in the house its great. But need to get the iMac/iPhone & new laptop all talking to each other.

My word doc/excel/ photographs.....everything are on my Mac, SSD drive. They are in my own folder structure. Where would I need to put them in order to access and modify on the laptop? I'm thinking it must be "Documents". If so, would they then be backup up automatically, to my Time machine?

Any help much appreciated.

Do you have Office 365 also? That comes with 1TB OneDrive storage - and is default for Word, Excel etc.

I finally succumbed to let iCloud and OneDrive use defaults rather than try to change and wrestle control from them. In which case don't use them, turn them off.
It tools years to use and still don't "trust" TimeMachine so I use CCC to archive.

A router attached NAS so it's all local seems sensible and logical.

One thing i do like is iCloud Photos, I just wish it was a bit more like Google and Google Drive in being more cross-platform, not an issue if you are all in on Apple.

After 5 years finally retired my 12" and because it was always anchored to desk and monitor, disk drives, and keyboard via USBC dock, went with Mini.

 

[martinchivers]

Do you have Office 365 also? That comes with 1TB OneDrive storage - and is default for Word, Excel etc.

I finally succumbed to let iCloud and OneDrive use defaults rather than try to change and wrestle control from them. In which case don't use them, turn them off.
It tools years to use and still don't "trust" TimeMachine so I use CCC to archive.

A router attached NAS so it's all local seems sensible and logical.

One thing i do like is iCloud Photos, I just wish it was a bit more like Google and Google Drive in being more cross-platform, not an issue if you are all in on Apple.

After 5 years finally retired my 12" and because it was always anchored to desk and monitor, disk drives, and keyboard via USBC dock, went with Mini.

no, I don't have office 365.

 

[martinchivers]

I'm afraid I didn't understand a lot of the above. as I can see the (test) documents in documents on the laptop ,i'll copy my data into that. I'll rename the latest time machine backup & move it so that its not overwritten. I've spent a bit of time, customising it and enjoying using it.

 

[martinchivers]

I've added a test folder into "Documents" on the iMac. That has various types of files. jpg, PDF, .doc, .xls etc. These WERE NOT backed up with the Samsung SSD onto time machine, this morning. I have around 20 gig of iCloud storage left. But at the minimum will need to transfer is about 200gig. (into documents) My MacBook only has a 256, but has the operating system and software on it too. Is the data actually physically on the hard drive? (on the MacBook). Hope you'll understand the question

 

[Mike Boreham]

How are you determining that they have not been backed up on Time Machine?

The actual local iCloud Document files are in ~/Library/Mobile Documents and after "Entering Time Machine" I can see mine there, or by using the Documents shortcut in iCloud Drive on the left, all while "Entering Time Machine". see screenshots.

The local copies in ~/Library/Mobile Documents will also be backed up by any cloning software like CCC. You would not normally ever need to navigate to the ~/Library/Mobile Documents, though it sometimes useful. Normally always use the shortcut in Finder sidebar. It also appears in the Home icon Dock popup.

 

[Mike Boreham]

These WERE NOT backed up with the Samsung SSD onto time machine

Reading your post again I realise I am not sure I understand this statement. What has the Samsung SSD to do with the situation? Is that where your Time Machine backup is? If so did you mean that they were not backed up by Time Machine TO the Samsung SSD?

You can't (easily) have your iCloud Drive documents on an external drive. And anyway by default Time Machine excludes externals (easily included if you want).

 

[martinchivers]

thanks Mike. My internal/original Mac HD is now my time machine drive. The operating system and data are on an external Samsung SSD. I did that a while ago & its all good. All data (traditionally) has been within my own custom folder tree. That goes back 40 years, (maybe a slight exaggeration) to when I started using PC's (not Mac). As a professional photographer (at the time) everything was manually backed up to Clothing Department., dvd. and lately hard drives. I like to be able to literally know where the data is & always found the default folders a little confusing. All my business stuff is on my computer & I'm determined that I dont mess up & loose it. I'll happily put my stuff onto "documents" provided I can get it all to work, i.e. time machine back it up & access while away, via the MacBook.

I opened the time machine drive and navigated to the latest backup & looked there to see if the test folder containing the files was there. Unless well hidden, they were not.

iCloud is a massive mystery to me. I assume that changes are live, i.e. not backed up at intervals. But is older stuff overwritten? How would I access it should the need arise? I pay for 50 gig. But with the iPhone & 2 computers will need a huge amount more than that.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I opened the time machine drive and navigated to the latest backup & looked there to see if the test folder containing the files was there. Unless well hidden, they were not.

iCloud is a massive mystery to me. I assume that changes are live, i.e. not backed up at intervals. But is older stuff overwritten? How would I access it should the need arise? I pay for 50 gig. But with the iPhone & 2 computers will need a huge amount more than that.

Much better to use the "Enter Timer Machine" interface as in my screenshots. If you open the Time Machine drive with Finder, as you have done, you need to make the invisible ~/Library folder visible (did you do that?) so that you can then see your docs in the Mobile Documents folder, which will not look as user friendly as the "Enter Time Machine" interface.

I suggest getting the Take Control book. To answer you Qs, Yes, changes are live, not intervals but not always instant. No, iCloud is not a back up, it is a sync service, like Dropbox and One drive. Deleted stuff is retrievable for 30 days. You can recover deleted stuff on iCloud.com > Account Settings > Advanced.

Although I use iCloud myself for some of our documents, you are right there is a lot to learn and it is not (IMHO) as as intuitive for documents as Dropbox and Onedrive. I think Dropbox has more capability than iCloud, (not sure about Onedrive). I use iCloud mainly for Photos, Contacts, Calendars, Mail etc and some apps which sync data across devices with iCloud. I actually have most of my docs in DEVONthink databases which sync across my devices with Bonjour.

 

[martinchivers]

thanks. I assume by (enter time machine) you mean the green, time machine logo from launchpad. to access the backups. No I've not set the hidden folders to unhidden, but will do. I did briefly look at dropbox, but that was years ago.