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An extra extra backup for storage?
- Thread starter Qwerty11
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Use any backup program that allows you to exclude files and folders. Then just exclude everything except the personal files you wish to keep. You can even use Time Machine to do that.
Yeah, if you want to backup all personal files only, you'd better use a third-party utility. You can customize what you want to backup and make a backup plan with these utilities for you.
Not sure what your storage needs are, but would iCloud or Google Drive be enough space? For $0.99 a month you can have 50GB with iCloud. Even at $2.99 for 200GB it's only $36 a year and aside from the first long load, it's completely automatic as long as you're on a network, or when you rejoin a network. iCloud also works with Photos once enabled and can give you "extra" space on your Mac if you enable optimization. (High quality images stored in iCloud, lower quality images on Mac until used.) Of course if this is a desktop solution, having another external drive for files is pretty cost effective and can be automated through scheduling.
iCloud Pricing
Google Drive
iCloud Pricing
Google Drive
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Carbon Copy Cloner lets you pick and choose what files/folders you want to backup. I use it to backup my personal files to a 128GB SDHC card installed in a Nifty MiniDrive.
https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201250
Call me old fashioned. But i prefer manually copying over any automated solution..... Maybie be ok for situations when needed like regular backups always, but i still drag and drop..... Least i know then, its done...... and one less thing to go wrong when Time machine stuffs it up.
If there personal files, u know where they are.. and if any backup gets corrupted when copying, at least i can blame myself for this and some introduce some other form of automation i have no idea what it may be doing moment to moment.
I have 2 external encypted hard drives which complete mirrors from central NAS (also encrypted)
I use Time Machine/Time Capsule/External Lacies for TM and Drag and Drop/Carbon Copy Cloner
One I just started with and like is the cloud backup CrashPlan. You can select what you want to backup and frequency. Has been good so far. Don't like iCloud, since whatever I put there takes up mac space too.
CrashPlan has a free trial period and it has Unlimited storage.
One I just started with and like is the cloud backup CrashPlan. You can select what you want to backup and frequency. Has been good so far. Don't like iCloud, since whatever I put there takes up mac space too.
CrashPlan has a free trial period and it has Unlimited storage.
I have the 200GB iCloud plan that all my documents are in. I also use Time Machine with a $189CA 3TB external HDD, and all my photos (about 1TB) are on a second 3TB external HDD. Pretty cheap solution and apart from my place burning down and iCloud going kaput at the same time, I feel secure. I got into the habit of reinstalling my computer once a year (old Windows habit) so it's just been a matter of course.
Time Machine allows you to forgo system files/apps. Click on the options tab and exclude everything you don't want backed up (Applications,Library, and System). Works great and no need for an additional app.
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Great for data redundancy in the event your system crashes or you happen to delete or overwrite your specific files but the backups won't mean much if the MacBook is lost or stolen.
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If you do not trust anything of the online storage service, how to recommend an online storage service for you.
If you do not trust anything of the online storage service, how to recommend an online storage service for you.
Good point.
I was thinking more along the lines of an online server that I control. Maybe something from Digital Ocean.
For online backup I use the app Arq to backup to Amazon's S3 servers. Arq encrypts the data before it leaves your machine and it is stored encrypted on Amazon's servers and only you can unencrypt and view the data.
If your concern is an online service seeing your data, this addresses it.
I have 50/5 internet service. How is Arq for uploading/downloading files? I explored CrashPlan a while ago and found the upload to be fine, but if you needed any sort of large download it could be slow and divided between multiple files. I assume the service is not really for mirroring a Mac to recreate if a disaster were to occur but really best for just backing up personal files (docs, pictures, music, movies, etc.). Right now I use TM and SuperDuper (monthly mirror) to back up our 2 MBP's.
I have a 40/5 connection and have always been able to fully saturate the connection in both directions with this setup. Arq is not intended to be a full system (OS) backup, but rather a settings and data backup. The default is to backup just your Users folder (minus come cache files), and that is how I use it.
Right now I have Time Machine running hourly backups, a weekly or more CCC clone, then Users folder to S3 with Arq.
I had Crashplan and ditched it because of the issue I described in this thread. Plus Crashplan still uses an absolutely horrible Java app, in spite of them promising over two years ago they were working on a native OS X app.
I don't know and I don't have anything to test it with. You might shoot the dev. and email with this question. He is very responsive.