I have never had a failed HD but I did get a stolen computer. I have been reading up on different back up software. I want to back up my entire HD. I have an external drive already set up. I am wondering what is te best way to go about this. Do I just have a folder on my external that has a folder of my entire current HD? If I do have a crash of some kind how would I go about getting the info off my external drive to my new HD?
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Backing up a HD and Restoring
- Thread starter jdl8422
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Well, I just make a copy of my Home folder every now and then. I don't back up my apps because I believe it's better to do a clean install of them (if it comes to that). If your original drive dies, then you can copy across your Home folder to regain your documents, media and settings. 
Alternatively, you could use an app like Carbon Copy Cloner to make a clone of your drive onto the external. Whatever you do, make sure the external drive is bootable because it might come in handy if you come up against problems with the internal driver later.
Alternatively, you could use an app like Carbon Copy Cloner to make a clone of your drive onto the external. Whatever you do, make sure the external drive is bootable because it might come in handy if you come up against problems with the internal driver later.
I use SuperDuper!, which is pretty much like Carbon Copy Cloner that Mad Jew recommended.
About once a month, I use it to back my entire hard drive up to my external USB and make it bootable.
Should my MBP internal drive crash, I'd replace the internal drive, hook up the external drive, turn on the MBP, hold down the OPTION key, and chose to boot from the external USB drive.
The MBP will then boot off of the external. Once it's done booting, I'd use Disk Utility to partition and format the replacement drive, then use SuperDuper! to copy everything from the external to the internal, and make the internal bootable.
I did this process a few times while messing around with Boot Camp. (Well, I didn't replace the internal drive, but I had to reformat it a few times until I got everything the way I liked it). Having the external drive and being able to have it be an exact, bootable replica of my internal drive before I started messing around was a real life saver. (And another reason I love OS X).
Coolness mate. I don't actually use either so I was just wondering why you use SuperDuper instead of CCC? Is there any particular advantage?
No advantage that I can see between the two (for what I use it for). SuperDuper! just happened to be the first one I ended up messing around with, so I've kept with it over the years.
No advantage that I can see between the two (for what I use it for). SuperDuper! just happened to be the first one I ended up messing around with, so I've kept with it over the years.
Thanks mate. That's what I thought.
Yeah good point, but it's such a pain to boot from the OSX discs on a regular basis.