Does anyone know a way to backup my macbook pro hard drive without booting g into os x...? Any programs? Any way for time machine to do it? I accidently deleted my backup and my computer somehow got seriously messed up and once I boot the trackpad and keyboard are unresponsive as well as USB ports.. no idea what happened so messed up.. I'm thinking I need to reinstall OS X but I still need some of those valuable files burried in that hard drive! Is it possible any ideas?
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Backup HD without booting into OS X
- Thread starter mongoose8p
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Umm... Don't you know? On the Mac there's non-destructive way to reinstall the OS, it'll leave the contents of your hard drive intact along with everything in your home folder. It's not like windows, where you install Windows and is forced to re-format the entire drive!!
Just boot up from the DVD's that's enclosed with your system.. Once inside, there's are options for you to do an "Archive Install", this will rename the existing System folder as "Old System" or "Previous System" then preceded to install a completely new one.
Once that's complete, just boot into the system as normal. Copy anything you require from the old folder and trash it once your happy.
You want target disk mode: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661
Hold down T while booting, and connect your computer via firewire to another, it will then appear as an external HD, and you can copy off whatever you need.
Hold down T while booting, and connect your computer via firewire to another, it will then appear as an external HD, and you can copy off whatever you need.