Best way to back up apps

[Drag'nGT]

I want to do a clean OS install and I'm curious how you guys back up your apps. For example; 1Password, Screenium, AppZapper etc... are apps that I own but I'm not aware of a way to back them up to an external hdd along with the registration code (like I still have it ) and say the associated files within the app.

I got a lot of time machine discussion when I tried looking for a topic like mine so if I missed this it may still be good info for others getting ready for Snow Leopard.

Thanks

 

[rdowns]

SuperDuper and Carbon Copy Cloner will allow you to clone you drive and restore. Registration codes will be maintained.

 

[sickmacdoc]

SuperDuper and Carbon Copy Cloner will allow you to clone you drive and restore. Registration codes will be maintained.

+1 for that! They will also allow to boot the backup and get right back to work should your internal drive go belly up-- not something you can do with Time Machine. Ideally, both a clone and a TM backup will be maintained but if only one is, I would sure prefer a clone!

 

[Drag'nGT]

I won't be home for a while to test these so I want clarify if either one of those will clone just my apps and if so do I just drag and drop them from the clone image to my new os disc?

Thanks for those apps btw.

 

[sickmacdoc]

I won't be home for a while to test these so I want clarify if either one of those will clone just my apps and if so do I just drag and drop them from the clone image to my new os disc?

Thanks for those apps btw.

Well with CCC you definitely can define what you want to exclude from the cloning, so if you exclude everything but your Applications folder (very easy to do) then nothing but it will be cloned. If needed you could even go inside it and exclude individual apps as well.

Do keep in mind that just backing up the Application folder itself will not be enough to make them usable in many cases since so many apps store support/registration files in so many other directories.

The only way to guarantee that all associated files will be copied successfully (as in the registration files and such that you mentioned) is to just clone the whole drive in the first place. That will also have the advantage of leaving you with a full backup that you can maintain.

EDIT: BTW- the same thing would apply if you did it with TM. AND after a discussion I participated in in another thread, it seems that there are a select few high end audio plug-ins that neither a full clone or TM backup will maintain the registration for, but those are by far the exception. A clone advantage in that case is that when the clone was complete, you can immediately boot your system from the clone drive to see if it affected any of your registrations (again, unlikely) before you move ahead with the data on the original drive. You cannot boot from a TM backup to check that out.

 

[Drag'nGT]

Thanks. I'll make a clone for when it's time for the new os install. I'm wondering how easy this will really be when the time comes. Hopefully with these programs there won't be any issue.

 

[technotask]

I use carbon copy cloner.... helping me a lot....

 

[fandangoguy]

Carbon Copy Cloner and Adobe CS4

Sorry for this double post...I promise to be more careful!
I want to make a bootable disc of my new 27" iMac i5 onto a Lacie HD drive but I read somewhere that Carbon Copy Cloner had some issues with Adobe CS2/3 applications-such as registrations and that users found themselves unable to make their Adobee CS applications work...? I have Adoble CS4 right now...did I read that or am I losing my mind...? I understand that such a problem would be on Adobe's court but I would like to make a bootable clone that really works..
I got one of the new i5 (yep..the screen has some occasional blackouts...nothing serious yet but...) and if I needed to send it for repairs etc I would like to have some peace of mind knowing that whatever happens, I can restore EVERYTHING from the Lacie and not have to do all the data migration, installing , registering etc..
am I expecting too much? maybe I need a reality check!

I await for your feedback.
thanks

 

[Nilo Santos]

Ditto

Sorry for this double post...I promise to be more careful!
I want to make a bootable disc of my new 27" iMac i5 onto a Lacie HD drive but I read somewhere that Carbon Copy Cloner had some issues with Adobe applications-such as registrations..
I have Adoble CS4 right now.. I would like to make a bootable clone that really works.. I would like to have some peace of mind knowing that whatever happens, I can restore EVERYTHING from the Lacie and not have to do all the data migration, installing , registering etc..

Yes - ditto on the apologies as the above.

I bought the 27" iMac i7 with software apps that were already pre-loaded and pre-installed (Adobe CS4, Final Cut, Logic, etc.)
but I don't have the original discs or installers for these software apps.

Can I use CCC or SD to copy these software apps into an external hard drive, and be able to re-install them again?
(in case of loss due a re-format or service repair) or even be able to install these software apps on another computer?