Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Can Time Machine backup SD cards?
- Thread starter petsk
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Damn, is that really so
And why doesn't TM backup SD cards? Since you can even use SD slot to boot from, it's weird if TM can't backup files on the card 
Why don't you try it? Put a card in the slot, and check if it's listed as not backed up in the Time Machine Preferences (click the Options button). It will be, by default, as all external drives are, if you can change that. Just remove it from the list if it shows up, and then you can use Time Machine to back it up.
jW
jW
If you can format the SD card to HFS+ then it should work... you'll also need a very large capacity card...
Because I don't have a SD card. And I want to know before I buy one because I need it to work with Time Machine.
Sounds perfect! Have you tried this? I was going to get a 16 GB class 10 card and format it to HFS+.
I think you're thinking of him trying to back up to an SD card. As I read it, he's trying to have an SD card backed up by Time Machine to his external.
If I misunderstood, then OP, Time Machine would not be the best option.
Otherwise, you don't need to worry about the size, although having the card formatted in HFS+ would be necessary, probably.
jW
May I ask why you need time machine to backup a SD card? Do you plan on leaving the SD card plugged in continually? Or do you just need it backed up when you plug it in?
You might want to look at Carbon Copy Cloner. I know ccc will backup a flash drive the way your describing. I have no reason to believe it would treat a SD card any differently. Plus ccc has a scheduler that is more configurable than time machines. Carbon copy cloner is donationware, so you can see if it will do all that you require, before you buy a SD.
You might consider ccc will require you to format your SD as HFS+ to use it as you have described.
You might want to look at Carbon Copy Cloner. I know ccc will backup a flash drive the way your describing. I have no reason to believe it would treat a SD card any differently. Plus ccc has a scheduler that is more configurable than time machines. Carbon copy cloner is donationware, so you can see if it will do all that you require, before you buy a SD.
You might consider ccc will require you to format your SD as HFS+ to use it as you have described.
I will use it to store about 10 GB of documents, graphics and webserver stuff (mysql databases and php websites). It will be formated with HFS+ and I will move it between my iMac and Macbook Pro. I currently use a external 2.5" FW800 drive but it's a bit messy to move it between computers when you want to be as portable as possible, therefor I want to replace it with a SD card.
I am aware of alternative backup solutions such as CCC and Super Duper, but I would prefer Time Machine on this one
UPDATE: I have now bought an SD card and can confirm that Time Machine is backing up the card.
Hi, I know this refers to quite an old post, but how did you do this? I'm experiencing the same problem of not being able to remove my HFS+ SD card from the exclude list. I'd really love to be able to backup my media in my SD card!
Thanks.
Thanks.
I can't do it either. My SD card always reappears on the exclusion list. Same story in the support forums, looks like.
Is Time Machine really backing up SD card?
You are the only one saying this can work. Can you confirm and if so provide details/hacks? I have a GUID, single HFS+ partition on my SD card and though Time Machine will let me remove it from the exclusion list, it doesn't back up. When I go back in, it is back in the exclusion list.
Some forums support the idea that an external drive can be backed by Time Machine but it seems a SD cannot.
(MacBook Air 10.8.4, TimeCapsule)
You are the only one saying this can work. Can you confirm and if so provide details/hacks? I have a GUID, single HFS+ partition on my SD card and though Time Machine will let me remove it from the exclusion list, it doesn't back up. When I go back in, it is back in the exclusion list.
Some forums support the idea that an external drive can be backed by Time Machine but it seems a SD cannot.
(MacBook Air 10.8.4, TimeCapsule)
I haven't had any problems backing up two separate SanDisk SD-cards on my iMacs and MBPs.
I didn't have any problems with the exclusion list. This was two-three years ago running under Snow Leopard (and I'm quite sure it was working fine under Lion as well for a couple of months before I dropped my SD Card solution all together). Maybe things have changed with Mountain Lion, I can't tell.
The first card I was using was a Sandisk SDHC SDSDX3-016G-E31. I don't have the model for the other card but it was a newer version and twice the size (32GB) of the same high end Sanddisk SD Card.
It was working just like any other external USB or FireWire Drive and I had it formated with HFS.
EDIT: And the hardware I was using was a iMac i7 2009 and a MBP 2010 i5 15" using two different Time Capsule generations and also a external USB drive.
thank you for your quickly answer ... ill try.... i was looking for this, if its possible, but online i saw only post from 2009 to today with people sayng you cant do it....
so really appreciate your feedback
Very annoying problem. I just purchased a 128GB Sandisk SD card to store my iTunes library on without having to lug around an external HD. Same problem as you all describe, it keeps adding it to the exclusion list. I guess I will have to do a manual back up to my Time Machine until I read about a solution.