Has anyone actually HAD to use Time Machine yet?

[Spievy]

I have never had to use it to restore a file or files.

However I do use it to fly through time... I am so Lame 😎

 

[chrisgeleven]

I have Time Machine setup, but I think it doesn't like my external hard drive. I have problems with it doing the endless preparing and then when it is backing up, stalling all the time. Plus the other problem is I have a Macbook, so it is hard to get the hourly backups since I may not be connected to the external hard drive.

Once I hear good reviews about Time Capsule, I am going to buy one, since that would work awesome with my Macbook.

 

[thechidz]

I've not once had the need to use it. I back up, and i back up but i've not restored anything yet?

has anyone found Time Machine to be a lifesaver (or a job saver!) when they 'accidentally' deleted something?

(i know some find it useful for full system restores etc, but it's touted as being a feature that helps retrieve the odd document)

yep... just yesterday somehow deleted an entire folder of necessary emails. Got them back in a wink...

 

[karmapolice63]

I test it here and there by making pointless files and then deleting them a day later. I'll dig it up then and it still works. I like keeping my stuff on its toes. Time machine does what they said it was supposed to.

 

[kkat69]

I've not once had the need to use it. I back up, and i back up but i've not restored anything yet?

Yep quite a few times actually.

has anyone found Time Machine to be a lifesaver

Sorry it can't stop bullets but it did save some grief, AND I saved money by switching my car insurance to Geico, well not really.

(or a job saver!) when they 'accidentally' deleted something?

Work requirements document I was working on got lost in the mix at work. I remembered I had worked on it at home and was able to restore it saving a lot of time trying to re-write it from memory so yah. I didn't accidentally delete it, I purposely deleted it.

My iMac isn't my primary work horse, but from time to time I do bring files to it in case I work from home. This was one of those cases.

(i know some find it useful for full system restores etc, but it's touted as being a feature that helps retrieve the odd document)

That is just one of the features. We all know that's not the sole purpose. It's a back up utility. Sometimes even a system restore utility. Any windows users that remembers the flakey "Restore Points" which didn't work very well, Time Machine works extremely well. Restore points also only recorded if something more than minor was done, not just saving documents or daily, only when certain things was done, Time Machine is working 24/7.

Let's put it this way, without it the non-savvy person would be kicking themselves for not having a feature such as this or looking for one that they might not understand.
Us more technically inclined would probably wonder why we have it or opt for SD! which I do have a license for but prefer the ability to have the incremental backups. As an ex server admin, I know the value of incremental back ups, so I prefer TM over SD!.

But to answer the question, absolutely.