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How to back up whole computer before selling?

S

Snake201

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 1, 2012
37
0
Hello!

I have a MacBook Pro with Mavericks (10.9.2) That I will be selling and I need a way to back everything in a computer and then format. Is there a way that I can have the computer save everything to an external hard drive and then at a later date I can dump it all to a new MacBook Pro?

This is my first time doing this.

Thank you,
Snake201
 
MarvinHC said:
Timemachine will do all that for you.
Click to expand...

So just connect external HDD and turn on time machine? This will save everything on that external HDD and I will then be able to restore it on another computer?
 
Snake201 said:
So just connect external HDD and turn on time machine? This will save everything on that external HDD and I will then be able to restore it on another computer?
Click to expand...

and cross your fingers as you are obviously running without such a backup at the moment. My recommendation would be to use TM from the get-hp on the new machine, once it has taken the initial copy of everything the incrementals are usually quick and easy...
 
I also read about making a copy of my disk with disk utility. What is the advantage of that over time machine? Also would there be any benefit to doing both?
 
TM.. or 'Carbon Copy Cloner' ..

Indeed.. I have done as stated by others above with Time Machine, and also with 'Carbon Copy Cloner', which I find almost simpler to 'see and compare the files' so that you can feel better (perhaps) about the Absolute Destruction that you are about to Execute!! Never had an issue with either method, and I suspect most people do not.. Good Luck!! :D

A quick, unbiased, and accurate review on 'CCC': http://lifehacker.com/5839185/the-best-disk-cloning-app-for-mac-os-x

And, their home ~ well worth the $40 to me over the years: https://www.bombich.com/
 
Last edited:
I would recommend using two drives and doing a time machine backup to one and a CCC clone to the other. This gives you two backups with different methods in case there us a problem.
 
glenthompson said:
I would recommend using two drives and doing a time machine backup to one and a CCC clone to the other. This gives you two backups with different methods in case there us a problem.
Click to expand...

Good point, well made. I normally let TM just run but use CCC to actively clone at the time of data move, keeping TM in reserve.
 
Snake201 said:
I also read about making a copy of my disk with disk utility. What is the advantage of that over time machine? Also would there be any benefit to doing both?
Click to expand...

You can use DU to make a full clone without using CCC. Same exact end result.

The advantage over a TM backup is you can boot to the clone disk and run the computer from it should you have a need to do that, like with a internal disk failure. With TM you would need to install a new disk then restore to that disk from TM before you could actually run the computer again.
 
Just to add to the already great advice - 2TB portable USB3 HDs can be had ro peanuts now. I've also been very happy with the 100MB+ speeds for what is consumer, portable, 'old' tech. Always handy having a few around for backups and file transfers.

David
 
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