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Guzaking

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 4, 2015
82
0
If I install Snow Leopard on an outside laptop internal SSD hard drive that I’m using for an external hard drive and then do a Time Machine backup to it from an iMac that has Mavericks on it, will my external SSD hard drive involuntarily upgrade it’s OSX system from Snow Leopard to Mavericks?...or will just the other non-Apple applications be backed up to it, or insignificant Apple program upgrades like the calculator, chess, dictionary, etc., etc. be upgraded?
 
When you do a Time Machine backup to a disk you connect directly to a computer, a folder will be created at the top level which contains the backups for that machine. The rest of the contents of the disk will not be touched.
 
I'm told from someone else that a Time Machine backup volume can't have a bootable system on it except for an entirely separate partition. But I would have only 1 partition with Snow Leopard on it and do a Time Machine backup to that from a Mavericks installed iMac. I was hoping to just place data and programs onto the Snow Leopard OSX and run those programs on Snow Leopard. Is this possible?
 
getting alot more advice and help on mac-forums.com here folks, can anybody here chime in with some help at all?
 
I'm told from someone else that a Time Machine backup volume can't have a bootable system on it except for an entirely separate partition. But I would have only 1 partition with Snow Leopard on it and do a Time Machine backup to that from a Mavericks installed iMac. I was hoping to just place data and programs onto the Snow Leopard OSX and run those programs on Snow Leopard. Is this possible?

In theory it might work but its a very bad idea because 1. Different OS X version compared to what Time Machine uses will almost certainly cause problems. 2. All data is in one hard drive which is very risky. 3. Creating new partition with Disk Utility is easy and fast while keeping everything tidy.

My advice is to use separate hard drives for Time Machine and data. If you insist using same drive for both of them at least portion it in 2 partitions for Time Machine and data. Don't rely only on Time Machine and 1 hard drive if your data is very important...
 
I've been using one large drive for Time Machine Only, then another large drive for my data.

After years of this fast reliable practice, I'm very happy with it. No headaches, no lost data, a fast and easy solution.

Because I bought very large drives to start, I haven't run out of room nor have I needed to do anything but enjoy the setup. Apple did an excellent job with Time Machine. :D
 
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