Is it safe to backup while having app's and files open?

[sparkie7]

I normally quit everything and restart off my tertiary drive to clone my master sys and files drive onto my back up drive, using CCC.

But I'm currently working on a project with multiple apps and files open, using 12 GB of my 16 GB RAM. As it would be time consuming to quit everything, restart, back up and then have too open all the app and multiple files again...

-- my question is: is it safe to back up while all these apps and files are open?

just wondered if files may get corrupted or not save completely due to them being open, and as some files have 'temp' versions whilst the main file is open I wondered if any issues may exist/arise doing it this way.

TIA

 

[mickbab]

Things seem to work fine when Time Machine backs up, so I can't see there being any problems.

 

[reel2reel]

I normally quit everything and restart off my tertiary drive to clone my master sys and files drive onto my back up drive, using CCC.

But I'm currently working on a project with multiple apps and files open, using 12 GB of my 16 GB RAM. As it would be time consuming to quit everything, restart, back up and then have too open all the app and multiple files again...

-- my question is: is it safe to back up while all these apps and files are open?

just wondered if files may get corrupted or not save completely due to them being open, and as some files have 'temp' versions whilst the main file is open I wondered if any issues may exist/arise doing it this way.

TIA

Making a living in video production, dealing with bloated project files all the time (FCP projects can reach suddenly from 30 MB to 500 MB depending on how bloated the database gets) I'd personally quit out and backup overnight. I use SuperDuper and the smart update takes less than an hour anyway, so it's no big deal. Maybe it just backs up based on your last save at the time, who knows, but I like to backup at the end of a session so I know exactly what's going on.

 

[wisty]

It will depend on the applications you use. The short answer is "no".

Codinghorror (a well-know programmer blog) lost all it's posts because it's hard drive failed, and the image of the virtual machine it was hosted on didn't back-up properly if the virtual machine was running.

It wouldn't feel good to lose a virtual machine image

 

[TonyK]

Using ChronoSync and sometimes it complains about files opened exclusively. Most times they are files I can safely ignore, but I do check on each run.

Most times though, if you are not using TimeMachine, I suggest closing everything you can down, and then backup.

 

[sparkie7]

thanks guys. i guess i'm just lazy to quit out all these multiple files. i don't use Time Machine. Just CCC and clone manually. but you're right i should quit out and clone-back up as i have always done to be doubly sure

thanks again

 

[TonyK]

thanks guys. i guess i'm just lazy to quit out all these multiple files. i don't use Time Machine. Just CCC and clone manually. but you're right i should quit out and clone-back up as i have always done to be doubly sure

thanks again

This month's issue of iLife (I think that is the mag) has an article about using ChronoSync and ChronoAgent to create an automated backup system that can email you results. It can also backup your entire network of OS X computers as long as you have the credentials to access the remote drives.

I'm about to spring for ChronoAgent. Already own ChronoSync and LOVE IT.

Take care,

 

[sparkie7]

This month's issue of iLife (I think that is the mag) has an article about using ChronoSync and ChronoAgent to create an automated backup system that can email you results. It can also backup your entire network of OS X computers as long as you have the credentials to access the remote drives.

I'm about to spring for ChronoAgent. Already own ChronoSync and LOVE IT.

Take care,

how's it better than CCC?

 

[TonyK]

how's it better than CCC?

First, the magazine was Mac|Life.

Second, CCC is copying the entire drive. ChronoSync is syncing contents, and rules can be applied to different jobs. CS can also sync remote computers over a network. Don't use CCC because it did not fit my needs, which was to sync 2 computers and then to an external drive (or two). ChronoSync allows me to do this quickly and easily.

But our discussion diverges from the OP's original question and might be better for a separate thread, of which I'm sure there have been others already.

Take care,

 

[thagomizer]

Create a new account called "backup" or something like that. Log out of your regular account and log into the backup account, and run CCC or SuperDuper. This way, yes some files will be open, but they will only be files in your backup account.