.Mac Backup Update Coming?

[mozmac]

Backup vs Time Machine

Here are my thoughts on the Backup vs Time Machine discussion. Time machine is great for making local backups, but every good IT person knows you need to make an off-site backup if you really want to be protected. .mac Backup allows just that, and if you trust Apple, you can trust your information is secure. I see them upgrading .mac when Leopard is released to work more closely with Time Machine, but not everyone is going to get Leopard right away. So this updated Backup will continue to help those still with Tiger, Panther, or...choke...Jaguar.

Man, remember how cool Panther was when it came out? Now you put it next to the latest Tiger and it looks so old! Can't wait for Leopard.

 

[rtdunham]

superduper is fantastic.

couldn't agree more. last night, prior to leaving on a 12-day trip, i used super duper to back up my macbook after a couple months without backing up. It had around 138GB on the existing backup; the macbook's hard drive had filled to about 15GB more, and of course some of the existing files had changed. SuperDuper did a "smart backup", backing up only the parts that had changed. As a result, backing up a nearly-full 160GB drive took only 49 minutes (see log for details). And when it was done it made the backup bootable and did a few other niceties along the way. Truly superduper.

(NOTE: this is the END of the log; backup began at 12:43am):

01:32:29 AM | Info | Evaluated 695421 items occupying 138.51 GB (122112 directories, 544512 files, 28797 symlinks)
| 01:32:29 AM | Info | Copied 168608 items totaling 24.14 GB (32569 directories, 107245 files, 28794 symlinks)
| 01:32:29 AM | Info | Cloned 135.60 GB of data in 2270 seconds at an effective transfer rate of 61.17 MB/s
| 01:32:29 AM | Info | PHASE: 3. After Successful Copy
| 01:32:29 AM | Info | ...ACTION: Making LaCie 3x Rugged 160 bootable
| 01:32:29 AM | Info | ......COMMAND => Blessing OS X System Folder
| 01:32:31 AM | Info | Successfully blessed Mac OS X folder on LaCie 3x Rugged 160
| 01:32:31 AM | Info | ......COMMAND => Blessing OS 9 System Folder
| 01:32:31 AM | Info | Did not bless Mac OS 9 System Folder on LaCie 3x Rugged 160 because it does not exist.
| 01:32:31 AM | Info | ...ACTION: Restoring Spotlight state on LaCie 3x Rugged 160
| 01:32:31 AM | Info | ......COMMAND => Restoring Spotlight search indexing state on LaCie 3x Rugged 160
| 01:32:31 AM | Info | /Volumes/LaCie 3x Rugged 160:
| 01:32:31 AM | Info | Indexing enabled for volume.
| 01:32:31 AM | Info | Indexing enabled on LaCie 3x Rugged 160
| 01:32:31 AM | Info | Copy complete.

 

[wngraham]

With all this talk of backing up, I can't recommend Super Duper enough. I use it to automatically clone my entire drive to an external firewire HDD every night.

In addition I use the .mac backup feature to do daily backups of my Keychain, iCal, Address Book, and Documents Folder.

If you've ever had to do a full system restore you won't regret taking as many precautions as possible.

 

[alansky]

I think you mean "complete archive"

I can't wait for all the new dotmac stuff, I think it's totally worth the $100, but my storage still says 1GB, so I will be patient.

You might want to send a quick note to the .Mac support folks. My .Mac storage limit was set to 10GB when I checked it shortly after Tuesday's announcement.

 

[rtdunham]

I just want to backup my personal files and apps. I want to reformat my hard drive and reinstall OS X and then restore my personal stuff again.

SuperDuper! = can't do it.
Backup = ???
TimeMachine = I don't think so.

Please Advise!!

wouldn't you just use superduper to backup your home folder, use disk utilities to reformat, reinstall osx from your original disks, software update to bring os to current status, and then restore the home folder from super duper?

 

[Maccus Aurelius]

I adore SuperDuper! after using it to clone other drives. It helped my sister out a lot when she wanted to swap with a better hard drive, as it didn't involve having to use the install discs. One thing though; some of the icons in the dock stopped working, which then had to be dragged out and replaced again to get them to properly link to the application. This doesn't always happen, but it is sort of annoying. Forgivable though.

 

[offwidafairies]

It backs up your data to your ipod, not the other way around.

ok. but i can do that myself now as it is just by dragging files ont it? i just dont get what the big deal is. sounds like a rort to me

 

[bilbo--baggins]

I had some issues with an earlier version of Backup (v2 I think?) but Backup 3 has been brilliant for me. I used to also use Deja Vu for automated backups to a second hard drive, but now I rely purely on Backup 3 and I really like it.

I try to reduce the risk by backing up to various places. Daily backups are done to an external hard drive and iDisk, and the every now and again I make backups to DVD's.

From what I've read, data is far more readily recoverable from a corrupted hard disk than it is from a corrupted optical disc.

I actually got Retrospect Express free with my My Book Pro and had such problems trying to get it working that I gave up. Western Digital sent me a copy of some other backup software, but Backup 3 does exactly what I want.

With regards to the comments earlier about restoring backups. There have been several occasions where I've recovered corrupted files by retrieving a recent backed up version from Backup without any problems. I've not found any of the backup files to have problems. Rather than restoring the entire backup, I tend to just retrieve the file I want from the backup by using the (right click) Show Package Contents. After a bad experience with an early version of Backup I didn't trust it, until with version 3 I discovered that I could view the content of the packages, and retrieve individual files. I find that very reassuring.

 

[aswitcher]

I had some issues with an earlier version of Backup (v2 I think?) but Backup 3 has been brilliant for me. I used to also use Deja Vu for automated backups to a second hard drive, but now I rely purely on Backup 3 and I really like it.

I try to reduce the risk by backing up to various places. Daily backups are done to an external hard drive and iDisk, and the every now and again I make backups to DVD's.

From what I've read, data is far more readily recoverable from a corrupted hard disk than it is from a corrupted optical disc.

I actually got Retrospect Express free with my My Book Pro and had such problems trying to get it working that I gave up. Western Digital sent me a copy of some other backup software, but Backup 3 does exactly what I want.

With regards to the comments earlier about restoring backups. There have been several occasions where I've recovered corrupted files from Backup without any problems. Rather than restoring the entire backup, I tend to just retrieve the file I want from the backup by using the (right click) Show Package Contents. After a bad experience with an early version of Backup I didn't trust it, until with version 3 I discovered that I could view the content of the packages, and retrieve individual files. I find that very reassuring.

Well that sounds good. Thanks for letting us know its working for you.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Might I suggest

Before this thread gets totally lost....

http://mozy.com/

I've yet to use it because I'm waiting on Leopard.

 

[ashpole]

The graphics on Backup's description page have changed, some show the existing version but one shows something new:

At the top I can just make out "Migrate Previous Backup Configuration", that option was not in Backup V3.....

 

[hubiquitous]

Encryption?

Any chance these new enhancements will support encryption of the content during transport and when stored on Apple servers?

 

[penter]

I think you mean "complete archive"

I can't wait for all the new dotmac stuff, I think it's totally worth the $100, but my storage still says 1GB, so I will be patient.

edit:wow, I fixed my own spelling error, I hope no one caught it

its funny that you mention the 1 GB of space in your iDisk, for mine has mysteriously gone up to 10 GB!! i was wondering.... has everyone's .Mac been upgraded as well???

yeah, this seems silly.

With Time Machine coming so soon, why update Backup? I'm awaiting its arrival, as Backup is a pretty bad app. Its archive based system regularly fails, and is not at all reliable to use for essential items (i.e. anything worth backing up in the first place).

Plus, how can something like this compare to seeing your files IN SPACE!!!

LMAO well put, pdpfilms.
i have never used backup except for an unsuccessful and useless first attepmt.

Can't wait for Time Machine!!

 

[vansouza]

one of my websites.

I'm curious how many of you actually use this service? will it be a worthwhile investment?

I have a couple, iWeb built www.usheroes.us and I use my.Mac site for photo sharing after weekends away with friends... totally easy to setup and use... what a dream...

 

[Fairly]

Include .Mac in the price of a computer or dispense with it entirely. It's a kludge and you can get free services anywhere that are far better. .Mac has been an embarrassment from Day One.