Mac newbie backup help

[boomdog]

I'm rather new to Mac, my first one arrived on Monday! Unfortunately, the screen has a faulty pixel which I only noticed on Tuesday and as a result I have booked a genius bar appointment for Sunday. I don't really know how the warranty works on MacBooks however if it's anything like iPhones/iPads I'll probably walk away with a new machine. With that in mind I want to try and save myself the hassle of downloading and installing updates, apps and other software along with many of the work documents I have already transferred to my new machine.

Q1.) Is there a way to back everything up (software, apps, documents, settings) so I can simply restore everything to a new machine (if I get one)?

Q2.) I have an external (NTFC) that I use with a windows PC, can I use that for backup?

Q3.) If the above is not possible, could I partition the device to make it work with both Windows and Mac - even if that means separate partitions.

Any advice you can give would be most appreciated.

 

[GGJstudios]

If you want to back up everything, including system files, the backup external drive must be formatted as HFS+, or at least have a partition that is formatted as HFS+. For backups, I recommend Carbon Copy Cloner, which can make a bootable clone of your drive, including the OS X Recovery Partition.

You can use version 3.5.1 ($40) or 3.4.7 (free, and works well on OS X 10.6, 10.7 and 10.8). Unlike SuperDuper!, CCC also clones the OS X Recovery partition.

 

[boomdog]

If you want to back up everything, including system files, the backup external drive must be formatted as HFS+, or at least have a partition that is formatted as HFS+. For backups, I recommend Carbon Copy Cloner, which can make a bootable clone of your drive, including the OS X Recovery Partition.

You can use version 3.5.1 ($40) or 3.4.7 (free, and works well on OS X 10.6, 10.7 and 10.8). Unlike SuperDuper!, CCC also clones the OS X Recovery partition.

Thanks for the near immediate response!

Can I format the drive to HFS+ through windows or will it have to be done in OS X?

Will OS X pick up the drive if it is currently formatted in NTFS and is it easy to partition the drive in OS X?

 

[GGJstudios]

Thanks for the near immediate response!

Can I format the drive to HFS+ through windows or will it have to be done in OS X?

Will OS X pick up the drive if it is currently formatted in NTFS and is it easy to partition the drive in OS X?

You'll have to format the drive as HFS+ using OS X, since Windows cannot natively read or write HFS+ drives. OS X can natively read, but not write to, NTFS-formatted drives. The following will give you all the information you need about formats.

Format A Hard Drive Using Disk Utility (which is in your /Applications/Utilities folder)

​

Choose the appropriate format:

​

HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Don't use case-sensitive)

• Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
• Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! backups of Mac OS X system files. [*]To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive [*]To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
• Maximum file size: 8EiB
• Maximum volume size: 8EiB
• Mac OS X: Mac OS Extended format (HFS Plus) volume and file limits
• You can use this format if you only use the drive with Mac OS X, or use it for backups of your Mac OS X internal drive, or if you only share it with one Windows PC (with MacDrive installed on the PC)

NTFS (Windows NT File System)

• Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
• Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X [*]To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X, here are some alternatives:
  • For Mac OS X 10.4 or later (32 or 64-bit), install Paragon (approx $20) (Best Choice for Lion and later)
  • For 32-bit Mac OS X, install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free) (does not work in 64-bit mode)
  • For 64-bit Snow Leopard, read this: MacFUSE for 64-bit Snow Leopard
  • Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx $36).
  • Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and Lion, but is not advisable, due to instability.
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
• Maximum file size: 16 TB
• Maximum volume size: 256TB
• You can use this format if you routinely share a drive with multiple Windows systems.

exFAT (FAT64)

• Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
• Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
• exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
• Maximum file size: 16 EiB
• Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB
• You can use this format if it is supported by all computers with which you intend to share the drive. See "disadvantages" for details.

FAT32 (File Allocation Table)

• Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X. [*]Maximum file size: 4GB.
• Maximum volume size: 2TB
• You can use this format if you share the drive between Mac OS X and Windows computers and have no files larger than 4GB.

 

[boomdog]

You'll have to format the drive as HFS+ using OS X, since Windows cannot natively read or write HFS+ drives. OS X can natively read, but not write to, NTFS-formatted drives. The following will give you all the information you need about formats.

Format A Hard Drive Using Disk Utility (which is in your /Applications/Utilities folder)

​

Choose the appropriate format:

​

HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Don't use case-sensitive)

• Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
• Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! backups of Mac OS X system files. [*]To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive [*]To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
• Maximum file size: 8EiB
• Maximum volume size: 8EiB
• Mac OS X: Mac OS Extended format (HFS Plus) volume and file limits
• You can use this format if you only use the drive with Mac OS X, or use it for backups of your Mac OS X internal drive, or if you only share it with one Windows PC (with MacDrive installed on the PC)

NTFS (Windows NT File System)

• Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
• Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X [*]To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X, here are some alternatives:
  • For Mac OS X 10.4 or later (32 or 64-bit), install Paragon (approx $20) (Best Choice for Lion and later)
  • For 32-bit Mac OS X, install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free) (does not work in 64-bit mode)
  • For 64-bit Snow Leopard, read this: MacFUSE for 64-bit Snow Leopard
  • Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx $36).
  • Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and Lion, but is not advisable, due to instability.
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
• Maximum file size: 16 TB
• Maximum volume size: 256TB
• You can use this format if you routinely share a drive with multiple Windows systems.

exFAT (FAT64)

• Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
• Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
• exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
• Maximum file size: 16 EiB
• Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB
• You can use this format if it is supported by all computers with which you intend to share the drive. See "disadvantages" for details.

FAT32 (File Allocation Table)

• Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X. [*]Maximum file size: 4GB.
• Maximum volume size: 2TB
• You can use this format if you share the drive between Mac OS X and Windows computers and have no files larger than 4GB.

Unreal, thank you so much. I'll hopefully be good from here but will add to the thread if I hit any problems.

Thanks again, saved me heaps of time!