Mac OS Extended File System; Questions about datafiles/backup-checking/dates.

[mackristoffer]

Good Day.

I am using a Macbook Pro, Snow Leopard.
I have some external hard-drives that i encrypt with Truecrypt 6.3.
Creating and mounting the encrypted volumes work fine, the mounted volume pops up as a read/write ready volume.

This is the first time I use the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) file system and hence the questions.
I have good experience with backup using explorer and teracopy in the NTFS environment.

I am used to double check if a copy have been successful by getting the information and seeing that the total file-size, number of folders and files match up to the original folder.

Three Questions:
If i copy 1TB of assorted media, will the exact same number of files/bytes/folders be represented in destiny folder when I see the information?
Is there any database/thumbnail files generated and stored any place on the external HDD?
Will the file system change the "Last edited" date on the folders when copied from a NTFS disk?

The yet-to-decide-quality-of copy-handler I am currently using is MiniCopier. If anyone has recommendations on alternatives, I am pleased to hear about them

 

[BlueRevolution]

God dag!

If i copy 1TB of assorted media, will the exact same number of files/bytes/folders be represented in destiny folder when I see the information?

Probably not.

Is there any database/thumbnail files generated and stored any place on the external HDD?

Yes. Mac OS X generates hidden (to you) files called .DS_Store containing directory view info and such. It also saves some data in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist.

Will the file system change the "Last edited" date on the folders when copied from a NTFS disk?

I'm really not sure. Probably, yes.

You know you'll need to have MacFUSE and NTFS-3G (or other third-party drivers) installed for read/write access to NTFS, yeah?

The yet-to-decide-quality-of copy-handler I am currently using is MiniCopier. If anyone has recommendations on alternatives, I am pleased to hear about them

Carbon Copy Cloner is a good bet.

 

[mackristoffer]

God Dag^^ Har du kjennskap til Noreg/Norsk?

Thank you for your replies, it has answered all my questions.

It looks like I will not be using my Mac as primary backup-manager.

The file number counts as the same, but I figured a file with some bytes was stored in each folder since the "last editet" tag on the folders changed from their original date to "Today" often time. When I copy a folder from a destination to another, each folder gain some extra bytes. Your post confirmed it, and explained it

The attributes on a given file is mostly the same when i Move them around, with the exeption to "Folder last editet", but that is not that important as long as the files stay intact.

I just tested, and found out that MiniCopier removed the original data!
I do not Reccomend MiniCopier for handling files. That is a grievous error.

I have downloaded Carbon Copy Cloner instead, thank you for the advise

 

[BlueRevolution]

Ja, jeg studerer norsk i universitetet nå. I'm only in my first year, though.

 

[mackristoffer]

Fortreffelig.

Not often you see people studying Norwegian from other countries. You will become one of only 5,000,000+ that can speak it Only some hundred thousand speak it outside Norway.

I suppose you are coming to Norway. I am really curious to why learning the language if not.

 

[BlueRevolution]

All of my grandparents emigrated from Norway to Canada as children. I haven't been yet, but I most certainly will.