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sandman512

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 25, 2011
93
0
So, I am loving my MBP and OSX. I want to back up my HD, particularly my iPhotos. I have an Airport Extreme with a 1 TB external hooked up to it. How does the time machine work? Will it back it up on a regular basis? Can I set the schedule? Does it just keep (1) copy of a back up and write over that each time it backs up? Sorry for the noob questions? Thanks!
 
If you are loving you MBP and OSX, you will also love Time Machine.

Time Machine keeps hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups until your backup drive is full.

Some complain that it backs up too often. Personally, I love it. I have a wife and two kids that aren't all that tech savvy. I have had a couple incidents over the last many years where it lost/couldn't find the back up HDD. Other than that, it just runs.

Here's more information:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427
 
First, thanks for the reply. I assume that I can delete the backups as my HD gets full.

PS: It looks like an external HD hooked up to a airport extreme won't work.
 
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There are also a couple of apps out there that allow you to schedule your own TM backup settings as hourly may be overkill for some.

I use Time Machine Editor to do daily backups at a pre-specified time.

>
 
First, thanks for the reply. I assume that I can delete the backups as my HD gets full.

PS: It looks like an external HD hooked up to a airport extreme won't work.

Time Machine deletes older backups as the space is needed, automatically. Nope, won't work with an Airport Extreme.
 
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First, thanks for the reply. I assume that I can delete the backups as my HD gets full.

PS: It looks like an external HD hooked up to a airport extreme won't work.

Which Airport Extreme do you have? Take a look at this article.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1427

Note this, in particular:
"Time Machine can only back up to a external drive connected to an AirPort Extreme 802.11ac base station. Time Machine cannot back up data to external drives connected to other AirPort Extreme base station models."
 
Looks like that is your issue. Kinda suxs, as that's an "N" router - certainly not old.

I run a Time Capsule, so it's possible I am giving you the wrong answer. Maybe someone will come along and correct me?

When did you buy the Extreme? Any chance you can still return it?
 
2c. dedicate a hard drive entirely to time machine.

Storing other data on your time machine drive just makes it ambiguous with regards to what is backed up and what isn't, and by using that drive for data you are reducing the number of backups available.

If your drive is dedicated to time machine, time machine will delete old backups as required when it runs out of space.
 
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