Setting up Time Machine

[tl01]

I have a new Airport Extreme to which I have hooked up a new external hard drive. I'd like to set the Airport Extreme and hard drive through Time Machine for back up purposes. Can someone please point me in the direction of a link that can help me with this? I haven't had any luck finding what I want so far.

Thanks!

 

[mikepro]

Technically, I think that is still an unsupported time machine configuration. I think before time machine will see that external disk you need to type the following command in a terminal window:

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1

Then you should see it as an available time machine volume.

 

[tl01]

Okay... I'm really a novice at the terminal window. Do I just open it and copy and paste that in... and hit return? Should it be on it's own line first by hitting return when it opens?

Thanks!

This was permitted before Lion right? A genius at the Apple Store suggested I do this... so I'm confused why he recommended it.

 

[chuffman15]

First thing is first. You need to plug your external had into your Mac and format it. Then make sure your airport extreme is all setup and working properly. Plug the externally hdd into the extreme via the USB connection. Go to the apple in the top left corner and click system preferences. Time machine. Youll be able to select a hdd to copy to. Search for the one connected to the extreme. You may have to look into the ip side, click your router and then you'll hdd will be connected to that. Select it and have fun. The first image is always huge and takes forever. The following "slices" don't take long at all some as small as 20kb

 

[tl01]

I have a different idea now. I need to back up two computers on to one hard drive. My iMac is the more important one and is the one where all my music and photos are. My MacBook is mostly for web surfing and some photos. Can I connect my hard drive to the MacBook whenever a change is made to the computer to complete the back up but otherwise leave it connected to the iMac? I have already partitioned it for the two computers.

If this will work can someone help me with the steps for this? Thanks!

 

[bmcgonag]

I have a different idea now. I need to back up two computers on to one hard drive. My iMac is the more important one and is the one where all my music and photos are. My MacBook is mostly for web surfing and some photos. Can I connect my hard drive to the MacBook whenever a change is made to the computer to complete the back up but otherwise leave it connected to the iMac? I have already partitioned it for the two computers.

If this will work can someone help me with the steps for this? Thanks!

As long as you have it partitioned for each machine, you can select one partition for the iMac, and one for the Macbook.

After you've set each one to back up with Time Machine to the appropriate partition, you can eject it from the Macbook and leave it connected to your iMac.

Next time you eject from iMac and move it to Macbook, click the TimeMachine logo in the menu bar, then tell it 'Backup Now'. After it's complete, eject and return it to the iMac.