Super Duper or Time Machine?

[Christopher11]

I have a new external HD I plan to use with my MacBook for regular backup. I've always used SuperDuper and had good luck with it. Once I backup the entire drive, I use Smart Update, which seems quite similar to what Time Machine does. Do you prefer one over the other?

Thank you in advance for any replies.

p.s. let me add: I won't be connecting this drive every day. More like once a week. So some of the features of Time Machine might not be as relevant? Thanks.

 

[old-wiz]

why not have a disk big enough for both? Both have good points.

 

[chowmein]

why not have a disk big enough for both? Both have good points.

I agree. SuperDuper! is good for restoring the entire OS and all your stuff. Time Machine is good for individual files. SuperDuper! provides a bootable image. (yay!) Time Machine sets everything in folders. (lots of looking around)

 

[miles01110]

I actually just switched from SuperDuper to CarbonCopyCloner, mainly because I was not able to find an option in SuperDuper to exclude directories from the backup. A little puzzling, but whatever.

I have two backup drives; one for TM, the other for CCC.

 

[t0mat0]

CCC / Super Duper & Time Machine.

 

[jc1350]

I actually just switched from SuperDuper to CarbonCopyCloner, mainly because I was not able to find an option in SuperDuper to exclude directories from the backup. A little puzzling, but whatever.

I have two backup drives; one for TM, the other for CCC.

SuperDuper has the option:
1. Near the top click the drop-down list labed "Using" and select "Edit Selected Copy Script"

2. Click the "Script Commands" tab

3. In the bottom half of that screen is the directory/file names. Navigate to the one you want to exclude and click "add item." The command should default to "ignore" when it's added to the top half of the screen.

To the OP:

I use both SudperDuper and Time Machine. SuperDuper is my disaster recovery plan since it's bootable and restores everything perfectly including applications, settings, etc. I use Time Machine for more traditional restores like "oops...I needed that Word doc after all."

While you can rebuild your system using Time Machine, SuperDuper makes it much easier.

 

[bertpalmer]

I use both, if my main HD fails I can boot from the external - and carry on working...

But the incremental backup is useful for files you accidentally delete.

 

[GregE]

I'm using CCC and CrashPlan.

I use Entourage for e-mail and had read where Time Machine has problems backing up the database. CrashPlan says they can back it up just fine. I have it running on my iMac and MacBook Pro and use an EHD on my iMac to back them both up and also back up my iMac to a Windows PC I have at work.