Time Machine - backup between two ext. drives?

[sbornia]

Hi all,

I understand that Time Machine is typically configured to backup from a Mac's internal drive to an external drive...but am wondering if it can backup from one external drive to another external drive. For example, *from* the primary drive in an external RAID 1 box *to* a separate external HDD that's used exclusively for Time Machine backups?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Elo Everidge]

Yes, Time Machine can do that. By default, Time Machine excludes all external drives from its backup but you can easily change that behavior in Time Machine Preferences -> Options (and completely exclude your internal hard drive instead if that's what you want).

 

[sbornia]

thanks for the reply!

 

[bacaramac]

Wow, didn't know you could have TM look at external drives and back them up. Have to try this when I get home.

 

[sigamy]

Can anyone else verify that you can Backup external drives with TM?

Also, can you backup your internal (Home folder) and select folders on an external (like iTunes lib)?

 

[dborja]

Elo, could you walk through this? I tried and only saw an option for excluding directories. This is a gold star find if I can do this since my photos, music and data files are on an Airdisk through an AEBS...

 

[Elo Everidge]

Elo, could you walk through this? I tried and only saw an option for excluding directories. This is a gold star find if I can do this since my photos, music and data files are on an Airdisk through an AEBS...

The option for excluding directories is the only one you need. By default, Time Machine will list all external volumes there. Just delete them from the list and they will be backed up. If you only want to backup certain directories, you have to add all other directories to the list.

 

[dborja]

The option for excluding directories is the only one you need. By default, Time Machine will list all external volumes there. Just delete them from the list and they will be backed up. If you only want to backup certain directories, you have to add all other directories to the list.

It doesn't work for disks on an AEBS USB port. They don't show up on the list...