Time Machine backup question

[mitstoshi]

Can Time Machine make a bootable clone backup similar to what Carbon Copy Cloner and SuperDuper do?

 

[Weaselboy]

Can Time Machine make a bootable clone backup similar to what Carbon Copy Cloner and SuperDuper do?

Not exactly. You can boot to a locally attached (like USB) TM backup disk and use that to restore to a blank drive. But you can't run the system directly off the TM disk like you can with a clone made by SD or CCC.

 

[mitstoshi]

Not exactly. You can boot to a locally attached (like USB) TM backup disk and use that to restore to a blank drive. But you can't run the system directly off the TM disk like you can with a clone made by SD or CCC.

So I do need to have 3rd party cloning software if I want to downgrade OSX And what TM restore is just data not the system. Do I use DiskUtility to restor?

 

[Weaselboy]

So I do need to have 3rd party cloning software if I want to downgrade OSX And what TM restore is just data not the system. Do I use DiskUtility to restor?

No not at all. That is actually one area where TM is better than a clone because TM keeps versions of all file changes. So you could option key boot from the TM disk and erase your drive then restore back to a previous date in time. For example if you installed Yosemite today and decided you did not like it, you could restore back to yesterday's TM backup and have Mavericks.

TM does backup the entire OS along with apps and your data.

Unless you have a need to be able to boot and temporarily run from a cloned disk, there is no need for you to buy cloning software.

 

[mitstoshi]

No not at all. That is actually one area where TM is better than a clone because TM keeps versions of all file changes. So you could option key boot from the TM disk and erase your drive then restore back to a previous date in time. For example if you installed Yosemite today and decided you did not like it, you could restore back to yesterday's TM backup and have Mavericks.

TM does backup the entire OS along with apps and your data.

Unless you have a need to be able to boot and temporarily run from a cloned disk, there is no need for you to buy cloning software.

In preparing for upgrading to Yosemite from Mavericks, I have done the Mavericks TM backup on an external HD. So how do I go about option key booting from the TM disk? The TM disk is not listed on startup disks pane on System Preferences. The TM disk is on a partition of an external HD. Also do I have to erase the HD before TM restore?

 

[Weaselboy]

In preparing for upgrading to Yosemite from Mavericks, I have done the Mavericks TM backup on an external HD. So how do I go about option key booting from the TM disk? The TM disk is not listed on startup disks pane on System Preferences. The TM disk is on a partition of an external HD. Also do I have to erase the HD before TM restore?

You just hold down the option (alt) key when you boot and you will see the TM disk come up as one of the boot options. That will boot to a copy of the recovery partition on the TM disk. Yes, from there you would use Disk Uitl to erase the entire disk then restore.

 

[mitstoshi]

You just hold down the option (alt) key when you boot and you will see the TM disk come up as one of the boot options. That will boot to a copy of the recovery partition on the TM disk. Yes, from there you would use Disk Uitl to erase the entire disk then restore.

Thanks for the info. I will try to upgrade next week and see how it go.