Time Machine Essential Before Service?

[Rory Jackson]

My 2019 Macbook Pro is going in for a repair/service job - On apple's site it advises me to make a time machine backup to ensure the safety of all my files etc... I have already copied all my important documents, Logic Pro X projects, photo library onto an external ssd? I guess what I want to know is if it's absolutely essential for me to have to buy a larger ssd and do a time machine backup before it goes in for service (which is for a fan issue, I doubt the ssd or entire Mac will need replacing) and is there anything a time machine backup would save and just copying stuff over to an ssd wouldn't? It's going in tomorrow and now I'm getting worried!

 

[chscag]

You really should make a bootable clone of your system prior to taking it in to Apple for any kind of repair. Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper are apps that can make a bootable clone. But in absence of that, a Time Machine total backup can be made.

If you feel comfortable with what you've already done to preserve your important stuff, press on.

I have to ask though.... Aren't you already making backups with Time Machine? What if your SSD crashes and you lose valuable data?

 

[Boyd01]

I agree, you definitely should have a bootable clone. If it were me, I would have at least two bootable clones, with one on an external SSD plus a time machine backup. I would then wipe the SSD for security reasons before taking the computer into the shop.

 

[posguy99]

It's going in tomorrow and now I'm getting worried!

Only you can decide what is a sufficient backup. But you should be making one regularly regardless of platform or whether the device is going to be serviced.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Consider wiping and installing OS as a new user, before turning over to Apple. In my opinion, one should always practice safe computing.

 

[0128672]

My 2019 Macbook Pro is going in for a repair/service job - On apple's site it advises me to make a time machine backup to ensure the safety of all my files etc... I have already copied all my important documents, Logic Pro X projects, photo library onto an external ssd? I guess what I want to know is if it's absolutely essential for me to have to buy a larger ssd and do a time machine backup before it goes in for service (which is for a fan issue, I doubt the ssd or entire Mac will need replacing) and is there anything a time machine backup would save and just copying stuff over to an ssd wouldn't? It's going in tomorrow and now I'm getting worried!

That support article you reference also has a link about making other types of backups before service too, so it wasn't intended that a TM backup was the only option:

Other ways to back up and restore files - Apple Support

Time Machine is the built-in backup feature of your Mac, but you can also use other methods to back up and restore files.

support.apple.com