Unpacking iMac retina 27" and back up???

[SD-B]

Hi, just unpacked my new 27" retina.

I have always had Macs given to me after a month/two of usage so this is the first time I bought one and have to set it up.
Always let the hubbie do it but now i want to do it myself and he's recovering from surgery so I don't want to bother him.

Few Questions please before i go further.......

1) How do I back up from the very beginning?

Admittedly I doubt i have ever backed up as the rest do.
I used to just transfer my documents to a USB key, as well as my photos, music, etc.
So i really haven't a clue how to do it properly from the very beginning.
I do have a brand new 1 TB Lacie external drive I have not ever used or opened if that helps? Although this is the 1 TB Fusion version.


2) As it does not come with a DVD for the OS, I assumed it would come with a USB key and the OS on it.

SO seeing as it does not, what do i use if i ever want to clean the drive etc?
Or is there some way of backing it up now


Any other hints I might need to be aware of, feel free to point me in the right direction

T.I.A.

 

[jdphoto]

Hi, just unpacked my new 27" retina.

I have always had Macs given to me after a month/two of usage so this is the first time I bought one and have to set it up.
Always let the hubbie do it but now i want to do it myself and he's recovering from surgery so I don't want to bother him.

Few Questions please before i go further.......

1) How do I back up from the very beginning?

Admittedly I doubt i have ever backed up as the rest do.
I used to just transfer my documents to a USB key, as well as my photos, music, etc.
So i really haven't a clue how to do it properly from the very beginning.
I do have a brand new 1 TB Lacie external drive I have not ever used or opened if that helps? Although this is the 1 TB Fusion version.


2) As it does not come with a DVD for the OS, I assumed it would come with a USB key and the OS on it.

SO seeing as it does not, what do i use if i ever want to clean the drive etc?
Or is there some way of backing it up now


Any other hints I might need to be aware of, feel free to point me in the right direction

T.I.A.

1) By backup it sounds like you mean transfer files onto the new iMac? If so, you could either do the method you describe (move the files manually) or you could make a Time Machine backup of the machine you are moving from and use it to put files on the new machine. I actually prefer the manual method because it gives more of a fresh start in my opinion and helps me weed out files I don't really need

2) Macs don't come with install discs anymore, of any kind. Yosemite is a free download in the app store and you can download and make a USB install disk from it using the instructions at the link below. That way if it ever starts to have problems you can boot from it.

http://www.macworld.com/article/236...otable-os-x-10-10-yosemite-install-drive.html

 

[rkaufmann87]

1) The easiest method is to connect an external HD to the new machine (make sure it's formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and that is used for NOTHING else but a backup. When you do Time Machine will launch and do the initial backup. Leave the drive connected and TM will make regular backups, however it is wise to check on occasion to ensure it's working fine. When it comes to backing up, redundancy is a VERY good thing because a backup can fail too. Many people use TM and a second EHD to create a bootable clone using either SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner.

2) Macs have not come with media for years now. There is a Restore Partition on the Mac which is where you will find everything that would have been on the media. You can launch into this partition by holding down either Command + R at the startup or the Option key and then choosing the Restore Partition.

If for some reason the internal HD gets a fatal crash (not likely on a new machine) there is also Internet Recovery which will install a copy of OS X on the system from the Internet.

 

[SD-B]

1) By backup it sounds like you mean transfer files onto the new iMac? If so, you could either do the method you describe (move the files manually) or you could make a Time Machine backup of the machine you are moving from and use it to put files on the new machine. I actually prefer the manual method because it gives more of a fresh start in my opinion and helps me weed out files I don't really need

2) Macs don't come with install discs anymore, of any kind. Yosemite is a free download in the app store and you can download and make a USB install disk from it using the instructions at the link below. That way if it ever starts to have problems you can boot from it.

http://www.macworld.com/article/2367...all-drive.html

I always thought my method was highly frowned upon. Hence i thought i would do it "properly" but since posting this I have been reading more and more and think I will continue on that way then...


I was not aware Yosemite was a free download for all. I mistakenly assumed it was only free to those with an OS beforehand paid for.
still can't get past MicroSoft thinking I see


Last question. Speaking of USB install discs of Yosemite..
Which was the first FREE OSX for mac users?

i have a late 2011 MBP i need to wipe clean. I have a Snow Leopard disc for it but naturally i wish to put on a newer OS yet not the latest due to some problems i have read about it.
I would likely want to take it up as far as it is now, 1.0.9.5 therefore i would need to get an earlier free one.
Any idea off hand which one that might be the first free OSX between Snow Leopard and the one before Yosemite?