Mac OS-X Back-Up: Time Machine, Super, Carbon Copy Cloner, Disk Utility?

E

ELSELS

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Mac OS-X Back-Up: Time Machine, Super, Carbon Copy Cloner, Disk Utility?

Hello,

I am a relatively "new" Mac owner/user, coming from many years of using, (and still do),

Windows based computer systems.

My current internal hard drive partition configuration is as follows:

1.) Mac OS-X Lion

2.) Mac OS-X Snow Leopard (for the programs that won't run under Lion).

3.) Windows 7

My initial questions are regarding and resolving around (back-up) methods, preferences,

Pros & Cons of each?

I know that the built-in Apple/Mac software choices are:

1.) Disk Utility - to create (DMG) Images

2.) Time Machine (still learning, need more knowledge about this).

The third (3rd) party offerings, that I'm familiar with and have used are:

1.) SuperDuper

2.) Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC)

Ok, basically, as I am still very new to the "World of Apple/Mac" (sounds like a book title) -

:D , which back-up program (scheme, so to speak), covers the most efficient, and most

proficient method do you use and why, or not use and why not?

I'm not actually looking for praising on product over the other, or "cutting down/disproving),

any other, I just wanted to see if I can receive "fast" (relatively simple, but concise advice,

tips, and/or suggestions, as to the most chosen program to use?

I know it's generally speaking, a "personal" choice.

I've already succeeded - in backing-up my Windows 7 OS system partition - using

"WinClone" successfully, to back-up (from within the Mac OS-X environment), with great

results creating the WinClone image.

I was thinking, (wondering actually) - Does Time Machine create bootable back-ups

("capturing" BOTH of the Mac OS-X systems, together?

Meaning: If I use Time Machine and allow it to "Automatically" run as IT SEES the

necessity to do so, will that produce the overall safest entire (hard drive) including BOTH

partitions, and hence therefore: Includes BOTH - Mac operating systems, during the entire

Time Machine back-up operation?

Whew! I know, that's a lot to read through...

Please make comments, tips, advice, and/or suggestions?

Thank-You for reading and your contributions.

Have a nice day/evening,

Ed
 
First Ed congratulations, welcome to the world OS X.

OS X unlike windows can boot to an external drive(that has OS X on it) that is connected to the Mac. A "clone" of a OS x machine is just a total snapshot copy of your hard drive contents. It is an exact copy of your drive at the time of the clone.

Carbon Copy Cloner is "donationware". It is full featured and just displays an add while cloning to the drive. Paying the "donationware" will just hide the add banner.

SuperDuper is "shareware" that will set a schedule backup. Not paying the shareware fee and the program will just allow a single clone at a time.

Now both program can be programed to do an "incremental" backup (time backup of changed files since the last time backup or called a scheduled backup).

Now Time Machine is a simple file backup (made by Apple) that backups files and can be accessed right from OS X. To use Time Machine to a new drive you will need an OS x install disk/file to load OS X from Time Machine. It can't boot on it's own to OS X. However I still use for simple file backup because sometimes it does come in handy for me to get older files if a cutting edge update breaks, so I can go back to the older version very easily.

I also use a "clone" using Carbon Copy Cloner scheduled weekly backup (of changed files). It came in real handy when I replace my Power Book's internal to a SSD. The clone to the drive of OS X (minus movies and iTunes stuff). It came in real handy and the clone was less that 25 minutes. I paid a one time small fee to the programmer of CCC and was very happy to it. It has been two years and several upgrades and is still add free.
 
Hello Satcomer,

Thanks for your help, I do appreciate that.

So, does CCC - clone the entire hard drive?

I would think if, as I mentioned having the three (3) partitions:

Mac OS-X Lion
Mac OS-X Snow Leopard
Windows 7

I don't think the cloning software available can actually (or is there one),
that can clone the entire drive (like in the old days, I used to use an old
Norton's Ghost.)

Thanks!

Ed
 
No! It will clone the partition of OS X! It treats each version of OS X as a drive. Once it is clone you can BOOT to that backup. The one thing you have to think trough is you better have a very fast external, USB2 will not cut it for speed in booting, it will work but slowly.
 
Just to add my 2¢ to Satcomer, if you have an External HD, you want a BOOTABLE clone. Why? So when you do something stupid and/or you have problem with your primary drive/partition you can boot off the clone and simply fix from the clone. Heck, I have even used Disk Utilities and Disk Warrior from a clone. The "problem" is a clone is only as good as when you make it. So if you clone every night and decide to download that 487 GB of high quality Belgian balsa wood porn prior to cloning . . . guess what happens when you then decide to randomly delete parts of your system! You lose your data.

More seriously--I use SuperDuper but I believe CCC has the same function--after you fully clone your drive, you can do easy updates where the program simply updates any changes--less than about 10 minutes. THAT is very convenient.

This is not to "dis" Time Machine--I do not use it, but those who do a lot of work on programs which require a quick "wait . . . I did not mean to do that" enjoy it. The problem is that it is still not "Bootable."

So . . . when my Internal HD started dying, made sure the clone was updated, booted off the clone--continued to surf those Internal Review Pornography sites!--while I ordered my NEW HD.

This is a good thing!

--J.D.
 
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