I have been using SuperDuper set to back up daily on an additional internal HD. It is bootable and runs during other operations. Great program. I have ordered Leopard and will use Time Machine (on a third internal HD) for stuff that my daily SD backup might miss. If this sounds like belt and braces, it probably is!. but isn’t technology wonderful.

While Time Machine can work in any application that manages files or data, it has very interesting implications for the Finder. While much has been celebrated and lamented about the spatial metaphor in the Mac Finder, Leopard will bring a temporal dimension to the table. What separates TM from other approaches to backup is that it presents the user with a view of their entire filesystem as it was during a particular day or week in the past. It’s utterly brilliant.

I’ve been using Apple Backup with regularly scheduled daily, weekly, and monthly backups, depending on the file type. I recently set up SuperDuper to create a clone of my laptop drive on a small external drive that I had lying around so I can have a fallback in case Friday’s Leopard upgrade goes wrong (which I’m 99% certain it won’t).

I’m very much looking forward to giving Time Machine a try.

I have the same thoughts/reservations about TM as the previous poster. I use my main machine for recording audio, consequently anything that might use up a lot of CPU power and cause sudden spikes would not be welcome. However, if it is possible to programme TM to do back-ups at specified times, it might be a great tool. Otherwise, I’ll stick with SuperDuper, which works very well.

This is the typical question that won’t be answered until Leopard is out and folks have a chance to put it through its paces, just as we will.

Peace,
Gene

One question that I have not seen answered on Apple’s website:

Will TM work to back up ALL users on a machine while the machine is turned on, but nobody’s logged in?

Or does it require a logged in user to work, like all the rest?

I have the same thoughts/reservations about TM as the previous poster. I use my main machine for recording audio, consequently anything that might use up a lot of CPU power and cause sudden spikes would not be welcome. However, if it is possible to programme TM to do back-ups at specified times, it might be a great tool. Otherwise, I’ll stick with SuperDuper, which works very well.

For years I’ve used a satisfactory backup program and there are several questions I need to have answered before I toss it and switch to Time Machine. Some questions: a.) it doesn’t seem to be bootable, but if you use the Leopard install disk there is supposedly a “backup system from Time Machine” option. So I’ve read, but I’m not clear whether this works only with Mac A, or whether if (say) Mac A has been stolen or destroyed, it works equally well in restoring your data on Mac B, which may be a different model requiring a differently optimized system — i.e., how easy will it be to back up my data to a freshly-installed OS?; b.) does it work over a wireless network? Apple said it would, but has recently removed that promise from its Web site, so what’s the real deal?; c.) I have a 250gb external disk, exactly how soon will Time Machine fill it up? And once it has, is it going to ask for me to give it permission to toss old versions each and every time it performs a backup? That could get tiresome real fast. d.) When it performs its hourly routine, is it going to affect my Mac’s performance while it’s doing its thing in the background? (I suspect I might be happier if I could set it to perform backups at intervals of my own choosing rather than the factory-set 1 hour) e.) how easy is it going to be using T. M. to back up my Mac and also my wife’s down the hall? If the answers to these questions keep me happy, I’ll probably switch over to it. Otherwise I can very happily keep what I have now.

Currently I use SuperDuper! twice a week, making a “Wednesday” and a “Sunday” backup. This way, if my midweek backup fails, I still have the weekend backup as a fallback – OK, so I may have lost a week’s work, but I’m no longer active in all directions on umpteen projects, so I think I can live with that (If I ever have to use one of my backups, I’ll know for sure!). Come Leopard I will go back to using an “old” (too small to hold two backups, so it got “retired” when I acquired a 250GB HD Mac!) externall drive for TimeMachine, and continue to run my bi-weekly backup. Overkill? Maybe, but old habits die hard – I still remember using 35mm mag tape at work.

yes sounds like that is a possible solution for us laptop users

exactly… I was just brain storming.. but what do u know of any sort of wireless backup like i suggested.. beat that is just a nutting dream of mine too ?

Are you referring to, perhaps, the latest AirPort Extreme with its USB network drive feature?

Peace,
Gene

exactly… I was just brain storming.. but what do u know of any sort of wireless backup like i suggested.. beat that is just a nutting dream of mine too ?

Yes . Superduper.. fast and simple and i can boot off it if my system hard drive dies. Biggest issue i see is that Laptops are now so popular that an external drive has to be plugged in to backup too.. If people have to think or remember to do this then I don’t see it happening very often if ever.. Not sure the solution for laptop owners. Is there such a thing as wireless backup to an external drive in your house. It see your Laptop as you walk in the home/office wirelessly and then goes or better chek this and backup if it has changed.. hows that for an idea? maybe it exists , I don’t know. Then again someone has to think about this and set it up.. MAybe all laptops should come with a built in second drive for backups only.. yeah right as if that will ever happen.

Not to rain on your parade, but where would you put that second drive?

Peace,
Gene

Yes . Superduper.. fast and simple and i can boot off it if my system hard drive dies. Biggest issue i see is that Laptops are now so popular that an external drive has to be plugged in to backup too.. If people have to think or remember to do this then I don’t see it happening very often if ever.. Not sure the solution for laptop owners. Is there such a thing as wireless backup to an external drive in your house. It see your Laptop as you walk in the home/office wirelessly and then goes or better chek this and backup if it has changed.. hows that for an idea? maybe it exists , I don’t know. Then again someone has to think about this and set it up.. Maybe all laptops should come with a built in second drive for backups only.. yeah right as if that will ever happen.