Q: Since upgrading to Yosemite Time Machine no longer notifies me to back up. I have called Apple innumerable times on this issue and have sent them data from my computer that they asked for. That was at least 6-8 months ago. Still no fix.

Time Machine backs up automatically each hour. There is no need for a notification.

Might I suggest rethinking your backup strategy. You can use a free utility like TimeMachineEditor 4.2.1 to configure a different backup time period. Get a second drive equal in size to your Time Machine drive. Periodically, like once per week or per month, use Disk Utility to make a clone of the Time Machine drive to this second drive. Then store the clone in your "safe location." If that isn't off-premises, then get a fire-proof safe for storage.

You can never have too many backups.

Clone using Restore Option of Disk Utility

  1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.

  2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.

  3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.

  4. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag

       it to the Destination entry field.

  5. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to

      the Source entry field.

  6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.

Destination means the second backup drive. Source means the Time Machine backup drive.

I would go one step further. Use a third drive to make a bootable clone of your computer's startup drive. Then use third-party backup software to make incremental updates to that clone.

Clone Yosemite, Mavericks, Lion/Mountain Lion using Restore Option of Disk Utility

Boot to the Recovery HD:

Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.

     1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu then press the Continue

         button.

     2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.

     3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.

     4. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it

         to the Destination entry field.

     5. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to

         the Source entry field.

     6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.

Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.

Suggested Backup Software

  1. Carbon Copy Cloner

  2. Get Backup

  3. Deja Vu

  4. SuperDuper!

  5. Synk Pro

  6. Tri-Backup

Others may be found at MacUpdate.

Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on backup and restore.  Also read How to Back Up and Restore Your Files.

you do realise that you are not speaking to anyone from Apple here.

and do you really need to be reminded to backup.

you could set up an Alert in Calendar or Reminders, set it to repeat once a week perhaps

i am forgetful to.

good luck

You are correct as long as you didn't exclude anything from the backup.

poetman wrote:

 

Hi Kappy

 

Thanks for your reply. Yes, that is true if you always have it connected but for years after I run a back up I remove it to another location because if my computer is stolen or I have a fire I will still have a full system back up that I can restore. Time Machine about every 2-3 weeks Kappy when my external drive was disconnected (stored elsewhere) would remind me automatically to back up. Once I upgraded to Yosemite it no longer does this even though Apple says it is still supposed to. Thanks

As I understand it Yosemite will create time machine backups (what changed) on your hard drive when your time machine drive is not connected - and when you connect it it will transfer them to the backup about the only time it would possibly warn you is if the hard drive is getting full. 

One option for you would be to either backup your User Library or your full system once a week.  I have time machine on one drive - and I have a WD passport that will currently fit 3 backups of my User Library -- pictures etc.

The local snapshot are only for portables.

Local Snapshots on Portable Macs

Eric Root wrote:

 

The local snapshot are only for portables.

 

Local Snapshots on Portable Macs

From Apples on-line documentation

Local snapshots complement regular Time Machine backups that are stored on your external disk or Time Capsule by creating a local backup on your startup disk when your normal backup drive is not available. This provides you with a "safety net" for times when you might be away from your external backup disk or Time Capsule but accidentally delete a file. When your normal backup is available again, Time Machine copies the local snapshot contents from your startup disk to your normal backup drive.

On Mac notebook computers, local snapshots are automatically enabled when you turn on Time Machine.A single daily snapshot is saved for every 24 hours, counting from the time you start or restart your computer. Similarly, a single weekly snapshot is saved for one week. If you want Time Machine to stop saving local snapshots, open Time Machine preferences and slide the switch to Off. Snapshots resume when you turn Time Machine back on.

Note: The Time Machine status in the menu bar does not change when a local snapshot is created or modified.