Roundhere

Q: Back up first for upgrade 10.6.8 to latest

I want to back up my OS and music to an external hardrive usb.

 

i asked a similar question a month or so ago but a few things have changed.

 

here are the specifics of what I'd like to accomplish and need advice please.

 

1. I have an external usb hardrive. I want to back up the OS (10.6.8) and music (iTunes) on the external hardrive.

i Only want to backup in case the update to el capitan does not run smoothly. I am trying to install on the very last minimally required iMac ....so this is risky but just meets apples requirements. Mid 2007 iMac with 4ghz ram.

 

2. Will time machine back up 10.6.8 and iTunes via time machine? I don't want to have to purchase cloning software at this time if time machine will back upnmy OS and iTunes music.

 

3. Should I wipe the iMac after backing up and before attempting to upgrade to el capIran? Or keep the OS as is and try to upgrade from 10.6.8 to el capitan.?

 

4. Can someone send me the exact Apple link to el capitan. The exact version I need when updating from 10.6.8 to el capitan

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jan 31, 2016 2:47 PM

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Q: Back up first for upgrade 10.6.8 to latest

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  • by Roundhere,

    Roundhere Roundhere Feb 3, 2016 9:51 PM in response to Roundhere
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    Feb 3, 2016 9:51 PM in response to Roundhere

    image.jpg

  • by Roundhere,

    Roundhere Roundhere Feb 3, 2016 10:01 PM in response to Roundhere
    Level 1 (4 points)
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    Feb 3, 2016 10:01 PM in response to Roundhere

    sorry for all the pictures but I was hoping to show what is confusing for me. The same name of the hardrive is the same name as one of the partitions...in my case ...partition one is the same name as the entire 3 partitions. This could be why I am confusing TM's options to exclude or include a backup.  This had to be user error on my part and a very simple concept I am not understanding in originally naming the hardrive and partitioning it. ...non the less I'm still trying to simply back up 2 separate OS versions on different partitions of the same external hardrive. I will eventually never use the same hardrive for this purpose again. I will only use one hardrive per OS and a bootable clone at that...

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Feb 3, 2016 10:07 PM in response to Roundhere
    Level 7 (32,103 points)
    iPad
    Feb 3, 2016 10:07 PM in response to Roundhere

    Okay, on the second screenshot - the message is clear to me: yes, you want to stop backing up to 10.6.8 (you said you had the backup and wanted to keep it that way, right?) and backup to 10.11.

     

    As for the first screenshot - it's the window that lets you decide what to exclude from backups; what's very clear is that you want to exclude your "storage" (unless you want TM to back that up too). Obviously you don't want to exclude 10.11 as that is what you want to back up. Frankly, I do not know why the 10.6.8 is greyed out.

     

    My guess is that TM is still "thinking" 10.6.8; before doing anything, make sure that is still there. I'd take off the 10.11 from the exclusion list and make sure to pick that partition to direct TM to back up to.

     

    Edit: I was about to hit the reply button when I saw your last screenshot. As I said I don't use TM, so you may have to disregard everything I said here. TM obviously thinks that this is "the" disk - can you hit Select Disk and choose your 10.11 partition?

  • by Roundhere,

    Roundhere Roundhere Feb 3, 2016 10:58 PM in response to babowa
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    Feb 3, 2016 10:58 PM in response to babowa

    I can't choose just 10.11.3 or I wouldn't hesitate. Glad I put that last screenshot in the discussion.

    Yes I agree I probably would be best off purchasing cloning software and avoid apples TM. I was hoping otherwise.

    oh well ....I may try to clear some old HD space ...put 10.6.8 on it.

    Hopefully I'll never need to use it as a backup anyway.

    Then I'll use my recently purchased external HD and just backup 10.11.3. It's a shame that I can't just backup a temporary safekeeping of 2 OS's for a few weeks until I can afford another external hardrive. Seems apple (mac) TM needs a further update more than I needed an OS update. this is either an oversight on apple (mac) part or user error on my part. I usually side with the latter but in this case I'm not clear. There's no way to tell without clicking and risk loosing an older but reliable Apple/ mac version of 10.6.8. thank you for going the distance trying to help figure this out.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Feb 3, 2016 11:06 PM in response to Roundhere
    Level 7 (32,103 points)
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    Feb 3, 2016 11:06 PM in response to Roundhere

    Sorry I can't be of more help with TM. You can use SuperDuper for free (the free version will back up an entire system, can't do incremental backups so you'd have to do a new one every time); CarbonCopyCloner now costs money (I bought it when it was still donation ware).

  • by Roundhere,

    Roundhere Roundhere Feb 3, 2016 11:18 PM in response to babowa
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    Feb 3, 2016 11:18 PM in response to babowa

    Thank you and I don't mean to sound lazy but isn't super duper just a free (trial) version ? That's ok if it is ...that will do since I'm just doing a one time backup not incremental at this point in time. Don't feel obliged to answer and a HUGE thank you for all your help!!! You've been stellar and very nice to say the least!

  • by Acm001,

    Acm001 Acm001 Feb 4, 2016 6:35 AM in response to Roundhere
    Level 3 (623 points)
    iPhone
    Feb 4, 2016 6:35 AM in response to Roundhere

    To hopefully clear up your questions about time machine. You could have simply continued with the same hard drive as one partition. After installing 10.11 time machine would then do a complete backup of the new os. The previous os is still saved and you could restore back to it if you wish. When you enter time machine to restore it lists all the restore points it has created and what os was running when it was created. You could as you have done create a new partition and then backup the new os to that one - when asked do you want to use the new partition just choose it. I think you have over thought the process and complicated it much more then needed. The names you've given the partition and drives is also not helping. If you wish to continue with the 2 partitions i suggest you change the names to some thing like TM-10.6 & TM-10.11

    Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple Support

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Feb 4, 2016 8:28 AM in response to Acm001
    Level 7 (32,103 points)
    iPad
    Feb 4, 2016 8:28 AM in response to Acm001

    Just for my own clarification: if you have just one partition and you already have a backup of 10.6.8, and then use it to back up 10.11, 10.6.8 will - at some point - be deleted - correct? Since TM deletes the oldest backup when it starts to run out of space, it's not recommended to have anything but TM on a volume:

     

    see # 3 here:

     

    http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

     

    So, if I were to use it, I would not mix two different TM backups on one volume as I could not depend on being able to depend on it. As well, since the OP wants to keep 10.6.8 in case they need it later, it is best to have it separated to be able to retrieve it (as a matter of fact, in order to boot from the 10.6.8, they need to have a clone as TM is not bootable).

  • by Acm001,

    Acm001 Acm001 Feb 4, 2016 8:45 AM in response to babowa
    Level 3 (623 points)
    iPhone
    Feb 4, 2016 8:45 AM in response to babowa

    Yes it will start to delete the oldest restore points to make room but it does warn you. Thats why you should have a hard drive thats at least 2x as big 4x if you do any video or photo editing. If the OP wanted to save or archive his old os time machine i would recommend getting  a new disk for the newest os and just putting away the old one. He could create a clone if he wanted with the old disk as well. I have time machine setup put also copy the really important stuff to another hard drive as well. Best to always have more than just 1 backup. I just see that he was really getting himself sort of mixed up.

  • by Roundhere,

    Roundhere Roundhere Feb 5, 2016 11:19 PM in response to Acm001
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    Feb 5, 2016 11:19 PM in response to Acm001

    Using TM I was able to create a back up 10.6.8 on a USB external hard drive. If my main hardrive fails I will not be able to use my 10.6.8 backup as it is not bootable?. Is there a way to either create a bootable version out of the USB TM backup or is there another method to restore the OS without a bootable clone?

    II'm more confused than ever...I will be eventually buying CCC or super duper to create bootable clones but what would I do with the TM backup if something happened before I was able to buy those 3rd party software?

    Also I was never able to understand about the TM backup on another partition because it's not clear if I will be replacing 10.6.8 with 10.11.3. It's not that straightforward ...but I'd say the first knowing if and how I'd restore the OS without a bootable clone and just TM backup is even more important to know? Thanks

  • by Roundhere,

    Roundhere Roundhere Feb 5, 2016 11:32 PM in response to Roundhere
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    Feb 5, 2016 11:32 PM in response to Roundhere

    even though TM option gives the options to select partition 2....when I select options and 10.6.8 is greyed out TM still asks if I want to replace 10.6.8 with 10.11.3 even though it's on a different partition. I also use the option to exclude partition 1 where 10.6.8 is on. It's greyed out and shouldn't say anything about partition 1 since I'm trying to exclude it ...if this external HD wasn't 2 TB I don't think id try to do this but I wanted to just backup for now. Seems even if I backup without it being bootable it's useless ???

  • by Roundhere,

    Roundhere Roundhere Feb 6, 2016 1:25 AM in response to Roundhere
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    Feb 6, 2016 1:25 AM in response to Roundhere

    Regarding my last post...yes I read backups made with TM  can be used to restore ...the os ...still dont know how to ignore the 10.6.8 backup on same ext drive and use partition 2 for backup 10.11.3 with TM. don't have another 60 bucks currently

  • by Acm001,

    Acm001 Acm001 Feb 6, 2016 5:44 AM in response to Roundhere
    Level 3 (623 points)
    iPhone
    Feb 6, 2016 5:44 AM in response to Roundhere

    Forget about the bootable clones mentioned in the other posts. They are a totally different way of backing up your mac and have nothing to do with time machine.

    1 - You can use the time machine backup on the drive to restore your mac back to 10.6 if you wish.

    2 - Since you want to use a different partition for 10.11 it is normal for it to ask you if you want to use 10.11 - thats what you want to do.

    3 - The partition with 10.6 will be excluded because it has a time machine backup on it already.

    4 - One last time forget about the bootable clones they are a totally different form of backup.

     

    You have one drive that was used for time machine 10.6

    You upgrade to 10.11

    You partition the drive into 2

    You leave partition 1 with the 10.6 time machine alone - in a sense archive it.

    You select the second partition for 10.11 time machine and let time machine do its thing

     

    Time machine will backup and you will be good to go.

     

    Hope this helps. Just don't over think things time machine will do its thing.

  • by Roundhere,

    Roundhere Roundhere Feb 6, 2016 6:24 AM in response to Acm001
    Level 1 (4 points)
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    Feb 6, 2016 6:24 AM in response to Acm001

    Thanks, but why does time machine ask if I want to replace 10.6.8 with 11.3.1? I don't want to replace. I'm assuming it asking that because it knows that 10.6.8 is greyed out and not an option?

    I can't afford to lose my backup of 10.6.8 as I've already upgraded to 10.11.3 and can't no longer re-do a backup. I'm considering 1rst copying that 10.6.8 backup elsewhere and then drag it back to the original ext drive destination where I originally plan to keep both different os versions for now . Keeping two backups and also testing the theory if TM will mess with 10.6.8 as it says it will replace it?. Thoughts? I realize I may be over thinking this but if anyone else has tried what I'm doing ( 2 different os on the same external non bootable ...let me know what happened when TM asked the question do you want to replace os versions ...also keep in mind I have a partitioned ext backup drive...thank you and sorry for the confusion

  • by Acm001,

    Acm001 Acm001 Feb 6, 2016 6:51 AM in response to Roundhere
    Level 3 (623 points)
    iPhone
    Feb 6, 2016 6:51 AM in response to Roundhere

    Its asking you if you want to stop using 10.6.8 and instead use 10.11.3 for time machine which is exactly what you want. It doesnt mess with 10.6.8 just stops using it. You can copy the backup to another hard drive if you wish not a bad idea. Many people have done this including myself with no issues.

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