Setting up 2TB Time Capsule for backups only.

Thanks Bob,,

I have left it on, but every time I check, it has gone to a swirling screen shot, so I am unable to see where it is in the download process. I have just left it and hope that it continues to download, as at 91GB it will take some time to download. I have told my system to Never logout automatically.

I appreciate the help I have received from you and Palangue

Bill

Hi,

Thanks for your very considerable help. Just checked, having left the iMac on all night, and it says latest backup was 7.11am and next one scheduled for 8.07am. The earliest backup was February 2014. My iMac is a 27" 5K Retina late 2014 and I am running MacOS Catalina version 10.15.3.

Bill

So you do have backup and internet at the same time? Yes

Don't forget the alternative setup I mentioned using Powerline adapters. These are very popular in UK with a lot of old brick houses being difficult to wire for ethernet.

I have recently moved to a new build, and my broadband speed is pretty good, so I have done away with Powerlines as my wife does not want the clutter. I have also been told that the use of Powerlines, reduces the overall speed. Not anxious to do that. Finally, there is a cost associated with this, which I do not have to incur if I can make the TC work.

Bill

Hi,

sorry to be a pain, but I would like to pick your brains. You said “Buy a USB external drive. (You could also buy thunderbolt or if your iMac is old Firewire but any iMac since 2012 or 2013 will be USB3 and that is the cheapest by far).

You can buy them already formatted for Mac .. I suggest drives of around 2TB for 2.5" portable type and 4TB for 3.5" desktop type (come with power supply). I use HGST Touro. Others use WD or Seagate or LaCie.. makes little difference. You can see the hgst drive in the Finder screenshot above.. I use a 3.5" 4TB one which is partitioned into two parts and I run Time Machine to one partition and Carbon Copy Cloner to the other due to Time Machine really being unreliable now. “

1) Can you tell me why They are easier to operate than the TC?

2) Do they use Time Machine in the same way as the TC?

3) How do I ensure that the USB drive is already formatted for my late 2014 iMac running OS Catalina

4) Could you send me, say an Amazon UK link that matches your criteria? I have looked myself but nothing leaps out that meets your spec. This link would also enable me to see what the USB looks like.

if I am abusing your good nature, just tell me.

Bill

Thanks for your very comprehensive and helpful response. If I have understood correctly, there appears to be two issues:-

1) if the USB solution does not use Time Machine, does it still back up incrementally and is it easy to recover data from it? On Time Machine you can recover an individual file. Can you with USB?

2) is it easy to format the USB using Disk Utility?

Bill

Thanks Bob, that does not seem too onerous, but how do you tell the computer to backup to the USB, if you do not use Time Machine, and how can you restore. Time machine ( when it works ) allows you to recover a specific file from a specific day. I suspect that the USB methodology, does not allow this, but I live in hope that you say it does.

Bill

Screenshot of Airport Utility missing. How do I attach. Image insertion does not work and the paperclip says wrong URL.

LaPastenague/Bob,

Thanks for your very helpful replies. I will work through your suggested changes tomorrow. It seems that I may have ‘fluked’ it!

Bill