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ArmandoWyo Author

Level 1

88 points

How to backup a 2nd computer to external HD?

I am finishing a process of changing my system of backups and storage. Have benefited from guidance of some previous posts.

Question regarding what I hope to be last step. How best to backup my primary computer (MacBook Pro, 13-inch, 2016, 11.4, 250GB, 206GB used) to a 4T LaCie 2Big NAS. The 2 Big is wired to router, as is an old iMac (20” 2008), which I still use to edit photos and backup 2 portable HDs, one to store original and edited photos and several Photos and iPhotos libraries and the other is exclusively to backup MBP and storage portable HD.

I’ve reformatted all 3 external HD to Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

I hope that’s comprehensible.

Since 2Big is a NAS, the backup of the MBP will be via network. But I can try it via wifi network. That would be using TM of MBP and adding 2Big to list of backup disks. I have backed up MBP occasionally to 2Big in this manner.

Occurs to me that I can also connect MBP to iMac and use its TM to try to backup to 2Big? Might be faster.

The back up to 2Big will a secondary backup, something I would do weekly or monthly. The MBP and storage HD are already backed up to the other portable. I want a secondary backup. I’ve had 2 external HD fail in last year, and lost a few years of photos on one that could not be rescued. And I don’t use or trust Cloud from bad past experiences.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.4

Posted on Jul 26, 2021 7:46 AM

Best reply

Tesserax

Level 10

148,865 points

Posted on Jul 26, 2021 8:11 AM

ArmandoWyo wrote:

Since 2Big is a NAS, the backup of the MBP will be via network. But I can try it via wifi network. That would be using TM of MBP and adding 2Big to list of backup disks. I have backed up MBP occasionally to 2Big in this manner.

... and that should still continue to work as you suspect, albeit a bit slow since your MBP is connected by wireless ... but still doable. I am assuming that your NAS supports TM backups. FWIW, I use a Synology NAS for this and it works great for TM.

Occurs to me that I can also connect MBP to iMac and use its TM to try to backup to 2Big?

Interesting idea, but I'm afraid that won't work. Just configure the iMac to use the NAS for TM.

The back up to 2Big will a secondary backup, something I would do weekly or monthly. The MBP and storage HD are already backed up to the other portable. I want a secondary backup. I’ve had 2 external HD fail in last year, and lost a few years of photos on one that could not be rescued.

Again, you should be "good to go" with this strategy. As you know, you can select multiple backup destinations for TM and the backups will go to each as needed.

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How to backup a 2nd computer to external HD?

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