My macbook pro (16 inch, 2019) has recently started being problematic. Main problems are that it gets very hot and also beachballs whenever I ask it do anything like Save, so that I have to force quit a lot and am unable to do simple tasks. Etrecheck report attached.
Your don't need a more expensive drive that is FAST to run Time Machine.
[in my opinion] your issues are likely to be a File System issue.
Once you have a Trusted, disk-based backup at hand, (and not before) you can run extensive Disk Repairs and rebuild the Spotlight index.
If the issues do not come clear, you may have to erase your boot drive (which deletes all your files) then re-install MacOS and restore your files from backup.
¿What is the date of your most recent file backup, and by what method?
You may need it soon.
Hey, thank you for the reply and the warning!
I don’t recall having done file back ups. I have some files in iCloud, some on OneDrive. I use Google Drive a lot. What’s the best way for me to do a file back up?
"On the cloud" is great for sharing photos, but is not a viable backup solution for everything you have. The stuff is not under your control, and is subject to sloppy handling, arbitrary changes in policy, theft, accidental deletion, data loss [are they making frequent backups using best practices?], and discontinuation or throttling of the service. It can easily take three days to restore it at ordinary Internet speeds.
If you do not have a recent local, disk-based backup, your computer is like a ticking Time bomb. You are only one disk failure, one mainboard failure, one crazy software, or one "oops" away from losing EVERYTHING! Drives do not last forever. It is not a question of IF it will fail, only WHEN it will fail. In addition, you never know when crazy software or Pilot Error throws away far more than you intended.
If you are using another direct-to-disk backup method that you prefer, and you currently have a recent disk-based backup, that is great. If not, you should consider using Built-in Time Machine. Take steps to acquire an external drive as soon as possible. If you buy one, a drive 2 to 3 times or larger than your the amount of data to be backed up is preferable for long term trouble-free operation. Do not pay extra for a drive that is fast. (You can get by for a while with a "found" smaller drive if necessary, but it will eventually become annoying).
Attach your external drive and use
Settings > General > Time machine ...
... to turn on Time Machine and specify what drive to store your Backups on. It may ask to initialize the new drive, and that is as expected. APFS format is default format if running MacOS 11 Big Sur or later.
Time machine works quietly and automatically in the background, without interrupting your regular work, and only saves the incremental changes (after the first full backup). Time machine backs up your machine — including every connected drive that is in a Mac compatible format. it can not back up Windows format drives.
Time Machine's "claim to fame" is that it is the backup that gets done. It does not ruin performance of the rest of the computer while doing its backup operations. You do not have to set aside a "Special Time" when you only do backups. When you need it, your Time machine Backup is much more likely to be there and be current.
How to use Time Machine to Backup or Restore your Mac:
Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support
Thanks again.
I'm buying an SSD today and will do the Time Machine backup.
I am assuming this won't resolve the issues I've been having with the Macbook. Do you have any other tips from the Etrecheck report that I can do to help it run more smoothly?
Thanks in advance
Macbook (2019) getting hot and beachballing
