Please Help. Have not been able to back up with Time Machine since September.

rebsblack wrote:

Okay. I'm starting with the mail. Using Navigate - I still can't find the suspect file. Is this because it's hidden? Anyway to unhide it?

Oh, yes, sorry, I forgot that (Senior moment 😊 ).

You can do it with a Terminal command, but the (free) TinkerTool app, per #A3 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting is probably easier and safer.

But your main problem is the other one. As mentioned in the pink box of that link, if Disk Utility can't fix it, Disk Warrior may be able to. If not, or if you don't want to spend the money for it, you can erase the disk and restore from your backups. But I wouldn't do that without an extra backup -- that's why I asked if you have or can borrow another external HD.

rebsblack wrote:

Also - Disk Utility doesn't work. I may be able to borrow another external hard drive. What would I need to do with it?

Rats. 😟

(This came in after my previous post)

If you don't want to spend the $100 or so for Disk Warrior, your only other option is to erase and restore, assuming your internal HD is good.

Since you're running Leopard, your Mac must be at least 2 1/2 yeaars old. I'm assuming your internal HD is the one that came with it, so it may be beginning to fail. You might want to run this (if it's an Intel Mac): Intel-based Macs: Using Apple Hardware Test. (I'm not having any luck finding the instructions for a PPC Mac.)

I'd recommend making a separate backup of your system, with a different app (just in case there's a problem with either external HD or either backup app). You'll need as much space as the data on your internal HD, plus a minimum of 10%.

rebsblack wrote:

. . .

So if I erase the disk and restore from the backup I just made, that might not work? (Hence the other backup?) I'm just not sure that I can come up with one to borrow.

(we're crossing in the mail again)

It's a risk to erase your internal HD without being absolutely, positively, sure you can restore. The instant you click Erase on the internal, you only have one copy of everything. While it doesn't happen often, external HDs do fail on occasion while doing a restore; and backup apps fail now and then.

Is this something I can send to an ipod?

No. It must be an external HD.

I always recommend keeping "secondary" backups, but especially before performing major surgery, or if you're suspicious of your Mac or primary backups. Since your Mac is relatively old, (and your external may be, too) I'd recommend it even more strongly.

Unfortunately, prices have gone up lately due to parts shortages caused by the flooding in Thailand. The least expensive one I can find quickly from a reliable source is a 160 GB model for just under $100: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MEAQ7160GB8/

If you do get one, continue to make regular backups to it, in addition to your Time Machine backups. See Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #27 for some suggestions.

And - how does the erase and restore work? What do I need to do this?

That depends on whether you restore from your Time Machine backups, or make a "bootable clone" with a different app.

Now that I think about it for a minute, if your Mac is a PPC model, you should be able to run the Apple Hardware Test from one of the discs that came with your Mac. It's probably the second one, and will probably have "Apple Hardware Test" and instructions printed on it in very tiny type.

Get carbon copy cloner to make an exact copy of your old HD to the New one...

http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html

Or SuperDuper...

http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/

rebsblack wrote:

. . .

It's not the original drive. That crashed within 6 months of purchase and I lost all of my photos and documents. It was awful.

Ouch! Yes, I'll bet. 😟

So this one's about 3.5 years old.

I'd be a bit suspicious of it.

I do have an OSX Install Disc here that says "To use Apple Hardware Test, hold down the D key as the computer starts up." Does Intel Core Duo mean I have an Intel based though?

Yup, it's an Intel Mac. 🙂 Insert the disk, shut down, and start up while holding "D" to run the test. Write down any codes it displays.

And lastly - what is a bootable clone? I feel so dumb and in over my head here.

Not a problem -- the most knowledgeable person here (whoever that is) was a newbie once! 😉

A bootable clone is a different type of backup. It has some advantages and some disadvantages vs. Time Machine, but one advantage is, you can start and run your Mac from it, and everything will be just as it was on your internal HD, although things may run somewhat more slowly since access isn't as fast.

One more thing - making a separate backup with a different app.

Does this mean something other than time machine? And how does one go about it? Suggested apps.

Yes. Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #27 has some suggestions (the same ones as in BDAqua's post). For one-time use, you can make one with the Restore tab of Disk Utility.

They're all a bit different, but pretty easy. To use the Restore tab of Disk Utility, see #7 in Using Disk Utility. For this purpose, start up from your Install disc (per the yellow box).

Once the "clone" has been made, you can start up from it by starting up while holding down the Option key. That will produce a display of all possible start up sources, something like this:

See Startup Manager: How to select a startup volume for details.

You can also use System Preferences > Startup Disk.

rebsblack wrote:

Okay. Just finished the hardware test AND the extended hardware test. And NO ISSUES were found. What does this mean? Is everything okay then with my hard drive?

Ah, good! Yes, it's probably ok, for now at least.

There's really not much predicting it -- one other thing you might check is the S.M.A.R.T. status. Select the top level of the drive in Disk Utility, and see what's shown at the lower right:

And - if I make a back up with the "Restore" tab of Disk Utility, would I then still need the second hard drive? From the articles, it looks like I can use a partition on my current external hard drive. Would this work/be advisable?

If there's room, that would be better than no second backup at all, but if the external fails before you get things restored . . . you risk losing everything . . . again. 😟

If I can in fact add a partition and make a clone - assuming I can figure it out from the articles which have been pretty straight forward thus far....I then just erase? I have an OSX Leopard DVD here that came with the computer.

To make the partition, see #3 in Using Disk Utility.

I'd start up from the clone first, just to be sure everything's there and working.

Then start from the Leopard Install Disc again and use Disk Utility to erase the internal HD. It might be worth taking the extra time to select Security Options, then Zero-Out Disk, as an added check that it's ok. Then re-clone from the external back to it.

Is this what you would recommend at this point since the hardware finds no errors?

I would strongly recommend getting a second external HD for the clone. Once this is sorted out, use either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to make "secondary" backups regularly. I'd recommend that with a brand-new Mac and a brand-new external HD, but even more with a 3.5 year old internal HD and apparently a similar age external with your TM backups.

If you'd like to read one of the near-horror stories of a backup drive failing at the wrong time: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3580804

Or is this too drastic? Could it be something less major since all hardware passes the test?

No, as BDAqua and I already pointed out, the only other option is a gamble that spending $100 or so on DiskWarrior might fix the problem. It's probably a good investment for the future (all upgrades are free), but you can get a second external HD for a similar amount. Your call, of course.

THANK YOU AGAIN for your patience with me!!!

We were all newbies once. 😉

rebsblack wrote:

I'm already lost looking at Carbon Copy Cloner.

It's really fairly simple -- just select the Source (your internal HD) and Destination (the external). For this purpose, you won't need to "customize" the settings or schedule the task.

And the Help is pretty clear and complete (unlike Time Machine's, I'm sorry to say 😟).

No idea if my drive is formatted for this.

Probably.

Click the top line for the drive in Disk Utility. Towards the lower right it should show GUID or GPT after Partition Map Scheme.

Then click the Saved Files partition in the sidebar (indented). The Format towards the lower left should be Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

I do have 2 partitions - Time Machine and Saved Files. Can I make a "clone" to the Saved Files partition on the same hard drive?

If there's enough free space and it's set up properly, as above. You said there's 96 GB used on your internal, so you might be able to squeeze by with 100 GB, but really should have at least 110 GB.