When using TM with an external drive, can I connect and use it occasionally for backup and disconnect it between backups, say one backup per week? Or does it need to be connected all the time when the computer is on?
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
TimeMachine works better if it's nearly always connected.
For addtional backup like what your needing, consider a bootable clone in addition to TM.
TimeMachine works better if it's nearly always connected.
For addtional backup like what your needing, consider a bootable clone in addition to TM.
Agree with ds store. I use both; Time Machine on an external drive for permanent back up plus a portable HD which I top up once a month as cover.
I believe in a minimum of two back ups (there are too many potential problems to rely on one) and by making my secondary back up portable, I remove the possibility of total loss in the most dire situation.
"Better" is a relative term. What's better for some might not be for you. If it's an inconvenience to have one always connected or you're constantly mobile, the simple answer is "yes". It will work fine, just expect each individual backup to take longer as it has more content to transfer than if it's constantly connected to your machine.
tl;dr version:
It will work.
You make a good point, I think that ideally I need a permanently connected (USB, NAS) drive for immediate emergencies and a regular disconnected backup that I can remove from my mac or even my house.
My biggest fear is theft or fire and not failure.
By whatever means you lose your data, the situation can be dire. With computers, as in life, one should always beware the unexpected.
If using Time Machine with an external drive, can I just use it occasionally for back up, say once per week and have it disconnected in between backups?
