Best method for backing up macbook air?

There are a lot of ways to back up your Mac, but the one that is sufficient for most of users is Time Machine > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427

You just need to get an external drive and set up Time Machine following the steps of the link above. Time Machine will make automatic, hourly backups, so you won't have to worry about making them yourself. If you want to modify the frequency when backups are created, you can use an application like TimeMachineEditor.

Other options are Carbon Copy Cloner, SuperDuper or Disk Utility's Restore feature. The main advantage of these methods is that they create a bootable clone, so you can start up your MacBook from them if the hard drive failed, or if you want to restore your files onto a new hard disk.

If you want more infomration, visit Pondini's website > http://pondini.org

If you are interested in history included: Timemachine (needs a lot more space, non bootable).

If you are not interested in history: CarbonCopy Cloner (same size as main disk, bootable).

bootable CLONE of entire drive, .... free superduper program.

easy backup ,....... time machine to external USB hard drive.

BEST backup, .......backup your system either way above, but make a SEPERATE copy in a diff file or hard drive of your personal / working files (pics, documents, etc etc etc).

most pros consider ---"back it ALL up" as one thing.....and "backing up (constantly in a diff location than system backup) PERSONAL / WORK files" as another thing

Its easier to work with and find things, and restore (and safer for work one might spend countless hours making) 2 diff ways .......

1. all system -----(everything cloned one or two or three times a year)

2. all working files / work / personal/ banking/ pictures / etc.---- (updated daily, weekly, etc ...)

2 copies is 1, and 1 is none

PlotinusVeritas, I don't recommend to use SuperDuper. It doesn't make a clone of Recovery HD, and this will give problems to the OP if he/she wants to reinstall OS X or turn on Find my Mac because they need Recovery HD. In the case of reinstalling OS X, Internet Recovery may work, but it will reinstall the original OS X version, He/she will have to do additional steps, so it's not recommended to use that app. Carbon Copy Cloner is better, even if you have to pay

Yes, this i know, Since I have nearly 100 HD laying around, when I clone my system, its bootable, and the second HD becomes the defacto recovery

at the very worst, you can reload the OS online. But yes, youre correct, but Superduper is FREE, and CCC surely isnt.

as a "clone it all" option, Superduper is great for HD upgrading and emergency backup for laptop HD. Since laptops HD are prone to failure (not SSD as in the AIR), keeping a cloned backup is a great idea.

But yes, your right, ......I consider a second cloned HD a "recovery HD", ......but not in the sense you imply....... 😉

An ERROR that both superduper and CCC make in a CLONE, however, is they write the BOOT FILES in a diff. location, so if you install the replacement HD after a crash, it will (not 1st time which is always slow) cause slightly slower startup from poweron.......in which case you have to reinstall the OS on the CLONE...........that IS if you care that much about a few extra seconds boot time on your replacement cloned HD.

But LION and MOUNTAIN LION systems *also* have "Network Recovery", which can download and install without a recovery volume.

One thing I didn't see in the replies is that no backup is worth anything until it is tested by restoring some data from the backup. That is the most critcal part of any backup plan and the one most often forgotten.

Allan

Too true, ....when I make a clone of my HD (macpro and Mac mini) , i go in system preferences, and BOOT from the clone attached via USB or HD dock and check it out fully make sure its A-OK

then take the "emergency clone" and shove it in the fireproof safe for in case when (always consider not IF, but WHEN) I need it.

Hmmm... how do you know CCC and SD don't set up the boot correctly? Why do you think it is slower? Can you explain?

I guess you could do an erase restore from the internet and then migrate from the CCC or SD external drive.

Oh,I know it IS slower, ....if you research it, its a known fact that the SD clone sticks the boot files in "not in the same" access sectors as the original. Ultimately I recall the average is something like 2+ seconds longer poweron and nearly nobody ever notices it. There are several threads online from "OS gods" speaking to this issue, which to me really is not an issue at all, especially if youre replacing a MAC 5400 RPM with a 7200 RPM HD

I would no longer follow this discussion if I were you: it is no longer about your question.

Plotinus is lost in another discussion altogether.

The question you asked is answered by the first two responses.

😁