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Level 1

15 points

How to back up Files on Disk Utility

My Mac Book Pro doesn't start. when I press the start button It chimes, apple logo, line loading and turns off. Once and again. I tried the Comand-option-P-R and nothing. Tried a lot of tricks I found online and nothing. Finally -And Im not sure how, I think it was the Comand-R opened the Disk Utility and could hit the repair the disk, It said that It couldn't repair -I have almost full capacity 499GB used- but cant remove files since I cant start the computer. Disk Utility told me to Back up Files and Restore -meaning it will wipe out the data, but i will have it on my back up- How do I back up using external hard drive. Thanks for any help.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Dec 1, 2014 5:08 PM

18 replies

obarillas Author

Level 1

15 points

Dec 14, 2014 4:38 PM in response to Kappy

A couple of things I dont get. 1- If I have the copy on the external, do i need to have it connected to the laptop if Im gonna wipe out my lap top? And How do i wipe out my lap top, should i do it from disk option (erase or restore options) or from when I open the lap top and it shows me the back up from time machine, etc ? - 2- I tried connecting the external hard drive to my old lap top. Then option-key before start to try to boot the computer from the external.. It showed me not one but 2 icons from the external, i tried both and they neither open. Is there a way I can be sure I have all the data from my crashed lap top on the external hard drive? I mean I can open the files and I see IPhotos and Itunes, downloads, etc. but I havent been able to physically see them.

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 14, 2014 6:22 PM in response to obarillas

If you don't boot from the backup, then how were you planning to boot the computer so you could repartition and format the internal drive?

I'm sorry, but I can't help you with the backup itself on the external drive. If you can see your files there, then the backup should be OK. I suppose that on the external drive you have a clone of your internal drive's Macintosh HD and another that is the Recovery HD. As for using your backup that is another matter. If you cannot boot from either of the partitions on the backup drive, then the originals must have been damaged. Using your data, however, will require you to boot the compute, install a working OS X, then transfer your files over so you can test if they are intact.

Do you know exactly which MBP model you have?

glenesha

Level 1

0 points

Jan 2, 2015 12:18 PM in response to Kappy

Sorry to bother you but I am doing a similar thing as above and need help.

So I followed the steps you mentioned. Source: Macintosh HD ... Destination: My Passport for Mac. It asked me if I wanted to erase the content on My passport for mac and I said yes. But then it says "Restore Failure: Source volume is read/write only and cannot be unmounted, so it can't be block copied". What does that mean?

How to back up Files on Disk Utility