Every time I use my SuperDuper app to backup to my external drives I get the pesky "do you want to use Time Machine to backup to that drive?" I say "Don't Use," but it never "remembers" and asks everytime I do a backup. Is there any way to convince it I really don't want to use it!
Powermac G5, Macbook, Mac Mini, G4, Mac OS X (10.7.1)
When you decline a prompt from Time Machine to use a volume as a backup destination, an invisible, empty marker file named ".com.apple.timemachine.donotpresent" is written to the top level of the volume. If that file is deleted (for example, because the volume has been erased or cleaned up somehow) or if it can't be written at all (for example, because the volume is in Windows NTFS format), then you'll be prompted again the next time the volume is mounted.
If you can't determine why the marker file is being deleted or you can't do anything about it, you have the option of disabling all automatic prompts to adopt a backup volume.
Back up all data before proceeding.
These instructions must be carried out as an administrator. If you have only one user account, you are the administrator.
Please triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine DoNotOfferNewDisksForBackup -bool YES
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.
Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.
Paste into the Terminal window by pressing the key combination command-V. I've tested these instructions only with the Safari web browser. If you use another browser, you may have to press the return key after pasting. You'll be prompted for your login password. Nothing will be displayed when you type it. Type carefully and then press return. If you don’t have a login password, you’ll need to set one before you can run the command. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. Confirm. You don't need to post the warning.
If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator. Log in as one and start over.
Wait for a new line ending in a dollar sign ($) to appear below what you entered. You can then quit Terminal. The change will take effect the next time you restart the computer.
To revert the change, enter the following command in the same way:
sudo defaults delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine DoNotOfferNewDisksForBackup
When you decline a prompt from Time Machine to use a volume as a backup destination, an invisible, empty marker file named ".com.apple.timemachine.donotpresent" is written to the top level of the volume. If that file is deleted (for example, because the volume has been erased or cleaned up somehow) or if it can't be written at all (for example, because the volume is in Windows NTFS format), then you'll be prompted again the next time the volume is mounted.
If you can't determine why the marker file is being deleted or you can't do anything about it, you have the option of disabling all automatic prompts to adopt a backup volume.
Back up all data before proceeding.
These instructions must be carried out as an administrator. If you have only one user account, you are the administrator.
Please triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine DoNotOfferNewDisksForBackup -bool YES
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.
Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.
Paste into the Terminal window by pressing the key combination command-V. I've tested these instructions only with the Safari web browser. If you use another browser, you may have to press the return key after pasting. You'll be prompted for your login password. Nothing will be displayed when you type it. Type carefully and then press return. If you don’t have a login password, you’ll need to set one before you can run the command. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. Confirm. You don't need to post the warning.
If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator. Log in as one and start over.
Wait for a new line ending in a dollar sign ($) to appear below what you entered. You can then quit Terminal. The change will take effect the next time you restart the computer.
To revert the change, enter the following command in the same way:
sudo defaults delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine DoNotOfferNewDisksForBackup
How to stop Time Machine from constantly asking do I want to use it.
