Can anyone tell me how to change the interval that Time Machine creates backups on an IMac running IOS 10.11.4? The default is too frequent and slows the imac to a crawl.
thanks
Bill Barron
iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), Time Machine scheduling
You can turn off TM and make your backups manually.But TM shouldn't interfere or slow down your Mac.
Please download and run EtreCheck, created by one of own helpers here in ASC. It is a diagnostic tool that's very useful to us in finding problems. Also it will give us further specs on your Mac. After it runs post the log file here. It will contain no personal information
I never experienced that Time Machine slowed down my MacBook. And the hourly backup process never takes very long.
I am using a Seagate BackupPlus formatted for Mac for my Time Machine.
I just turned it off and suggested by MacJack and the performance of my machine improved dramatically.
Another thought: I am using Dropbox as my principal working folder. Perhaps the connection between Time Machine and Dropbox is what is slowing things down.
If I could configure the backup to run each evening that would be great.
How long does it take when Time Machine does the hourly backup?
Dropbox should not be a problem, as Time Machine is only backing up the files you have on your computer. It is not accessing the Dropbox servers.
Easiest solution in my opinion is to plug in the Seagate drive each evening and a Time Machine backup will start. The next morning you eject the drive.
The Seagate Backup Plus comes with it's own software. That may be the problem. Time Machine runs best on a disk without third party software. You may need to re-format the Seagate to remove the software.
Time Machine is either off or on. There is no ability to adjust the schedule.
It will read and back up your local Dropbox folder, assuming that local folder is on a drive Time Machine is monitoring.
Dropbox > Settings > Preferences > Account > Dropbox location
If you shut Time Machine off and on to control the cycle, you will simply move the activity from a little bit each hour of your day to a lot more each time you turn it on. Since each hourly backup is an incremental one, TM has to look at every file on your drive to see if it needs to be backed up. This will take longer when more files need backing up. This may not save you any grief unless you "schedule" it each night before you go to sleep.
Interesting idea, however all the Seagate info I could find suggests that one can just plub the Seagate Backup+ in, ensure correct format for Mac, and it should be fine.
In response to above the following:
Deleted the Time Machine backup in progess as this was advised by an Apple post.
Erased the Seagate drive
Used Disk Utility on the Seagate drive and got all is OK to us.
Then restarted the Time Machine backup. The preparing to backup time took longer than expected a hour or two (seems long for a 345 GB backup which include the iMac Hard Drive and a separate Seagate 1T hardrive that I use for iTunes).
Preparation finsihed and backup started yesterday. 12 hours later it has backed up 5.12 GB of the 345 GB. Is this reasonable? At this rate it will take 10 days?
Is this related to the fact that part of the backup is a second external drive (which by the way is fine after running Disk Utility on it).
thanks
Your Mac includes a nifty software called Automator that I would suggest using for this purpose. I will attach a youtube link that explains how to create an automator command that will allow you to assign your time machine intervals.
OS X Tips and Tweaks: Easily Change Time Machine Backup Intervals with Automator and Applescript
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah62mPZmb1E
Best of luck!
Very much appreciated!
Set schedule for Time Machine
