HT201250: Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac

Learn about Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac
Jt_prime

Q: My MacBook Pro 2011 got graphic card issue. How can I back up data before bring it in for repair?

My early 2011 MacBook Pro got graphic card issue and I had never back up date from my laptop before. How can I back up my data to another external card before bringing my laptop in for repair?

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011)

Posted on Jun 11, 2016 7:08 PM

Close

Q: My MacBook Pro 2011 got graphic card issue. How can I back up data before bring it in for repair?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack Jun 11, 2016 7:17 PM in response to Jt_prime
    Level 9 (55,682 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 11, 2016 7:17 PM in response to Jt_prime

    If it starts up, use either Time Machine and/or a cloning utility like SuperDuper or CarbonCopy Cloner.

    The advantage of the clone is that it is bootable. So if anything happens to your internal drive, you can continue to work normally until it’s fixed. The clone also has the same file structure as your internal so you can drag and drop files. The advantage of TM is that it creates recursive backup, so you can restore a file or the entire drive from a certain point in time.

     

    If you can't startup (usually graphic issues don't prevent normal startup) your only choices are another disk with a bootable system on it, or if you have access to another mac by using Firewire Target Disk mode. Boot your Mac into Target Disk Mode and the other Mac normally. Your disk will appear as a connected disk on the other computer.