Binderoo
Level 1 (20 points)
Desktops

Q: I just backed-up with an external hard drive for the first time but my user profile with my folders for pictures, documents, and movies are not there

Hello,

 

So I finally got an external hard drive. I formatted for Mac (the device was verified as being ok), and then it started to do a backup, which said a full backup would take 95GB. However, it only backed up 19GB.  When I 'opened' my backup drive, I saw that only the "Macintosh HD" was backed up, not my User Profile with all my folders containing documents, pictures, movies, etc...

 

I'm quite confused, because I thought it would backup everything.  I am planning on upgrading from Snow Leopard to El Capitan, but if something goes wrong or I don't like it, I'm afraid I won't be able to Restore all my personal folders - but just the applications located on my Macintosh HD.

 

Should I delete everything in my backup drive and try again?

 

This is an image of what is inside my external hard drive:

 

Screen shot 2016-09-22 at 8.48.00 AM.png

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Serial# W8******X85

Posted on Sep 22, 2016 6:11 AM

by Binderoo,Solvedanswer
Binderoo Binderoo
Level 1 (20 points)
Desktops
A:

FYI for anyone who went through what I went through!

 

This issue is now solved.

 

After upgrading to El Capitan, I saw there was a difference between FileVault (in El Capitan) and "Legacy" FileVault (found in Snow Leopard).  "Legacy" would not allow the backup of my Home Account folders onto the external drive because Legacy FileVault, itself, saved those encrypted files.

 

Now that I have turned OFF "Legacy" FileVault, and turned ON "FileVault" (that is current in El Capitan), I did another backup and this time, ALL of my personal files/folders located in my Home Account were saved onto the external drive.

Posted on Sep 24, 2016 6:35 PM

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Q: I just backed-up with an external hard drive for the first time but my user profile with my folders for pictures, documents, and m ... more

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  • by VinceDaVinci,

    VinceDaVinci VinceDaVinci Sep 22, 2016 9:10 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (29 points)
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    Sep 22, 2016 9:10 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Hi,

    Seeing that, what she plans is to upgrade and being able to downgrade again, backing up is not the right option.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 22, 2016 9:11 AM in response to VinceDaVinci
    Level 9 (50,746 points)
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    Sep 22, 2016 9:11 AM in response to VinceDaVinci

    What are you trying to say.

  • by VinceDaVinci,

    VinceDaVinci VinceDaVinci Sep 22, 2016 9:18 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (29 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 22, 2016 9:18 AM in response to Csound1

    She wants to duplicate her complete system HDD, not a partial backup.

  • by Binderoo,

    Binderoo Binderoo Sep 22, 2016 9:19 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 22, 2016 9:19 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    I understand that I need to follow your instructions, of course.  I tried to find this restore, choose date, etc. but when I open TM with Snow Leopard, it does not look like the image in your link -- there doesn't seem to be those options.

     

    However, once I erased and re-formatted the drive, I got this message from Time Machine concerning FileVault...maybe this is the reason it won't backup my personal folders in my User Account:

     

    FileVault is turned on for one or more user accounts on this computer. Time Machine backs up home folders protected by FileVault only when the users who own those home folders are logged out.

     

    You can’t browse or restore individual items of a home folder encrypted by FileVault in the Time Machine backup. To restore all files and folders from this type of backup, start up from a Mac OS X Install disc and select “Restore System From Backup” from the “Utilities” menu in the Installer.

    Screen shot 2016-09-22 at 12.09.23 PM.png

  • by Binderoo,

    Binderoo Binderoo Sep 22, 2016 9:23 AM in response to VinceDaVinci
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 22, 2016 9:23 AM in response to VinceDaVinci

    why is backing up my complete system before upgrading the wrong option? That's what every website (including this one) suggests to do before upgrading in case of any problems that may occur.

  • by Csound1,Helpful

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 22, 2016 4:17 PM in response to Binderoo
    Level 9 (50,746 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 22, 2016 4:17 PM in response to Binderoo

    It is the correct option, you have a different problem.

  • by Binderoo,

    Binderoo Binderoo Sep 22, 2016 9:26 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (20 points)
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    Sep 22, 2016 9:26 AM in response to Csound1

    Okay. Thank you.

  • by Binderoo,

    Binderoo Binderoo Sep 22, 2016 10:08 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 22, 2016 10:08 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Hi Again,

    I think I'm kind of in a grey area here - with Snow Leopard...So, I'm just going to take a leap of faith and try to upgrade to El Capitan.  I hope there's no problem.  If there is...I hope I can re-install with my old Snow Leopard startup disk and restore my home folders using File Vault, and all my applications being restored with the backup drive.

     

    Wish me luck!

  • by Binderoo,

    Binderoo Binderoo Sep 22, 2016 4:16 PM in response to Binderoo
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 22, 2016 4:16 PM in response to Binderoo

    Okay.  I'm not sure if my problem was solved or not - by that I mean why my external hard drive did not backup my User Account folders.  I didn't really understand the message I got from Time Machine regarding FileVault home folders...but I'm sure it must have something to do with the drive not backing them up.

     

    In any case, I did download and install the upgrade to El Capitan successfully!!

     

    Thank you RKAUFMANN87.  You spent practically all morning trying to help me figure this all out

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Sep 22, 2016 6:39 PM in response to Binderoo
    Level 9 (58,704 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 22, 2016 6:39 PM in response to Binderoo

    Your welcome.

  • by Binderoo,Solvedanswer

    Binderoo Binderoo Sep 24, 2016 6:35 PM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 24, 2016 6:35 PM in response to rkaufmann87

    FYI for anyone who went through what I went through!

     

    This issue is now solved.

     

    After upgrading to El Capitan, I saw there was a difference between FileVault (in El Capitan) and "Legacy" FileVault (found in Snow Leopard).  "Legacy" would not allow the backup of my Home Account folders onto the external drive because Legacy FileVault, itself, saved those encrypted files.

     

    Now that I have turned OFF "Legacy" FileVault, and turned ON "FileVault" (that is current in El Capitan), I did another backup and this time, ALL of my personal files/folders located in my Home Account were saved onto the external drive.

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