MARK/SPACE, INC: The Missing Sync provides the very best in
synchronization for Mac users with BlackBerry, Palm OS, or
Windows Mobile devices. Integrates with Address Book, iCal,
Entourage, iPhoto, and iTunes. <http://www.markspace.com/bits>

Backing up/moving TimeMachine data sets/drives

deemery (apparently) - 04:59am Feb 16, 2008 PST
via email - David Emery

In short: Don't try it.

The conventional tools, including creating a .dmg via Disk Utility and
then trying Disk Utility "Restore" from that DMG, didn't work. Neither
Synk nor SuperDuper worked to move Time Machine files from one drive to
another.

The only thing that did work for me was to use the Disk Utility
"Restore" function with -erase drive- clicked. That forces Disk Utility
to do a block-level copy.

So, if you have an external drive that you want to use for Time Machine
backup for an Intel Mac, and you ever want that drive to be bootable,
the best thing to do is -reformat it before you start running Time
Machine-. The next best thing is to use Disk Utility 'create drive
image', reformat the drive, and 'restore' with 'erase drive' checked.
(Then, if you want you can install MacOS X on the reformatted/restored
drive.)

dave

Mark as Read

kevinv (apparently) - Feb 16, 2008 5:31 pm (#1 Total: 3)

via email

Posts: 1319

--On February 16, 2008 3:59:24 AM -0800 David Emery <emery

grebyn.com>
wrote:

> So, if you have an external drive that you want to use for Time Machine
> backup for an Intel Mac, and you ever want that drive to be bootable,
> the best thing to do is -reformat it before you start running Time
> Machine-. The next best thing is to use Disk Utility 'create drive
> image', reformat the drive, and 'restore' with 'erase drive' checked.
> (Then, if you want you can install MacOS X on the reformatted/restored
> drive.)

I'm not sure why you'd want to boot from the Time Machine partition. IMO if
you want a boot disk + time machine backup you're better off partitioning
the drive into 2 paritions, one for a bootable drive and the other
partition for Time Machine backups. THen if you run into out of disk space
issue on the Time Machine partition your boot drive is still bootable
(booting from a completely full disk is a bad idea and it may make a
restore impossible if it requires temp space on the boot drive to do the
restore.)

My advice on the Time Machine partition is to not mess with it and don't
try to make it do double-duty. It's chock full of Extended attirubtes,
ACLs and Unix hard links, thinks easy to screw up if you don't know what
you're doing. Let Time Machine have the partition and manage it on it's
own. If you want a drive that is bootable and has your Time Machine
backups, put them on separate partitions.

rsf - Feb 19, 2008 4:07 am (#2 Total: 3)

Posts: 6

Re: Backing up/moving TimeMachine data sets/drives

Neither Synk nor SuperDuper worked to move Time Machine files from one drive to another.

Really? What version of SuperDuper? Version 2.5 is explicitly advertised as being able to copy Time Machine backups to other disks (although I haven't tried it yet). If it's not working for you, I'd suggest you submit a bug report to Shirt Pocket.

-- Russell

tbutler (apparently) - Feb 19, 2008 11:51 am (#3 Total: 3)

via email

Posts: 140

Re: Backing up/moving TimeMachine data sets/drives

I've used SuperDuper 2.5 to move a TimeMachine backup from one drive
to another without apparent problems.

Travis Butler
tbutler

mac.com

...Cats are the proof of a higher purpose to the universe.

TidBITS TidBITS TidBITS Talk Backing up/moving TimeMachine data sets/drives

Backing up/moving TimeMachine data sets/drives

Add a message