Intro
file can be lost when your Mac ’s internal entrepot develops a shift , gets deprave , or if you accidentally trash a file . OS X ’s Time Machine feature offers protection against such events by backing up new and qualify files once an hour . All you need to offer is an external toilsome campaign .
It wo n’t help recover file that are created and trashed within that interval , but multiple variant of other file cabinet on your Mac are preserved while there ’s free space available . As it diminishes , the numeral of old version is trim down , but you’re able to always connect a fresh drive .
In the farseeing term , it ’s deserving complement Time Machine with an off - internet site musical accompaniment plan to protect against physical damage or theft of all your computer hardware . But for mean solar day - to - Clarence Day mishaps , and even serious faults , Time Machine can quickly get you out of a steamy situation . Here ’s how to ready it up .
Read : Complete Guide to Time Machine
Step 1: Connect a drive
sequester an external drive to your Mac . A duologue might ask if you want to use the drive for backups . Press ‘ Do n’t habituate ’ and spread System Preferences — found in the Applications folder , and in the Apple card at the top - left — to take a flavour at Time Machine ’s detailed options . Click Time Machine ’s ikon in the System mathematical group .
Step 2: Choose the drive
Press ‘ Select Backup Disk … ’ in Time Machine ’s preferences pane to reveal a tilt of disks on which it can stash away backing . The listing will include a Time Capsule if one is found on the local web . Select your external drive . Optionally , check the box label ‘ Encrypt stand-in ’ for protection at the disbursal of some speed . Press ‘ Use Disk ’ .
Step 3: Multiple Backups
Back in the master Elvis , the switch on the leftfield will have moved to the On location . Switch it off while we await at modern choice . Mountain Lion allows backing up to more than one disc . Press ‘ Select magnetic disc … ’ and the list is now carve up in two : a mathematical group for saucer used for backing up , and others that are available .
Step 4: Choose a second drive
choose another phonograph recording and pressing ‘ Use Disk ’ . Time Machine will require if you want to apply this disk for your backups exclusively or in add-on to the previous one you take . Choose ‘ habituate Both ’ . When a accompaniment occurs , Time Machine will alternate between them , leaving one disk an minute behind the other , but giving add insurance should one drive fail .
Step 5: Back up at two sites
Using multiple driveway helps with a MacBook that make a motion between position . Time Machine punt up to whichever configured private road is available . If your Mac is damage or lost in transportation system , its most recent cognitive content will be preserved at your last emplacement . Encryption can be set independently for each drive you utilize – ready to hand for a portable drive carried on clientele trips .
Step 6: An eye on activity
With a drive configure , Time Machine ’s window pane leaning the reach of date and metre of the backups on each one . Below this entropy is a checkbox labeled ‘ Show Time Machine in fare saloon ’ . Leave it ticktack to show a clock look - like picture at the rightfield of the carte du jour bar . It animate when a backup is in procession .
Step 7: Advanced options
Press the Options button to show a superman that appears allows items to be excluded from backup . by nature , Time Machine ’s backup drives are excluded , so other filing cabinet put on them are n’t backed up . The Boot Camp ( Windows ) partition ca n’t be backed up either . Other extraneous drives list can be backed up by pick out them , then entreat the minus button below .
Step 8: Exclude items
To leave out point , click the positive release below , browse to and select an item , then snap the Exclude button . carry Cmd lets you select multiple items in the same placement . Alternatively , drag items from a Finder window into the list . To turn out a volume ’s contents , press Cmd+C in a Finder window and drag on in the volume ’s icon .
Step 9: Exclude system files
Time Machine backs up OS X , and provides a way to bushel it in the result of a debatable software update or failed internal drive . If you use Carbon Copy Cloner to keep a bootable copy anyway , excluding the System pamphlet ( at the top of the startup magnetic disk ) salve several gigabytes . When ask , boot out all other organisation files as well .
Step 10: Start the first backup
Now Time Machine is configured , wardrobe Save to go back to the its main pane . Ensure the substitution is set to ‘ On ’ , and a countdown to the first backup man will get . It might take several hours to fill in the first backup , but late ones will be much quicker , as only changed and new files require to be copied .
Step 11: Subsequent backups
After the first relief is complete , subsequent backup take shoes at hourly time interval . you could check when the last one occur by click Time Machine ’s card bar icon . From there , you may force an unscheduled backup by choosing ‘ Back Up Now ’ . That ’s a good idea if you ’re about to install a software update , especially one for OS X.
Step 12: Enter Time Machine
To recover a Indian file , open a Finder windowpane , get across Time Machine ’s menu Browning automatic rifle icon and choose ‘ move into Time Machine ’ . The view change to a stack of Finder windows going back in time . employ the pointer at its bottom - right to ill-use back in time , or utilise the timeline at the bottom - right to quickly go to a fourth dimension longer ago .
Step 13: Find a file
The Finder window in the core of the screen is used to browse your Mac as it was at the take pointedness in time . Type in the search bar to quickly feel thing , and add rules to narrow down the hunt , just like on the Desktop . Select a file and press the spacebar to delay you ’ve found the correct version .
Step 14: Recover a file
Recover a filing cabinet by selecting it , then push the Restore button at the bottom - right field . To put it somewhere besides its original location , click the Action push ( sprocket ) and take its Restore option . That button also lets you blue-pencil one or all versions of a filing cabinet from Time Machine , freeing space if old version of a bombastic document are n’t needed .
Step 15: Restore your system
To roll back your system to an earlier state , arrest Cmd - R at the startup chime ( Lion , Mountain Lion ) or infix the install DVD and carry C ( Leopard , Snow Leopard ) . take Restore from Time Machine Backup from the bill of fare that appears ( in the Utilities menu in Leopard and Snow Leopard ) , take Restore From Time Machine Backup and follow the prompt .
