Time Machine Question

[schwine1]

Time Machine (version 1.1)
Mac OS (version 10.6.5)

Although Time Machine performs automatic backups of my data, when I boot into the physical backup disk, the latest data is not on this disk itself.

Yet, I can go to any stored data point when I activate the Time Machine application and restore my main Mac OS to any earlier saved configuration.

Yes, I could boot into the physical backup hard disc, startup the Time Machine application, and then restore the backup disc to the current OS version,
but that's doing it manually.

Maybe the latest data is not supposed to on the backup disc itself automatically - just wondering. Thanks for any insight on that.

 

[Sawday]

A question and a statement.
Question - Why are you booting up into your backup drive?
Statement - Time Machine makes regular backups, say every hour, so any data that you enter or amend between backups won't be backed up until the next backup. Were you expecting it to instantly backup every change?

 

[schwine1]

Question - Why are you booting up into your backup drive?
Just testing it out. If my main hard drive became inoperable,
I would be accessing my backup drive.

Were you expecting it to instantly backup every change?
No. It's just that when I booted into the backup drive, I noticed
that the backup drive or hard disc itself did not have any current
data on it at all. The backup drive itself has the exact same data
on it as when I started using Time Machine six months ago.

It's up to the user to "manually" update the backup hard disc itself
via Time Machine backups if the main hard drive were to become inoperable
(as opposed to Time Machine updating the backup hard disc itself automatically).

 

[McBie]

Time Machine was not designed to be used that way, the TM disk needs to be accessed thru the TM application for best results.
If you want a bootable backup disk, use Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper!

Have a look at this sticky .....
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/switcher-hangout/196606-backups-backups-backups.html

Cheers ... McBie

 

[bobtomay]

I'd like to know a lot more information about how the op is booting into a backup since Time Machine is not a bootable backup and that is the only backup that's been mentioned.

 

[schwine1]

Re: Time Machine was not designed to be used that way...

Thanks McBie, that's all I needed to know. I'm new to using TM and I just needed a clarification on it's limitations and/or correct usage.

I'll also review your sticky. Many thanks.