1.5 year old Macbook is running quite slow

Can I set up Time Machine with a Windows shared drive? I looked this up last night and the first site that came up on Google had some simple steps to set this up but I can't remember the exact search phrase now so I can't find the site (I thought I bookmarked it). Now I can't find anything so simple. I see there is a program called iTimeMachine that will suposedly allow me to do this but I am guessing this will not allow me to do the restore that dtravis mentioned. I have 1.5TB of free storage on my desktop so I really don't feel like going out and buying a fancy Time Capsule (as sexy as they sound). But if I were to buy a Time Capsule, is there anything stopping me from picking up an old 500GB model on Ebay and throwing my own 2TB drive in it? It would save me several hundred dollars.

It doesn't need to be anything fancy or a Time Capsule. You can use a USB HDD if you wanted.

Yes I know it doesn't HAVE to be fancy. But I LIKE fancy. I got it to work with Windows though. Worst case scenario I can attach a SATA to USB adapter to the Windows drive and do the complete restore over USB as opposed to wifi. But I have faith that Apple will learn to play nicely with Windows.

I managed to get everything backed up over the network using Time Machine last night but I don't really like it. I don't have faith that I will be able to do an exact restore. I like what Carbon Copy has to offer but I don't have a whole lot of time to experiment with it. I have an appointment at the Apple Store in 3 hours. That should be enough time to make a backup but I want to make sure it's right. Can I do this over a network or do I need a USB drive? I have a USB drive available it just means I will have to pull apart my desktop and take one of the drives out. Don't want to do that if I dont have to. If I can do it over the network, what are the appropriate settings to get the bootable clone? If I have to do it over the USB, what are the appropriate settings.

Sorry, I know I could consult Google on this but I would like to hear from someone who has done it rather than experimenting for a few hours. I'll have to save that for later.

All I have ever tried is Via Firewire and USB. Never tried network but I have read about users doing a TM backup via Time Capsule. Not sure though about restoring with TM over the network though. Never tried it. I think using USB or Firewire would be the way to go to be sure it will work though.

If someone sees this thread who backups to a network drive, please help the OP.

Well when you did it over USB/Firewire did you create a sparseimage or sparsebundle? This is what I am doing...

hdiutil create -size 200G -fs HFS+J -type SPARSEBUNDLE -volname 'CarbonCopyClone' "ryan-macbook.sparsebundle"

mv ryan-macbook.sparsebundle /Volumes/Timemachine

and now I am going to tell CCC to backup everything to CarbonCopyClone. I think that should work. A sparsebundle is sufficient to create a bootable image right? Who cares whether the sparsebundle lives on a local drive or a network drive? (I hope...)

Well I just took it to the Apple store. They ran all their tests and assured me that there was nothing wrong with the drive and it was most likely a software issue. I pulled a drive out of my desktop and hooked it up via USB with a nifty little USB-SATA/EIDE adapter and started creating a Carbon Coppy backup. About two minutes into it I got the scariest message I have ever seen. Just a black box that said "you need to restart your computer. Hold down the power button until it turns off, then press the power button again" in about 10 different languages. The computer was completely unresponsive. It sounds like some kind of kernel panic but I have never seen anything like it before. I am really getting nervous now.

Here is the a copy of the log

Interval Since Last Panic Report: 93573 sec
Panics Since Last Report: 1
Anonymous UUID: FA1986E4-A32D-40FE-8FC3-98E2D7FDF3CE

Sun Oct 31 19:09:05 2010
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x2dc492): "vnode reclaim in progress"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-1504.7.4/bsd/vfs/vfs_subr.c:4015
Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x50f12e58 : 0x21b455 (0x5cf328 0x50f12e8c 0x2238b1 0x0)
0x50f12ea8 : 0x2dc492 (0x595f10 0x0 0x8ca2044 0x50f12f28)
0x50f12ef8 : 0x2de379 (0x0 0x6f7e280 0x21000001 0x1)
0x50f12f18 : 0x6cc8fab9 (0xbdb0784 0x1 0x0 0x1)
0x50f12f48 : 0x6cc8f0b1 (0xbdb0784 0x0 0x1 0x2)
0x50f12fc8 : 0x6cc9084d (0xbdb0784 0x0 0x2 0x0)
0x50f13078 : 0x6cc90e33 (0xbdb0784 0x52b30700 0x50f131d8 0x50f131e4)
0x50f130d8 : 0x2f60fe (0x50f130f8 0x0 0x0 0x2ddf51)
0x50f13108 : 0x2cf7f4 (0x52b30700 0xf 0x0 0x0)
0x50f13208 : 0x2d0a57 (0x0 0x0 0xe0000 0x41c)
0x50f13248 : 0x6cc9793b (0xbdb0784 0x6d91000 0x0 0x0)
0x50f132b8 : 0x2f6662 (0x50f132dc 0x1 0x100000 0x0)
0x50f13318 : 0x4cdf0f (0xbdb0784 0x6d91000 0x0 0x0)
0x50f133a8 : 0x2503a5 (0xbdb0784 0x6d91000 0x0 0x0)
0x50f13408 : 0x250ba5 (0xe603d34 0x0 0x0 0x100000)
0x50f13438 : 0x2527f0 (0xe603d34 0x0 0x0 0x100000)
0x50f13668 : 0x252d91 (0x8422720 0x0 0x0 0x90000000)
0x50f136c8 : 0x49f791 (0xe59f570 0x0 0x0 0x90000000)
0x50f13728 : 0x2dc33a (0x90000000 0x0 0x0 0x2)
0x50f13788 : 0x2dc519 (0xbdb0784 0x1 0x0 0x29d54e)
0x50f137d8 : 0x2df178 (0x0 0x823024 0x4a6aa2ad 0x0)
0x50f13848 : 0x418be7 (0x0 0x34 0x50f138bc 0x82575a8)
0x50f13908 : 0x420479 (0x705d804 0xa843940 0x50f13f08 0x50f13a48)
0x50f13a78 : 0x2f8d56 (0x50f13a98 0x3 0x50f13ac8 0x57da86)
0x50f13ac8 : 0x2d6788 (0xa843940 0x50f13df4 0x50f13f08 0x8eb79b4)
0x50f13b58 : 0x2d75ba (0x50f13ddc 0x100 0x50f13dfc 0x0)
0x50f13c18 : 0x2e664b (0x50f13ddc 0x0 0x50f13c78 0x8eb78b0)
0x50f13d88 : 0x2e6a8e (0xbfffcda0 0x0 0x0 0x0)
0x50f13f48 : 0x2e6b71 (0xbfffcda0 0x0 0x0 0x0)
0x50f13f78 : 0x4ed78d (0x91942a0 0x8eb78b0 0x8eb78f4 0x0)
0x50f13fc8 : 0x29eef8 (0x7a523a0 0x0 0x10 0x7a523a0)
Kernel Extensions in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.google.filesystems.fusefs(2.0.3)@0x6cc8d000->0x6cca0fff

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: rsync

Mac OS version:
10F569

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 10.4.0: Fri Apr 23 18:28:53 PDT 2010; root:xnu-1504.7.4~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: MacBook5,1 (Mac-F42D89C8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 1476049664067
unloaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver 205.34 (addr 0x57925000, size 0x36864) - last unloaded 1014373306941
loaded kexts:
com.google.filesystems.fusefs 2.0.3
com.parallels.kext.prl_vnic 5.0 9376.599993
com.parallels.kext.prl_netbridge 5.0 9376.599993
com.parallels.kext.prl_usb_connect 5.0 9376.599993
com.parallels.kext.prl_hid_hook 5.0 9376.599993
com.jft.driver.PdaNetDrv 1.0.64
com.fsb.kext.logKext 2.3
com.parallels.kext.prl_hypervisor 5.0 9376.599993
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.SparseDiskImage 283 - last loaded 1451869745029
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.ReadWriteDiskImage 283
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.CryptoEncoding 283
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.UDIFDiskImage 283
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.RAMBackingStore 283
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.HTTPBackingStore 283
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.FileBackingStore 283
com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch 54
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.3d0
com.apple.driver.AGPM 100.12.12
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.4
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.iokit.CHUDUtils 201
com.apple.iokit.CHUDProf 216
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 1.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPenrynProfile 17.1
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 1.8.7f1
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 1.8.7f1
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.3.2
com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver 1.1.2
com.apple.nvenet 2.0.15
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43xx 423.91.27
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.4.12
com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor 3.0.0d4
com.apple.GeForce 6.1.8
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 4.1.2b1
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.0.24
com.apple.kext.AppleSMCLMU 1.5.0d3
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 2.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons 1.8.1b1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 1.8.1b1
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 303.8
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 2.6.5
com.apple.BootCache 31
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 1.6.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 4.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 4.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.1.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBOHCI 3.9.6
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.3.1
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.5
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager 160.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.3.2
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 1.6
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 1.3.2
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 105.10.0
com.apple.security.sandbox 0
com.apple.security.quarantine 0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 2.1.11
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 105.10.0
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.KernelBacked 283
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothHIDDriver 2.3.7f1
com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver 205.34
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageClass 2.6.1
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileReadCounterAction 17
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileTimestampAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileThreadInfoAction 14
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileRegisterStateAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileKEventAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileCallstackAction 20
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 74.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 2.3.7f1
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.3
com.apple.iokit.CHUDKernLib 208
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 1.8.7f1
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.7.6fc2
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.8d0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 1.8.7f1
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 1.8.7f1
com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal 6.1.8
com.apple.iokit.AppleProfileFamily 41
com.apple.NVDAResman 6.1.8
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 311.1
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 1.9
com.apple.driver.NVSMU 2.2.7
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 4.1.2b1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.8d0
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.0.1d2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch 205.32
com.apple.driver.BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.3.7f1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.3.7f1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 2.3.7f1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 4.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 4.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 3.9.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 402.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI 1.2.4
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 4.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.0.4
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 4.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 1.3.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 1.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 6
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 283
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.6.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 1.3.2
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.6
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.3.0
Model: MacBook5,1, BootROM MB51.007D.B03, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.4 GHz, 4 GB, SMC 1.32f8
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, PCI, 256 MB
Memory Module: global_name
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x8D), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.10.91.27)
Bluetooth: Version 2.3.7f1, 2 service, 19 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Ethernet, Ethernet, en0
Serial ATA Device: FUJITSU MHZ2250BH FFS G1, 232.89 GB
Serial ATA Device: HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS21N
USB Device: Built-in iSight, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x8507, 0x24400000
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x0236, 0x04600000
USB Device: IR Receiver, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x8242, 0x04500000
USB Device: BRCM2046 Hub, 0x0a5c (Broadcom Corp.), 0x4500, 0x06100000
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x8213, 0x06110000

It looks like CCC is using rsync under the hood. Just a wild stab here but I am guessing something went wrong with ntfs-3g.