I never installed any backup / external drive for my iMac. What is the simplist way to do this? I just don't want to lose my iPhoto and iTunes library. I also have several document folders. I want fast, reliable, simple backup. Could you be specific with what external drive you recommend. Please guide me.
Backup
- Thread starter AlanS
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- 2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
The easiest way to backup your iMac is to use Time Machine. Any good quality external hard drive can be used. Generally, you'll need a hard drive at least the same size or larger than the drive you have in your iMac.
The external drive will have to be formatted to the Mac standard file system which is Mac OS Extended Journaled. See the following Apple KB instructions regarding Time Machine. LINK
The external drive will have to be formatted to the Mac standard file system which is Mac OS Extended Journaled. See the following Apple KB instructions regarding Time Machine. LINK
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- Late 2015 27" iMac, 3.3ghz, M395 gpu, 2tb Fusion, 8gb
If you are buying the drive, you can get them pre-formatted for the mac and then it is truly plug and play. I bought Western Digital, but they are all about the same. Consider getting a firewire drive so it doesn't take up a USB port. Usually the firewire drives are both FW and USB.
Plug in the drive to the Mac
Check in the finder that it was recognized
Go to System Preferences
Select Time Machine
Select the new drive as the destination
Turn it on
I'm not oversimplifying this.
I assume you are running at least leopard?
Plug in the drive to the Mac
Check in the finder that it was recognized
Go to System Preferences
Select Time Machine
Select the new drive as the destination
Turn it on
I'm not oversimplifying this.
I assume you are running at least leopard?
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- Your Mac's Specs
- 2010 imac, 2011 13" mbp, Ipad mini, Ipad air
Another question along this line I have a mid 2010 21" imac and 2011 13" macbook pro, can you use 1 external drive to backup both? Also both machines are running Lion and most files are duplicated on both, will either machine work as a backup for the other? Like the OP I have never had an external drive and no experience with time machine
Thanks
Thanks
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