How to start an iCloud backup on my Mac?

Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Messages
93
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 2.4ghz i5, iPad 2 32gb
I just updated my iMac and I now have the iCloud settings in my system preferences, I have everything set up and ready to go, there is just one thing, how do I actually initiate a backup? There is no 'start backup' or anything of the like. How do I actually get it to begin backing up my Mac, I have tried Time Machine but its not listed?
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Have a read of what the iCloud backup does - it has to do with the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. It is not a backup service for OS X - link.
 
OP
D
Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Messages
93
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 2.4ghz i5, iPad 2 32gb
i thought that but why then is there a whole section for it in Lion, giving you options on what you would like to back up etc if you cant actually back any of those things up?
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Had same doubt as Denny. Thought iCloud could be used for backup of iMac, currently only Apple device I have. Looks like I'll need to look into Dropbox for backup to the cloud instead, or just use a more traditional pen drive or CD. A bit disappointed, especially given how much one pays for one of these iMacs.:(
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
6,879
Reaction score
191
Points
63
Location
Tucson, AZ
Your Mac's Specs
Way... way too many specs to list.
It's free, and has a 5GB max (unless you pay for more). That wouldn't back up much from a computer. From a phone? Sure.
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
A bit disappointed, especially given how much one pays for one of these iMacs.

What does that have to do with it? When you buy a PC does Microsoft or the PC manufacturer give you access to a free on line backup service?
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Dysfunction and chscag,

Thanks for reply. My pictures are at most 2,5GB. I have about 2 GB in documents, at most. So, iCloud would be perfect for my needs. Secondly, no PC manufacturer has given free on line backup service because that is a something rather new, isn't it? I mean, I'm from the time, when I worked at IBM, where backups were done on tapes overnight w/those huge mainframes which have less capacity than my Nokia phone. So, brave new world that Steve Jobs imagined certainly would not be limited.

As for the iMac, this is the 2nd one I bought. My other lasted for almost 6 years til there was a short circuit which luckily did not damage the hard drive. I am a big fan of the iMac, which in Brazil costs 3 times as much as an HP PC. So, given the combination of Steve Jobs dreams and promises (spoken or unspoken) I think it's not incorrect to expect something more from the iCloud.

I stand by what I wrote and I appreciate your feedback.

All the best!
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
224
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
2011 MacBook Air, i5 27" IMac, 2010 21.5" IMac, 2010 Mini, 2011 13" MBP, IPhone 4, Airport Extreme
Hi DanielBrasilia, dennyc123,

As has been mentioned by others iCloud doesn't back up your whole system. It does copy all your documents, music and photos to the cloud and happens automatically anytime you are connected with any Apple device. For instance if you take a picture with your IPhone, it will be available immediately on any other device which is signed in with your ICloud credentials anywhere in the world. If something were to happen to your computer, you would only have to reinstall the operating system, sign into ICloud and all your docs, photos and music would be available. Apple has included Time Machine for free which would also require an external drive but does run automatically and backs up your user folder. For an image like back-up you will to have have an external drive attached and software like Super Duper installed and running.

Hope this helps
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Mini_mi,

Your reply has helped me understand some possibilities - I started the Time Machine hoping to find an option to direct my files, which would fit into iCloud, to iCloud, but it only seemed to expect an external drive as option (btw, does that include a pen drive?).

Or is it just using a software like SuperDuper (which I had never heard of) that I could direct those files to the iCloud?

Thanks for bearing with me. On previous iMac I used CDs/DVDs to backup files and then just copied most of my files to a pen drive directly (in December) just before my older PowerPc iMac decided to go bust.

Cheers,
DanielBrasilia
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
224
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
2011 MacBook Air, i5 27" IMac, 2010 21.5" IMac, 2010 Mini, 2011 13" MBP, IPhone 4, Airport Extreme
Mini_mi,

Your reply has helped me understand some possibilities - I started the Time Machine hoping to find an option to direct my files, which would fit into iCloud, to iCloud, but it only seemed to expect an external drive as option (btw, does that include a pen drive?).

Or is it just using a software like SuperDuper (which I had never heard of) that I could direct those files to the iCloud?

Thanks for bearing with me. On previous iMac I used CDs/DVDs to backup files and then just copied most of my files to a pen drive directly (in December) just before my older PowerPc iMac decided to go bust.

Cheers,
DanielBrasilia

Your files (anything in your user folder except videos) are automatically copied to ICloud if your connected to the internet.
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Mini_mi,

Apparently this automatic upload to iCloud only works with mobile devices, as others have informed. I have enabled iCloud, my iMac is continously connected to the Inet but when I manage my iCloud I am informed that I have 5MB available and am using 0% of it, even though, on the 1st screen iCloud shows me I have marked all items, like Contacts, Calendar, Documents and Data, Shared Photostream. I had hoped it was as easy as pie, but this time I have found it's not automatic as I hoped.

Thanks for your continuous feedback,
Daniel
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
224
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
2011 MacBook Air, i5 27" IMac, 2010 21.5" IMac, 2010 Mini, 2011 13" MBP, IPhone 4, Airport Extreme
Have you logged into ICloud on the web and looked to see whats there?
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Dear Mini,

I had not done that and report that I was pleased to find my Contacts and Calendar "up there" in the cloud. That's a great start to a new relationship. However, if other files or pictures are up there, I could not see, as the icons available included the 2 I cited and Mail (I don't have an apple mail) and iWorks (I do have Numbers, but not on iOS).

Thanks again for your patience in interacting w/me on this issue,
DanielBrasilia
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Reply

I take it you're using microsoft office for your documents? It turns out that iCloud only backs up documents from Apple's iLife suite, not office docs, that's why it won't upload them.
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Dear Dive,

Thanks for your information!

I know it may take a while, since Apple's work philosophy is to emphasize it's toolset, but I guess I'm hoping that one day it'll be more flexible. Until then, I'll use Dropbox for those documents you correctly imagined I'm using w/MS Office on Mac.

But I do have various files, often in the same folder as the MS Office files, which are exclusively Numbers - which, I must admit, am not sure if part of the iLife suite. I just bought Numbers from iTunes to be able to use previous files I had created w/the old AppleWorks. Is the iCloud so selective that it can pick out those files which are Apple-sw from those that aren't?

Cheers,
Daniel.
 
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
What does that have to do with it? When you buy a PC does Microsoft or the PC manufacturer give you access to a free on line backup service?

Yes. It's called SkyDrive. Your move.


Edit:

And so as not to seem like a troll, I would like to offer the following information about backing up a Mac that is both seamless and easy. Additionally, I will include a list of pros and cons.

The first back up solution offered by Apple is the Time Machine / Time Capsule solution. This solution is 100% Apple, so the inherent con is that it is more expensive than the inherent pro, which is compatibility and seamless ease.

You simply set up your Time Capsule anywhere in range of your wireless network. You then follow the TC's simple steps to authenticate it to your network and broadcast its unique storage solution to other Mac's on your network.

Next, you set up Time Machine to automatically back up your Mac's user profile - which will include all of the things that iCloud services - to the Time Capsule.

Then, you literally have nothing left to do. Buying a Time Capsule with a drive size that exceeds the size of your local Mac drive will ensure you never run out of space.

This is my current configuration at my house and I have 4 Macs total. I have 2 Time Capsules servicing the backup needs of my network. Each drive is specific to a person, and are partitioned in half to provide adequate backup to each person's set of systems (each of us have 1 iMac and 1 Macbook Pro).

The second solution is to omit a Time Capsule and look for another Network Automated Storage (NAS) device that will serve the same needs as the Time Capsule. This is simple to use and involves the same steps as above, with additional steps to set up this third-party drive.

The third solution is to use SkyDrive or DropBox as a Cloud storage solution. Both have their limiations. SkyDrive charges you for a certain amount of drive space you require, but allows you to access all of your data anywhere.

I personally enjoy maintaining my own back up and not having "the man" manage my storage solution for me - who knows what they're really doing with that data, right?

I hope this helps with your backup solutions in the future.

Kind Regards,
K
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top