Large Backup Errors

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Hey guys,

I want to backup my external harddrive (around 600GB) to a 2nd external so that I have a copy of it. I have tried this in the past using Time Machine but it always stops the process and comes up with errors of duplicate/corrupt files, etc. Thus, I always leave it overnight and arrive in the morning to see it half processed.


1. Is these a way to "force continue" the backup, even if it runs into anomalies?
2. Is there an app that can search and highlight duplicate/corrupt files for me to view & delete, BEFORE I backup so I can guarantee the backup will run smoothly
 
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You might want to try to clone that disk using
Carbon Copy Cloner Mac Backup Software - Carbon Copy Cloner
or
SuperDuper! SuperDuper!

Cheers ... McBie

Thanks McBie. Problem is, i want to periodically back up my external HD to my backup HD, just like I would backup my mac via time machine (without having to create a complete clone each time, which I can imagine tables ages).

Will these apps allow me to quickly refresh the original clone with "clone versions"?
 

bobtomay

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The paid version of both of those apps will clone and then do "incremental" backups... e.g. only the changes.
They would not re-clone the entire drive unless you elected to do so.

there are no "versions"

They keep a copy of your internal drive as of the last backup.
 
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MacInWin

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With CCC (which I use) you can choose to have CCC archive what it is replacing in an incremental clone. So you clone it once completely, then incremental clone (only what changed) with archiving and the originals get stored in an archive on the backup drive. All that is, I think, in the paid version. You can also create CCC scheduled backups, if you want. I have mine scheduled to do an incremental backup each night around midnight. And if you don't want it scheduled, just save the clone settings and you can manually run it whenever you want. I don't have SuperDuper, but I suspect it may have the same features.
 
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The paid version of both of those apps will clone and then do "incremental" backups... e.g. only the changes.
They would not re-clone the entire drive unless you elected to do so.

there are no "versions"

They keep a copy of your internal drive as of the last backup.


Thanks Bob!

Also, will CCC delete old files to create room for the latest update of those files (like Timemachine does)?
 
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With CCC (which I use) you can choose to have CCC archive what it is replacing in an incremental clone. So you clone it once completely, then incremental clone (only what changed) with archiving and the originals get stored in an archive on the backup drive. All that is, I think, in the paid version. You can also create CCC scheduled backups, if you want. I have mine scheduled to do an incremental backup each night around midnight. And if you don't want it scheduled, just save the clone settings and you can manually run it whenever you want. I don't have SuperDuper, but I suspect it may have the same features.

The paid version of both of those apps will clone and then do "incremental" backups... e.g. only the changes.
They would not re-clone the entire drive unless you elected to do so.

there are no "versions"


They keep a copy of your internal drive as of the last backup.

Just to clarify; CCC WON'T stop its periodic backups if it encounters duplicate or corrupt files, etc on the source disk?
 

chscag

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Just to clarify; CCC WON'T stop its periodic backups if it encounters duplicate or corrupt files, etc on the source disk?

Yes, it will stop its backups if it encounters corruption or bad sectors on the hard drive. However, it will issue a warning and tell you exactly why. So it's alway a good idea to read and monitor the CCC logs.
 
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MacInWin

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Corruption on a hard drive is always a bad thing. As chscag said, CCC will stop when it hits that condition. You wouldn't want it to continue anyway, as that can corrupt the backup.
 
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Yes, it will stop its backups if it encounters corruption or bad sectors on the hard drive. However, it will issue a warning and tell you exactly why. So it's alway a good idea to read and monitor the CCC logs.

Ok, thanks. Is there a way i can identify, delete the bad file from the source disk and carry on where the backup left off? Instead of starting all over again? Is there a way I can do this with Time Machine? What benefits does CCC have over Time Machine anyways?
 

chscag

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Yes, if CCC flags a particular file as being corrupt, it will tell you exactly where it's located. It will also offer an "Open with Finder" option so you can pinpoint the bad file(s).

The advantage that CCC has over Time Machine is that the backup or clone that it makes is bootable. I've run into difficulty several times where my internal hard drive would not boot because of a wayward kext (from third party software) and was able to boot with the CCC clone and remove the offender.

As the author of CCC states so well: "It will save your bacon". ;) I wouldn't be without it.
 
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Yes, if CCC flags a particular file as being corrupt, it will tell you exactly where it's located. It will also offer an "Open with Finder" option so you can pinpoint the bad file(s).

The advantage that CCC has over Time Machine is that the backup or clone that it makes is bootable. I've run into difficulty several times where my internal hard drive would not boot because of a wayward kext (from third party software) and was able to boot with the CCC clone and remove the offender.

As the author of CCC states so well: "It will save your bacon". ;) I wouldn't be without it.

Thanks a lot Chscag. When you say "bootable" do you mean that the backup/clone can be launched as an OS in an of itself? VS Time Machine which just store files which have to be reapplied to an OS before they can be opened?
 

chscag

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Yes, you can boot from the cloned backup that CCC makes. I use both Time Machine and CCC to do my backups on two separate hard drives.
 
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MacInWin

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If your first CCC clone is a full backup, then the drive will be bootable when done, as chscag says. TM backups are NOT bootable.
 

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