Why no backup if Mag Safe is unplugged?

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I did a search on this but didn't come up with much. I understand that TM won't auto backup when the Mag Safe is unplugged - but why? I have a portable FW HD that doesn't need AC power and it would be nice if it would auto backup all the time. What difference does the Mag Safe make? Am I correct that TM will backup if I manually choose to backup without the Mag Safe plugged in? Thanks.
 
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White MacBook Intel C2D 2.2GHz, 2G, 250G, SD, Leopard.
Okay, that answers a question or two for me. I was wondering why TM wasn't scheduling backups sometime. It was because I was disconnected from power. (I've only been using TM for a few days.)

My guess is this regarding your question. The s/w update function will complain if you try to install an update on battery power. It makes sense. If your battery dies in the middle of an update, you could have an unstable system.

With a backup, if you're on battery power, your external drive may be fine but you could still have your Mac die in the middle of a backup. Again, you have the potential for an unstable system. Given that TM is really supposed to be a "hands off" tool, it makes sense for it to operate only when the machine is connected to external power.
 

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