Please talk about back-ups for a newbie

[firensteel]

Having just read a sticky about backing up macs, i see it is 6 years old and when I tried the links my macbook pro prompted me not to download anything not from the app store.
I am interested in the back ups, tried to load time machine but don't have an external HD yet.
Q1 I see a 1TB Seagate external hard drive available for macs, seems decent? Any comments on brand/size?
Q2. Is it just plug and play with time machine when I add an ext HD?
Q3 Are there newer versions/types of player as alternates to Adobe? I tried to load the "sticky" choice of Flip4Mac and Perian but my Mac didn't like that idea.
Q4. I have a 128GB flash drive that is already 1/3 full, I suppose I can dump everything to an ext HD except my apps?
Thank you all very much for putting up with newbie questions and any help you can give me.
I just installed an Incase hard shell case on this retina 13.3 macbook pro, great protector imho. looks cool too.
Thanks guys, looking forward to your answers.
Steve.

 

[MacInWin]

If your MBP told you not to download from the App Store, something is wrong. That's the preferred place to get software. Check in System Preferences/Security &Privacy, and check the middle option for Allow Aps downloaded from Mac App store and identified developers. They should then be available from the store and registered developers. If you download something and Gatekeeper pops up with a warning, if you trust the source, you can right click the app (ctrl-click) and then Run, get a warning and acknowledge it and it will run and won't see the warning again for that app.

1. Some folks avoid Seagate. I'm one of them. My experience with Seagates is not good. I prefer Western Digitals. They have been pretty reliable for me. YMMV
2. Pretty much, if that's good enough. You plug in the drive, but it will most likely come formatted for Windows. Use Disk Utility to Partition it, make it one partition, Formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and GUID for the partition table. I think that's the default, but just check it to be sure. Then open System Preferences, Time Machine, point to that drive and away it goes. The first backup is very long, as it will back up everything. After that, once an hour it will update the backup. If that's too often for you, you can turn off TM and unmount/disconnect the drive, or leave TM on and unmount/disconnedt the drive and then whenever you want, reconnect it and restart TM for a backup. Or you can leave TM running and unmount/disconnect the drive and TM will make snapshots on the internal drive until the drive is reattached. That will eat up some of the drive, but you get that back when it does do the backup finally. Or you can look at TimeMachineEditor or TimeMachineScheduler (search for them) and set TM to backup when you want. I use TME and it works well for me to backup twice a day, at noon and midnight.
3. VLC is the player of choice for me. Plays everything, pretty much.
4. Sure. Maybe even your Apps, if they don't use an installer to install.

 

[firensteel]

Thanks, but you misread my first part. ///my macbook pro prompted me not to download anything NOT from the app store.///
Steve.

 

[MacInWin]

OK, same thing applies. You must have the top option selected. Move to the middle. The bottom turns off Gatekeeper, which is NOT recommended.

 

[RadDave]

Thanks, but you misread my first part. ///my macbook pro prompted me not to download anything NOT from the app store.///
Steve.

Hi Steve - as to the mention of OS X's Gatekeeper - look at your setting, as suggested by Jake, in System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> General; you should see the image below - I use the middle option - yours may be set for the top one which would have prompted the warning mentioned; at times, you may want an app in which you need to use the 'Anywhere' setting or the right-click method suggested - a good example is a maintenance program called Onyx, which is often recommended on this forum. Dave

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[firensteel]

Thanks, would you say this is still consistent with mbp? /// the "sticky" choice of Flip4Mac and Perian/// ?
or are there better programs 6 years later in 2016?
Steve.

 

[firensteel]

And thanks my preferences already are at this setting.
Steve.

 

[pm-r]

Thanks, would you say this is still consistent with mbp? /// the "sticky" choice of Flip4Mac and Perian/// ?
or are there better programs 6 years later in 2016?
Steve.

I missed what "sticky" you were reading, but lot's has changed and from just this post, Flip4Mac is now commercial, if it's even needed these days and Perian support ended quite a while ago and I'm not sure that its bits and pierces still work with the later Macs and OS X versions.

 

[firensteel]

the "sticky" went by the name "sage advice" and is the 2nd sticky at the top of this page.
I did not know it was so dated, and so I posed the questions. Thanks.
Steve.

 

[chscag]

We really haven't looked through that Sticky Post for some time. I'll take a look at it and try to bring it up to date. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[MacInWin]

In the "sticky" threads, the date on the first post will tell you how old the sticky is. Unfortunately, software changes over time and recommendations that made sense earlier don't always survive. Usually the thread gets updated as it goes, but then you need to read the entire thread, not just the first post, and not always will it be updated consistently.

Bottom line, the sage advice is still pretty good in most parts. The links in the first post also include a lot of links to macpdate.com, which used to be a great place to get software, but lately that site has been bundling crapware into the packages for some things, so the most recent recommendations are to use the Mac App Store and trusted developers, and if you know they are trustworthy, the developer websites for downloads. Avoid the "bundler" websites (CNET.com, Download.com, macupdate, anything with "soft" in it except Microsoft.com (Softonic, for example), etc. And for cleanup on your Mac about all you need is Onyx from www.titanium.free.fr. It's free and it works. IF you do get it, you'll see Gatekeeper kick in on the first run of it. Gatekeeper will block it running because it's not from a "Trusted" source. Right click on the package (ctrl-click), and choose Run. You'll get a warning from Gatekeeper, but you can then say to continue and Gatekeeper won't ask again for that software.

Hope that helps some.

 

[RadDave]

And thanks my preferences already are at this setting.
Steve.

Hi again Steve - well that is a 'safe' choice, but keep in mind that there are some excellent apps that are not available in the App Store nor have the developer's wanted to participate (or have withdrawn) from that 'middle' category for various reason - again, Onyx is just one example.

OOPS, a delay, i.e. called to dinner - So, back after half hour - believe that my above comment has already been covered by Jake.

BUT, getting back to your original question about backups - below is a short, simplified list of some strategies for backing up your Mac computer(s) (this is a list of mine quoted before and based on my routine - others will obviously vary) - TM (Time Machine) should be your initial choice w/ a dedicated HD formatted as described below; the TM backups are not bootable, so many will add cloning software w/ another HD - I use CCC - actually, I have redundant HDs for both my MBPro & iMac (never know when one of those drives will just die on you?).

NOW, if you want to go further, the third group below are additional considerations, e.g. for me I have an external SSD for an extra backup of my laptop's personal files; for my wife's iMac, we use an online service (Carbonite) for her personal files - now some other options are listed - SO, let me stop there for you to respond.

As to which brands/models of HDs or other hardware you may want can be additional posts - Dave

Mac Backup Strategies

Time Machine - built into OS X
- Dedicated external HD (Hard Drive)
- Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format
- Not a ‘bootable’ backup

Cloning Software
- Mirrors internal HD
- Bootable backup
- Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC), SuperDuper, etc.

Other Considerations
- Personal files - extra backups
- NAS - RAID options
- Cloud storage
- Off site storage

 

[firensteel]

///Cloning Software
- Mirrors internal HD
- Bootable backup
- Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC), SuperDuper, etc.///

Thanks, I now have a plan. Buy a new ext HD solely for the mac and load SuperDuper. Thanks everyone.
Steve.

 

[firensteel]

last questions,
Q1 where is Carbon Copy Cloner available, and
Q2 where is SuperDuper available? thanks,
Steve.

 

[pm-r]

Using a web search with your browser, i.e. Google would help but I't suggest http://www.macupdate.com for Mac software.

You can also read users comments there and if you want to avoid using the macupdate direct download, the developer's site is usually provided so you can use it.

Give it a try at: http://www.macupdate.com

 

[firensteel]

Thanks will try it.
Steve

 

[RadDave]

last questions,
Q1 where is Carbon Copy Cloner available, and
Q2 where is SuperDuper available? thanks,
Steve.

Steve - simply google the names of interest - e.g. CCC (Carbon Copy Cloner) is available HERE from Bombich - you'll have to use the previous suggestions given since not listed in the App Store, but many of us here use the cloning app (just did both my computers X2 today) - Dave

 

[RadDave]

Steve - just to 'chime in' another time - you mentioned Seagate as a brand of external HD which raises the issue of which brands/models of HDs to purchase for these backup procedures - first, I've noticed here that there is an issue of using HDs that are USB powered vs. those powered by AC adapters, the latter seem preferred by many of the experienced members here - however, the USB (or Thunderbolt) powered HDs seem to be replacing the others - for myself, all of my MANY external HDs are port powered - but, just a consideration for you.

Second, the brand - Seagate seems to have a poor reputation here, but the HD industry is so changeable w/ many 'buy outs' - i.e. who knows now what manufacturer's own - I've previously published charts showing substantially increased failure rates of Seagate drives; however, the chart below is an updated evaluation indicating that most of these producers now have similar failure rates, so may not be as important an issue (Source)?

For myself, I have more than a half dozen HDs backing up my two Mac computers - on my wife's iMac, I have an OWC (HGST) & Buffalo (Seagate) doing TM (Time Machine) on Thunderbolt ports; on my MBPro laptop, I do TM on USB Seagate & WD HDs (once a week) - for my CCC cloning apps, use USB drives (OWC & WD) - SO, bottom line, first decide on your power interface, i.e. port vs. AC, and then on the brand/model of your backup HDs - all of these seem to now have similar 'failure rates', and because of that possibility, redundant backups are probably a good practice. Dave
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[MacInWin]

pm-r, sadly macupdate isn't what it used to be. They have started 'bundling' their downloads with crapware. It's probably ok to use it to find the developer, but I have stopped downloading from them. Sad.

 

[MacInWin]

RadDave, where did that chart come from? I'm surprised to see WD failures being the worst. I've had 3-4 Seagates crash, never a WD. I've got five of them on my various systems right now.