Hi all

I need some backup software and what I need to do is this…

• Backup a folder(s) of files from my desktop Mac to my Macbook.
• Do incremental backups, and sync files from Desktop to Macbook.

The ones I have found so far seem to do full system clones or don’t allow backing up over a network.

Don’t mind paying a few quid to get the right software.

Time Machine is built into OSX isn’t it?

</PC user>

Yeah, here.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1553

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427

+1

I don’t use Time Machine as I don’t have a spare external drive, but when I have used it in the past, I’m sure you can set it up to only backup certain folders, and you can change the frequency etc.

-1 for Time machine. Had two and they both died. Do a google on that, seems to be common.

Just have a networked external drive and do it manually which isn’t ideal so looking for alternative too.

Thanks for your response, but I don’t think Time Machine is right for this purpose (i use it for general backup to an external HD) – I just need to sync to folders of files from my desktop to my laptop.

I need to work on these files on both systems, so anything that zips or archives the data is no good.

sugarsync

-1 for Time machine. Had two and they both died.

I was referring to the software rather than the drive thing.

Anyway, it seems that Time Machine isn’t what the OP needs. Some sort of cloud storage would be more useful, What about Apple Mobile Me service, or something similar from google etc?

Don’t confuse Time Machine software with the Time Capsule external hard drive/router.

I use both to back up two macs at home over the wireless network and it does the job a treat.

If the Time capsule does die, we’ve still got the info on the two macs.

WE’re also planning on a removable drive to back up both machines (using time machine) which we store off site just in case the worst happens at home)

I would use Dropbox.

Edit: ….well assuming we are not talking gigs, well over 2.5 as over that you have to pay, of data.

+1 to dropbox.

But I also used a unison based solution with a 3rd server in the mix, and also a bunch of rsync scripts at one point too.

Similar issue I guess, doing work on two macs and needing them kept in sync? I did this for a few years, and the easiest answer is prolly dropbox. But there are reasons to use other methods (like not wanting data on 3rd party servers for whatever reason).

SuperDuper?

http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html

Not sure it does incrementals though.

MobileMe sounds best – and you get an awful lot more in with the package that isn’t immediately obvious.

Oh – and the Time Capsule problem was down to a power supply issue in an early version of the device – you’re not going to have the same issue on a new one.

Rachel

Interesting. Google turned up this post about something called Chronosync which sounds like it might do what you want.

The problem I’ve always had with document sync things is the likelihood of ending up with conflicting edits at some point. Google Docs is pretty awesome now – it even has full version control so you can roll back to any previous state and two or more people can simultaneously edit the same document. I still tend to work outside it for major documents or final formatting.

At home we use a shared partition on an iMac as a ‘server’ accessible both by the iMac user and laptop users. There’s a USB disc attached to the iMac that does backup via TimeMachine. TimeMachine is simple and automatic – I upgraded the HD on the iMac and the full restore was completely painless, as is recovering individual files. It’s easy to configure as well (I back up everything EXCEPT TV programmes recorded off EyeTV for example which solves the problem of having a bigger source disc than back up)

ooh. Dropbox looks interesting.

While we’re on the subject, has anyone worked out the best way to sync Contacts across multiple macs/online? Google Calendar works fine across >1 Mac plus an iPhone. Google Contacts, last time I tried sync iPhone/Mac/online seemed to have restricted data fields, to automatically create entries for people you mailed, and to create huge number of duplicates (I’d have a few thousand contacts after 24 hours).

MobileMe would do it BUT it’s expensive if that’s the only service you’re buying it for.

Chronosync looks good – thanks for that.

Web storage isn’t an option as I’m transferring too much data.

I used to use ChronoSync, now I use Super Flexible File Synchronizer (terrible name, but does a good job and can backup over local and remote networks) – http://www.superflexible.com/mac.htm

chrono-sync or super-duper.

+1 for chronosync for limited number of files
+1 for super-duper if what you want is a bootable clone
I use Backblaze for an online backup service

rsync is da shitz if you like poking/scripting around a bit, else look for a nice friendly wrapper on it like grsync. Free too.

I’ve been through this before. I used to do the rsync / chronosync method directly and through USB disks etc.

I now use the iDisk on Mobile Me because it just works. Add the fact that you can get at your files on any networked PC / iPhone / iPad etc., and the £60 a year is well worth the money.

Drop box does the same thing more or less – just a bit less elegantly, and lower (free) capacity.

For contact sync, I use google (macs + various mobile devices). Works fine for me, but then I don’t use gmail’s web interface ever (avoids the auto add problem) as I prefer native mail apps + imap access.

There might be a labs extension you can add to prevent the contact addition/duplication.

Nokia’s Ovi contact sync might work? Or any other cloud contact sync service really.

Drop box does the same thing more or less – just a bit less elegantly

But Dropbox has versioning doesn’t it which I don’t think iDisk does?

But Dropbox has versioning doesn’t it which I don’t think iDisk does?

Oooooh, didn’t realise that – might have to reconsider my ways of working now.

+1 for Dropbox. When they figure out how to stop it asking for an admin password every time it runs on a Mac it’ll deserve to take over the world. Or something.

For contact sync, I use google (macs + various mobile devices). Works fine for me, but then I don’t use gmail’s web interface ever (avoids the auto add problem) as I prefer native mail apps + imap access.

There might be a labs extension you can add to prevent the contact addition/duplication.

I prefer IMAP too but the beauty of it is having access to all the same stuff via Browser as well (and google’s search is often a lot more useful that mail client search as it searches attachment contents as well)

I don’t think the duplication was a browser problem – it was somewhere in the iPhone/apple contacts iSync/???

I know that they’ve made some improvements to contacts but it’s not been rolled out to Apps for Domains yet, only to free customers (!?$)