12 replies to this topic

[fmcfee]

Hi,

I purchased a MAC to run Accordance a while back...I have connected a external drive via USB and the OS can be backed up...but I cannot seem to manually copy files to the drive...Also, I am not sure what directory to copy to backup for my Accordance software....I am not sure I can get it to work with the external drive but I could try and use a USB memory stick which does show up in Finder...I have purchased "MAC for dummies" but it seems to say I need to buy something to be able to backup user files....I am primarily a Windows user...so any help would be appreciated...

Thank you,

Frank

[Levi Durfey]

Are you using Time Machine to do the back ups (it's an app that comes with macs)? If so, then all your apps and documents (including Accordance, and it's settings, and it's modules) will be backed up. I am not sure what the Dummies book was saying, but everything is backed up, not just the OS.

The only way that they wouldn't be backed up is if you specifically tell Time Machine not to back them up.

You should have a icon in your menu bar for Time Machine. From there you can get to the preferences for Time Machine. If you have no icon, go to System Preferences (the "apple" in the top left of the menu bar) and find the Time Machine preferences there.

[fmcfee]

Thanks for your reply...I have used time machine...but it wants me to buy an upgrade...I have tried multiple times to set things up..I get errors that Time machine cannot backup (I don't keep the external drive connected except for backups...I now use the software that comes with my external hard drive and it does not seem to back up non-OS files.......so I am not sure Accordance is backed up or my Itunes stuff like podcasts...my MAC is dedicated to Accordance and training DVDs...so what can I do?

Thanks Frank

Edited by fmcfee, 21 May 2012 - 02:45 PM.

[Levi Durfey]

Odd, Time Machine shouldn't be asking for an upgrade.
What Mac OS are you running? Click on the "apple" and then "About this Mac"?
What model and make of external drive did you get?
Did you reformat and erase the external drive before trying Time Machine? (Hint: it helps if you do).

[Rick Bennett]

Thanks for your reply...I have used time machine...but it wants me to buy an upgrade...I have tried multiple times to set things up..I get errors that Time machine cannot backup (I don't keep the external drive connected except for backups...I now use the software that comes with my external hard drive and it does not seem to back up non-OS files.......so I am not sure Accordance is backed up or my Itunes stuff like podcasts...my MAC is dedicated to Accordance and training DVDs...so what can I do?

Thanks Frank

You should not have to purchase anything additional to use Time Machine. I do recommend keeping a drive connected for Time Machine, it really is the easiest route to accomplish this.

However, the files you'll want to backup are Preferences and Accordance Files.
Preferences are stored in: User/Library/Preferences/Accordance Preferences. Note, Lion now hides the Library folder. In Finder select Go > Go to Folder…, then type in ~/Library to access it (assuming you want the User Library).
Accordance Files located at: User/Documents/Accordance Files

But, I would stress again that for a beginner Time Machine is the easiest route. If you lose files or they become corrupt it is very easy to restore them.

Edited by Rick Bennett, 21 May 2012 - 03:02 PM.

[fmcfee]

I am using version 10.6.8....I do believe the external drive was reformatted because when I first used it...it told me I had to format it..the problem is I cannot look at the details of my external drive files like I can when using Windows...I am using a Western Digital external drive and when I plug it in it does a backup....I will try time machine again...

Thanks for your help
Frank

[Enoch]

Are you by any chance using an external drive off the shelf formatted for FAT instead of the Mac OS Extended Journaled feature? A FAT formatted hard drive is useful for transferring text back & forth between a Windows PC & a Mac, but a file cannot be bigger than 4 GB or so for the FAT (actually skinny) formatted drive. Perhaps you need to take a hard drive & reformat it for Mac. You use your Disk Utility Erase option & select a format for reformatting. With a Mac formatted drive you should be able to use the Time Machine to back up Accordance (back up your whole computer is probably what you want to do)

[Julie Falling]

Your TimeMachine back-up drive should be twice as large as the contents of your Mac HD.

Find out how much room your OS & stuff are taking up on your HD by opening a Finder window (click on the desktop so you're in Finder, and hit Cmd-N). The bottom of the window gives you how much of your HD is available.

If you can't remember your HD capacity, go the the Apple in the upper left corner of the Menu Bar. Click "About this Mac" in the drop-down menu, then "More Info..." then "System Report." Find "Serial-ATA" in the left column. Clicking this will give you all the info on your HD - capacity, make and model, etc.

When your TimeMachine HD starts getting full, I think TimeMachine will start deleting the oldest backups but will ask/tell you first. The first full back-up takes some time, but the rest are incremental and go pretty quickly.

I leave my TimeMachine back-up plugged in when my laptop is on my desk connected to an external monitor (it's my main machine). I also have a second TimeMachine back-up in a safe place where it would be more protected from fire & theft. I use one for a while, then the other. I like the OWC On-The-Go-Pro external drive (http://eshop.macsale...ewire/on-the-go). It's operation is nearly silent and it only need to be plugged into your laptop.

My husband does the same with his desktop (his main machine), but uses a "toaster" (http://eshop.macsale...Hard_Drive_Dock) and a "naked" 3.5" SATA. That's a cheaper way to go, but it's noisy and the alternate drive takes up more storage space.

By the way, I don't work for OWC, but we have been buying from them for more than two decades and have yet to get any faulty stuff.

[fmcfee]

Julie,

Thanks for our reply..I have a USB backup device and use Time Machine....I leave it plugged in all the time..I think that is working OK.....thanks again

Frank

[Julie Falling]

Frank - Glad you've got it going. With TimeMachine, back-up is effortless once it's set up, and replacing corrupt files/preferences is easy, too.

[rev.ken.han]

Where is the user data for Timeline stored?

[Julie Falling]

Is it not in the User Library>Application Support>Accordance>Accordance Preferences? (that we get to by Opt/Go>Library . . .) There's a bunch of user-specific stuff there, including Timeline (133 KB com.Oaktree.Accordance.settings). Is that it?

[Helen Brown]

Yes, Julie, you are correct. User map data is also in Preferences. Since your modules are available from our servers, the most important files to back up and transfer are the ones with your work:

User Library>Application Support>Accordance>Accordance Preferences

and

User Documents>Accordance Files