Clone the drives to a disk image or use time machine that comes installed on OSX to backup your data.

Clone - http://www.macinstruct.com/node/147

Time Machine - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1427

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Use Time Machine... easy peasy.

both drives are in use. time machine isn't an option. I need a cloning tool that can wok over lan.

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old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
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quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad both drives are in use. time machine isn't an option. I need a cloning tool that can wok over lan.

Ah, my apologies... read it a bit too quickly

Another question

i've had my first mac pro for 2 years almost and I've never reinstalled the OS. I run all the appropriate maintenance stuff and I'm wondering if a new install is sometimes a good thing. It feels a little sluggish lately but perhaps that is because my new mac pro is damn fast.

Also, if I reinstall the oss, is there a step by step process somewhere on the net where I can just copy over my preference files and apps so I don't have to reinstall everything. I know it is much simpler than windows but haven't tried it myself.

___________________
"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest

quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad Another question i've had my first mac pro for 2 years almost and I've never reinstalled the OS. I run all the appropriate maintenance stuff and I'm wondering if a new install is sometimes a good thing. It feels a little sluggish lately but perhaps that is because my new mac pro is damn fast. Also, if I reinstall the oss, is there a step by step process somewhere on the net where I can just copy over my preference files and apps so I don't have to reinstall everything. I know it is much simpler than windows but haven't tried it myself.

Short answer is yes. Macs need an OS install far less regularly that PC, but still I do it about every two years and you see a nice performance reset. Also, whatever you do, make sure you have the latest OSX disk, not an older version and the update disk, otherwise you'll lose about 3 completely uneccessary hours of your life.

As for verbatim cloning, we use:

http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDu...escription.html

how about my apps and preferences. Is it rather simple to move them back ? I know it is rather simple but I would like an idiot proof guide just in case. I remember you posting a thread years ago about how you reinstalled the OS and transferred your apps.

By the way, my workflow is incredible now!! I didn't think another mac pro would make much of a difference but it just makes things so much more simple.

___________________
"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest

Last edited by Looney4Clooney on Nov-11-2010 at 20:55

SuperDuper is indeed a great tool to make exact copies of your drive. Should anything happen to your main drive, just boot from one of the backups and continue where you left of as if nothing happend. Been using it for a few years and never had to use it fortunately, but gives you a lot of reassurance. Sometimes I boot from the backups just to test and it never failed on me.

On the same league as SuperDuper is Carbon Copy Cloner. I think it has most of the same functions, but free of charge.

but I need to actually copy , would prefer a smart copy option, the drive from computer A to computer B via lan. I like superduper but I am not sure the networking feature works well. It makes an image which you then have to load. I just want the program to add any files to my B computer I might of added to A.

___________________
"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest

ive reinstalled OSX a few times, it sure is easy. i didnt backup anything else than my music files first though so it was pretty straight forward. with loads of software and settings i bet its abit more job, i think timemachine is your best bet for that. btw cant u use the two internal discs in raid redundancy-mode?

quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad how about my apps and preferences. Is it rather simple to move them back ? I know it is rather simple but I would like an idiot proof guide just in case. I remember you posting a thread years ago about how you reinstalled the OS and transferred your apps.

If you use superduper, it will create a complete bootable exact copy of your drive(S) - everything as it exactly is.

You can then clone that superduper backup drive back to the internal drive(s) to restore your computer. So the simple way to do this is to have a external drive with the superduper clone image on it and just whip it out when you need to restore.

I'm not aware of any software that will allow a selective backup across LAN.

Te clever way to work with superduper however, is to create an imagef your computer now, then put that drive in a fireproof safe.

Now, format your internal(s), install OSX all your apps from fresh, sort your preferences, THEN use superduper to create a "fresh" install image on another external drive. This means you will have an image of your mac, in it's perfect state. Next time you want to format it, just wipe the internals and clone the fresh image on to the internals, run software update and you're job is done, all in about an hour.

We do this at the studio and I can't tell you how many hours it saves us on maintenance.

quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad By the way, my workflow is incredible now!! I didn't think another mac pro would make much of a difference but it just makes things so much more simple.

Glad to hear it!! - It was a revelation the first time I did it. You know you'll never be able to go back to one mac now though?