Quick Start
First things first: most people do not need to read this entire book! There’s a lot of detail here for those who want it, but if your backup needs are unexceptional, you can skim much of this material. Even so, don’t skip Plan a Backup Strategy, which outlines the basics and helps you understand the hardware, software, and setup advice I give later.
For all readers, the following points should help you understand what I cover where, and which parts you’re most interested in.
Decide on a backup strategy:
If you don’t already have a backup system in place, start at the beginning, with the Plan a Backup Strategy chapter. You’ll soon Understand Joe’s Basic Backup Strategy, which revolves around three key components: versioned backups (containing multiple copies of files as they existed at various points in time), a bootable duplicate (a complete, bootable copy of your startup volume), and offsite storage (in case something wipes out your Mac and the backup media sitting right next to it).
If you’re already backing up your Mac (even if your strategy is based on recommendations from an earlier version of this book), read Reassess Your Backup Strategy to find out what’s new and which Factors to Reevaluate to determine whether any changes are in order.
Assemble the components:
Consider whether the best approach for your situation is to store your backups on hard drives (or other devices) directly connected to your Mac(s), or on network servers or appliances. See Choose Local or Network Backups.
Decide whether Time Machine is a good match for your needs, and if not, select a different app to perform versioned backups. Read Choose Backup Software for a feature overview, then pick an option noted in Explore Versioned Backup Features or consult the online appendixes for details and sources.
Choose Backup Hardware—such as a hard drive or two, and/or a network storage device—to store your backups on.
Prepare Your Hard Drive with the right number and type of partitions and volume formats for the types of backups you want to do.
Set up your backups:
If you’ve chosen to use Time Machine for versioned backups, read Configure and Use Time Machine. Otherwise, see Use Other Versioned Backup Software to learn how to configure a versioned backup and verify that you can retrieve stored files.
Make a bootable copy of your startup volume, schedule it for regular updates, and test it to make sure it works with the advice in Create and Use a Bootable Duplicate.
One way or another, Store an Extra Backup Offsite—either by physically moving backup media or by signing up for an online backup service.
Address problems and unusual situations:
If your disk dies, your Mac is stolen, or an important file goes missing, don’t panic; read What to Do When Disaster Strikes.
After months or years of backing up your Mac, you may run out of space on your backup disks, or you may become concerned about the long-term viability of your backup media. Discover what to do about this in Manage Your Media.
Find out how to deal with backup needs that don’t fit neatly into the duplicate or versioned categories in Consider Special Backup Needs. As appropriate, read Back Up Digital Photos, Deal with Huge Volumes of Data, Back Up While on the Road, and Back Up Windows Files and Volumes.