# Mac's Time Machine????



## OPC'n (Sep 18, 2009)

I just got a notice on my mac that my mac has not been backed up for 41 days and the reason was "failed" and that I needed to see if I had enough space or change preference. What is this all about? Just one more thing breaking down in my house!


----------



## Sonoftheday (Sep 18, 2009)

Have you checked the flux capacitor??


----------



## raekwon (Sep 18, 2009)

Time Machine can fail for a few different reasons. How much space do you have left on your backup drive?


----------



## OPC'n (Sep 18, 2009)

hmmmmmmmm....don't know the answer to either question


----------



## jandrusk (Sep 18, 2009)

Use Linux.


----------



## OPC'n (Sep 18, 2009)

bump


----------



## Skyler (Sep 18, 2009)

Do you know how to find out how much space you have left on your hard drive?


----------



## raekwon (Sep 18, 2009)

jandrusk said:


> Use Linux.








Unhelpful!


----------



## Megan Mozart (Sep 18, 2009)

raekwon said:


> jandrusk said:
> 
> 
> > Use Linux.
> ...


 
But true!


----------



## Edward (Sep 18, 2009)

OPC'n said:


> I just got a notice on my mac that my mac has not been backed up for 41 days and the reason was "failed" and that I needed to see if I had enough space or change preference. What is this all about? Just one more thing breaking down in my house!



May be time to upgrade:

Windows XP home page


----------



## raekwon (Sep 18, 2009)

Edward said:


> OPC'n said:
> 
> 
> > I just got a notice on my mac that my mac has not been backed up for 41 days and the reason was "failed" and that I needed to see if I had enough space or change preference. What is this all about? Just one more thing breaking down in my house!
> ...



*sigh* 

Sarah, if you click on your backup drive in Finder, you can press Cmd-I to get the info on it, including the free space remaining. The resulting dialog box will look something like this (the red arrow is pointing to remaining space available) . . .





Also, if you get a chance, open up Disk Utility (located in the "Utilities" subfolder of your "Applications" folder) and run "Repair Disk" on your backup drive. That's been known to fix Time Machine issues as well.


----------



## Jen (Sep 18, 2009)

Edward said:


> May be time to upgrade:
> 
> Windows XP home page



 Every time I have to use XP, I have an overwhelming sense of gratitude when I get to go back to OS X. Nightmare of a user experience. I'll stick with UNIX, thanks. I like my Terminal.



Don't forget to check your connections! How're you connected to the drive? Did any cables come loose? In the past when my Time Machine backups have failed, it's been because of a connection issue.


----------



## OPC'n (Sep 18, 2009)

raekwon said:


> Edward said:
> 
> 
> > OPC'n said:
> ...



I don't see anything that says "backup driver". Is it in applications?

-----Added 9/18/2009 at 06:48:46 EST-----



Jen said:


> Edward said:
> 
> 
> > May be time to upgrade:
> ...



Maybe that's my problem.....I don't have any cables except for the one that hooks it up to my outlet for electricity.


----------



## raekwon (Sep 18, 2009)

OPC'n said:


> I don't see anything that says "backup driver". Is it in applications?



No, I mean the external hard drive that you've set up for Time Machine to use. It should have an icon (along with your primary hard drive) on your Desktop or in your Finder sidebar. Like this . . .




-----Added 9/18/2009 at 06:52:47 EST-----



OPC'n said:


> Maybe that's my problem.....I don't have any cables except for the one that hooks it up to my outlet for electricity.



Oh...

So you don't have an external hard drive?


----------



## Jen (Sep 18, 2009)

OPC'n said:


> Maybe that's my problem.....I don't have any cables except for the one that hooks it up to my outlet for electricity.



Are you using a Time Capsule, then? You can connect to Time Capsules wirelessly (and since you don't have any cables, I'm assuming that that's what you've been doing up to this point)... If you go to ~/Applications/Utilities/Air Port Utility you can check to see what all you're hooked up to. Does it show up there?

ETA: And if you are using a TC, is the little light green or orange?


----------



## OPC'n (Sep 18, 2009)

raekwon said:


> OPC'n said:
> 
> 
> > I don't see anything that says "backup driver". Is it in applications?
> ...



Oh, hahahahahahaha! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Has it been 41 days since I crashed my external hard drive for my PC that had EVERYTHING on it which was lost when I stupidly hooked it up to my mac????????? Well, nothing like a machine to remind you of sad events!!! You've solved the problem........I'm blond! 

-----Added 9/18/2009 at 06:57:02 EST-----



Jen said:


> OPC'n said:
> 
> 
> > Maybe that's my problem.....I don't have any cables except for the one that hooks it up to my outlet for electricity.
> ...



Yep! I'm using a time capsule......it's called being blond and not being of this world! It's a really great time capsule when you want to forget all your problems......


----------



## Edward (Sep 18, 2009)

Jen said:


> Every time I have to use XP, I have an overwhelming sense of gratitude when I get to go back to OS X. Nightmare of a user experience. I'll stick with UNIX, thanks. I like my Terminal.



I'm actually running Linux tonight - this machine came with Vista, and they didn't have an upgrade to XP available. So it's easier and a lot faster to boot from CD. 

But reading the instructions here, it is a lot easier to check hard drive usage in XP than in Mac.


----------



## raekwon (Sep 19, 2009)

Edward said:


> But reading the instructions here, it is a lot easier to check hard drive usage in XP than in Mac.



I dunno. Cmd-I isn't really that much tougher to press than Alt-Enter or Windows-E.


----------



## Edward (Sep 19, 2009)

raekwon said:


> Edward said:
> 
> 
> > But reading the instructions here, it is a lot easier to check hard drive usage in XP than in Mac.
> ...



In Vista (as noted upthread, I'm on my Vista/Linux machine, not my Windows box)

Click on the Windows Icon. 
Click on the word 'Computer'

versus:

Find 'Finder'. Click on it
click on your your drive
Search your documentation for the right key combo (or ask for help on the internet)
press Cmd-I 

I can see why Mac users would prefer the latter - they get to interface with other Apple L33Ts (or |337s). Anyone else would say the former was much more intuitive and required fewer assists.


----------



## raekwon (Sep 19, 2009)

Edward said:


> raekwon said:
> 
> 
> > Edward said:
> ...



Well, "Finder" does not have to be "found". It's the Mac equivalent of Windows Explorer. Not only that, but all icons for all drives are automatically shown on the Desktop.

But, I can play this game too!

Mac:
Right-click drive icon on desktop.
Click "Get Info".

Windows:
Find the "Windows Icon".
Search your documentation for the correct icon (or ask for help on the Internet)
Click "Computer"

See?! 

Anyway, glad to have helped, Sarah!


----------



## Edward (Sep 19, 2009)

raekwon said:


> if you click on your backup drive in Finder, you can press Cmd-I to get the info on it, including the free space remaining.





raekwon said:


> Mac:
> Right-click drive icon on desktop.
> Click "Get Info".


----------



## Berean (Sep 19, 2009)

raekwon said:


> Edward said:
> 
> 
> > But reading the instructions here, it is a lot easier to check hard drive usage in XP than in Mac.
> ...



A quick right-click on the drive you're interested in; choose Properties.


----------



## Edward (Sep 19, 2009)

Berean said:


> raekwon said:
> 
> 
> > Edward said:
> ...



So Windows is easier.


----------



## Berean (Sep 19, 2009)

> So Windows is easier.



For me  Been there since DOS 3.1. Never used a Mac. To each his/her own.


----------



## raekwon (Sep 19, 2009)

Edward said:


> Berean said:
> 
> 
> > raekwon said:
> ...



Not unless you're suggesting that "Properties" is somehow easier to click on than "Get Info."

Mac: "A quick right-click on the drive you're interested in; choose Get Info."
Windows: "A quick right-click on the drive you're interested in; choose Properties."

Where's the greater ease in either?


----------



## Edward (Sep 20, 2009)

raekwon said:


> Windows: "A quick right-click on the drive you're interested in; choose Properties."
> 
> Where's the greater ease in either?



That's not what I wrote. You keep changing YOUR instructions for Apple; don't try to do the same thing with what I posted. 

I'll repeat it again:

Click on the Windows Icon.
Click on the word 'Computer

See, nothing about choosing properties. It's right there in plain view. 

If you want to keep going on this, I'll be happy to oblige you after the Lord's Day.


----------



## Berean (Sep 20, 2009)

Posting in a Mac thread...I must be


----------



## raekwon (Sep 21, 2009)

Edward said:


> raekwon said:
> 
> 
> > Windows: "A quick right-click on the drive you're interested in; choose Properties."
> ...



Simply comparing apples to apples, friend (where you're comparing apples to oranges, watermelons, or kumquats)!  Your original comparison was between what you perceive to be the simplest way to find this info in Windows and what you perceive to be a complicated way in OS X.

So, I posted an OS X analog of your "simple" Windows method. Apples to apples. (No pun intended.)



> I'll repeat it again:
> 
> Click on the Windows Icon.
> Click on the word 'Computer
> ...



Actually no, it's not. You have to click something for "Computer" to show up, just like you have to click something for "Properties" to show up. Takes just as many clicks.

Anyway, it's fine if you prefer Windows. We could just do without the baseless claims of greater ease (at least for this particular task).


----------



## VictorBravo (Sep 21, 2009)

I think this thread is past done.


----------

