mac os x backup stuff

rsync backup to CD

Let me know if this script works for you. wrote it a while back. Now I have a network drive and use the rsync command later on. This script will also ask you to scan an existing CD and do a differential backup. Basic unix knowledge would help. This backs up your home directory. This should also work to a disk drive--but it's got too much user interaction for me so I use the commandline thing below now.

Installation Download the scripthttp://srtdata.com/hints/mac_rsync_backup into your home directory, or any other directory. You can name it wahtever you want--let's say "mac_backup". Open a terminal window, and move to the directory you downloaded the script, if not home. Issue the command chmod 755 mac_backup"

Running Open a terminal window, and issue the command ./mac_backup. If you did not download in your home directory, CD into the download directory first. Prior to doing this, insert a blank CD or an existing backup CD in yoru CD drive.

rsync commandline

The trickiest bit about the rsync command is knowing where your destination is. Usually it's in /Volumes. So, from terminal.app, llook in /Volumes and find your drive and full path to your desired backup directory. You may also use a .backup_exclude file in your home directory to exclude random stuff. My .backup_exclude file includes the following. You can probably cut-n-paste this directly without much harm.

#exclude file for backup script ~/bin/backup
#enter parterns to be excluded

#all disk images (most likely downloaded or burned already; if not, add
#images to INCLUDE file or remove the next line
#*.dmg
#*.sparseimage

#Trash
.Trash/

#netatalk stuff
.Apple*/
.Parent/

#caches
Library/Caches/
.jpi_cache/
#CrashReporter/

#MUSIC files.  Back these up separately
iTunes Music/

tmp/*
proc
Network/*
Volumes/*
cores/*
*/.Trash
dev/*
afs/*
automount/*
private/tmp/*
private/var/vm/*
private/var/run/*
private/var/spool/postfix/private/*
private/var/spool/postfix/public/*
private/var/imap/socket/*

Conect the drive (network or USB/FireWire) to yoru computer. The command use :

 rsync -auWv --exclude-from ~/.backup_exclude ~/ [destination]

where [destination] is the full destination path, e.g. /Volumes/my_drive/backup

rsync GUI

You can also download a GUI front-end for rsync, RsynxX, on Versiontracker This is not as pretty as some of the graphic OS X backup utilities you pay for, but (a) it's free, and (b) it's easier than rsync.

third-party (graphic) OS X backups

I'm testing out Intego's Personal Backup At a first glance, it looks to do the job for personal backup