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Virtual Machines - users who run virtualization software like Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion likely have at least one huge virtual machine file on their Mac.Once you’ve restored your Mac, simply reconnect to these services and re-download (or re-sync) your data. Although it’s good to have at least one backup of the data stored on these services (in case their data centers are ever destroyed), most users will be safe skipping these folders in their backup. Cloud Service Folders - services like Dropbox, SugarSync, and SkyDrive can be configured to store data on your local Mac.Of course, if you have non-iTunes content in these folders, such as files sourced from home videos or ripped DVDs, you’ll want to make sure they’re backed up along with the rest of your data.
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These can be huge, multi-gigabyte files that take up a lot of space, and you’ll always be able to download them again from Apple at any time.
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Macintosh HD/Users//Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Movies (and TV Shows) - if your movies and TV show folders are filled exclusively with purchased iTunes content, then you don’t have to worry about backing them up. Just as above with iCloud, if you lose the contents of this folder, they’ll automatically re-download when you set your email account back up after restoring. Macintosh HD/Users//Library/Containers//Data/Library/Mail Downloads - when you view an email attachment in Mail, it gets stored to this temporary location until you save it to your drive or delete the message. If you lose it due to a hard drive failure, all of the data will be automatically downloaded again once you restore your Mac and log in with iCloud. Macintosh HD/Users//Library/Mobile Documents - this is where Apple stores local copies of your iCloud data. If you’re backup space is limited, however, consider excluding the following items: If you want complete backup coverage and you have a large enough storage drive, just back up everything. If you don’t see any files in Macintosh HD/Users//Documents/, for example, open your commonly used applications and trace your files back to their actual locations. If you’ve instead saved data to random folders outside of your User folder, you’ll need to check to make sure these get backed up as well. Examples of such apps include Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite products.Īll of the above recommendations assume that you’ve used the default locations for your data. Note, however, that some applications with strong DRM (digital rights management), may require that you re-enter your product key after restoring them from backup. By backing up this folder locally, you can quickly restore all of you existing applications without having to re-download or reinstall them one-by-one. The Mac App Store and downloadable software purchases have made it relatively easy to reinstall lost applications after a hard drive crash or data loss, but it’s still a time-consuming process even with a fast network connection. The Applications folder, at Macintosh HD/Applications, is also prime target for backup. You’d probably be fine with not backing this folder up, but if you’re looking for a complete backup solution that lets you resume work immediately after restoring your data, it’s a good idea to grab this folder as well. Folder backup system install#
While all of your personal preferences and application support data should be in your user Library folder, which is backed up in the steps above, some applications, such as Microsoft Office, install various items to the system Library folder. If you have more than one user on your Mac, and you’re only interested in backing up your own data, just go one level deeper and select your user account from within the Users folder.Īnother location you may wish to back up is the system level Library folder, located at Macintosh HD/Library/. Each user account contains your Desktop files, documents, downloads, videos, music, and pictures.
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This will back up your user account, along with any other accounts on the Mac, plus any shared data. When choosing what to backup manually, first and most importantly look to the Users folder, located by default at Macintosh HD/Users/. These suggestions apply to virtually any service or software that allows for selective backup.