In the digital age we live in, it’s undeniable that our lives are intertwined with technology. In particular, we use our laptops to store precious items such as personal data, work files, and photos. Losing this data can be disastrous. It’s therefore important to ensure that you back up your important files and system data.
This will help keep you safe from data loss in case of things such as hardware failure, accidental deletion, malware infection, or a system crash. It’s also good to have multiple backup strategies as you can easily come across the error “the disk you attached was not readable by this computer Mac.” This can happen for multiple reasons, such as disk failure, although it can still be resolved.
To help you keep your valuable data safe, we’ll walk you through different Mac backup strategies you can use.
Backup Strategies for Mac
Three main backup strategies can help keep your data safe.
Time Machine
MacBooks come with Time Machine, Apple’s native backup tool. This tool allows users to back up their apps, music, photos, email, and documents on an external drive. The best part about it is that it does these backups incrementally and automatically. You can backup data hourly, over 24 hours, weekly, or monthly.
To use it, simply plug an external hard drive into the device, then go to System Preferences and select Time Machine. You will be able to select the backup device and set the preferences.
In case of data loss, restoring your data from Time Machine is very easy. You only need to plug in your backup drive and select the specific moment you want to return to.
You can restore specific files you’ve lost or modified or even the entire system as it was. Apple recommends that your backup drive be twice the size of your Mac storage for smooth operation.
Cloning the Hard Drive
Besides backing up your data on a hard drive, you can also create a replica of the disk. Cloning your hard drive involves duplicating it in such a way that if the main drive fails, you can just insert the other and have your Mac back as it was.
This backup strategy is usually handy when you want to make major changes to your device or update configurations that may affect the functioning of your computer.
To do the cloning, you will need to use a cloning tool – there are several in the market. You can then insert your external hard drive and select your computer’s hard drive as the source. The tool will then create a carbon copy you can call on whenever necessary.
Cloud Backup
Connecting a hard drive may not be practical at times, or it can seem like a lot of work, making cloud backup an excellent alternative. With a cloud backup, you only need to have an internet connection.
The files that you need to backup will be uploaded to the cloud, either in full or incremental backups. These can also be done regularly and automatically.
One of the easiest ways to backup your Mac data on the cloud is to use Apple’s iCloud. With the service, you only need to sign in, select the files you need to backup, and ensure you have enough space.
However, the service can also prove costly if you have a lot of data, so you can consider other options, such as Google Drive and DropBox. Cloud backup protects your data from device loss and all physical hazards, but also ensures that you use encryption and strong authentication measures to prevent unauthorized access.
Ensuring all Data is Safe
Simply having a backup strategy is not enough. It’s good to counter-check the files you’ve backed up and ensure that all your critical data is captured. You can then perform regular backups to guarantee all your new files are safely stored.
If you are using a hard drive, ensure that it is stored in a safe location to avoid things such as water damage. You can then test your backups regularly to ensure that they are working properly. This way, you will know you can count on them when disaster strikes.