System Restore Point equivalent?

japunto · 12-30-2004, 10:43 PM

Is there an equivalent to Windows XP's System Restore Point on OS X? I'm sure that the hope is that this type of feature is much less needed on a Mac, but my father-in-law just got a PowerBook and was wondering.

If there isn't, what is the current thinking on a good, easy, automatic (scheduled), GUI-having backup software that allows you to roll back time on your major blunders?
Thanks,
JP

RideMan · 12-30-2004, 11:10 PM

You mean like giving us some means of uninstalling that Security Update that somehow screwed up my QuickTime export ability?

That's something I *wish* OS-X had...

voldenuit · 12-31-2004, 05:56 AM

Using whatever utility you prefer to make bootable backups of your startup volume is as close as you will get. CCC, RsyncX are the free options, there are other products as well.

It is probably Good Practise to wait a week or two before doing an upgrade (unless it's an urgent security issue) and see how it behaves.

And it would be extremely cool if someone wrote the functional equivalent of ConflictCatcher.

subscriber3 · 12-31-2004, 10:38 AM

Quote:


	If there isn't, what is the current thinking on a good, easy, automatic (scheduled), GUI-having backup software that allows you to roll back time on your major blunders?

CMS Products - World's Easiest Backup
http://www.cmsproducts.com/index.htm

japunto · 12-31-2004, 10:50 PM

Hey, that CMS Products drive looks like a good solution. Anyone here tried one out?
-JP

subscriber3 · 01-01-2005, 07:33 AM

I have a 80Gb firewire for my iMac. It is easy and brainless, just like the reviewers said, especially for a full bootable backup. Obviously, if you want to backup just a part of your drive, or exclude files, and so forth, you have to configure it, but that is easy, too. support is average.

the way the software works, the backup program copies files from the primary drive that are not found on the backup drive or that are older on the backup drive. a separate step is required using the restore program to purge the backup drive of files that are no longer found on the primary drive.

For anyone who has used the Windows version, note that the Mac version does not support versioning yet. (versioning would allow you to save a sequence of backups for selected directories instead of just one).

I think it is a useful and effective system for people who aren't really technical and want to protect their data without spending much time thinking about backup. On the other hand, people who want the cheapest possible solution, or who want a backup of exactly what is on their primary drive, will do better elsewhere.

japunto · 01-01-2005, 11:14 AM

Thanks so much for your helpful review, Subscriber3. I'm going to recommend one to my father-in-law and get one for my wife's PowerBook as well.
-JP

---------------
John Park
author, Understanding 3D Animation Using Maya
http://www.understandingmaya.com

12-30-2004, 10:43 PM	#1
japunto Prospect Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 5	System Restore Point equivalent? Is there an equivalent to Windows XP's System Restore Point on OS X? I'm sure that the hope is that this type of feature is much less needed on a Mac, but my father-in-law just got a PowerBook and was wondering. If there isn't, what is the current thinking on a good, easy, automatic (scheduled), GUI-having backup software that allows you to roll back time on your major blunders? Thanks, JP

01-01-2005, 07:33 AM	#6
subscriber3 Triple-A Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 126	I have a 80Gb firewire for my iMac. It is easy and brainless, just like the reviewers said, especially for a full bootable backup. Obviously, if you want to backup just a part of your drive, or exclude files, and so forth, you have to configure it, but that is easy, too. support is average. the way the software works, the backup program copies files from the primary drive that are not found on the backup drive or that are older on the backup drive. a separate step is required using the restore program to purge the backup drive of files that are no longer found on the primary drive. For anyone who has used the Windows version, note that the Mac version does not support versioning yet. (versioning would allow you to save a sequence of backups for selected directories instead of just one). I think it is a useful and effective system for people who aren't really technical and want to protect their data without spending much time thinking about backup. On the other hand, people who want the cheapest possible solution, or who want a backup of exactly what is on their primary drive, will do better elsewhere. Last edited by subscriber3; 01-01-2005 at 08:58 AM.

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12-30-2004, 11:10 PM	#2
RideMan Triple-A Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 68	You mean like giving us some means of uninstalling that Security Update that somehow screwed up my QuickTime export ability? That's something I wish OS-X had...

12-31-2004, 05:56 AM	#3
voldenuit Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Old Europe Posts: 4,969	Using whatever utility you prefer to make bootable backups of your startup volume is as close as you will get. CCC, RsyncX are the free options, there are other products as well. It is probably Good Practise to wait a week or two before doing an upgrade (unless it's an urgent security issue) and see how it behaves. And it would be extremely cool if someone wrote the functional equivalent of ConflictCatcher.

12-31-2004, 10:50 PM	#5
japunto Prospect Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 5	Hey, that CMS Products drive looks like a good solution. Anyone here tried one out? -JP

01-01-2005, 11:14 AM	#7
japunto Prospect Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 5	Thanks so much for your helpful review, Subscriber3. I'm going to recommend one to my father-in-law and get one for my wife's PowerBook as well. -JP --------------- John Park author, Understanding 3D Animation Using Maya http://www.understandingmaya.com