Chapter 4. Backing Up Files
In this chapter, we take a look at effectively backing up and restoring files. Backing up files, as well as restoring them, is fundamentally important, and we highly advise that you become familiar with the process, set up your own backup system, and routinely maintain it.
Backing up data on a computer has always been a laborious process that many people overlook. In Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Apple introduced a new backup tool called Time Machine. It makes the backup process quick and simple to set up, virtually unnoticeable in operation, and reliable for restoring files. It even comes with an attractive 3-D interface that adds a touch of life to the otherwise insipidly dull process of file restoration.
Because Time Machine is such a highly integrated Mac OS X tool, we spend the bulk of this chapter looking at using it as your backup solution. However, Time Machine isn't the only backup solution available to Mac OS X users; we also look at some alternatives, including Apple's Backup program (included as part of its MobileMe service).
Finally, we investigate how you can use RAID (redundant array of independent disks) to protect your data against hard-disk failure. We look at how to install, or attach, multiple disks to your Mac, and how to use Disk Utility to turn these drives into ...
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