Macs All-in-One For Dummies, 6th Edition

Chapter 1

Backing Up and Restoring Your Data

IN THIS CHAPTER

Backing up with iCloud

Using Time Machine to back up your precious data

Recovering files and folders and other data

Transferring your data to a new Mac with Migration Assistant

Technical writing rule #57: Before discussing backups, write a long jeremiad — using your most scolding, schoolmarmish voice — that back-handedly accuses the reader of being too lazy to perform backups, that runs through a litany of potential devilments that can befall data, and that includes at least one it-happened-to-me-so-it-can-happen-to-you story of data-loss misery and woe.

Dear reader, you’ll be happy to hear that I’m going to break this old rule. Why? Because if you’re reading this chapter, it means you already know your data is at risk, you’ve already heard the nightmare stories of precious, irreplaceable files lost, and you already want to protect your data. Therefore, you don’t need a lecture from me. Instead, you just want to know how you can protect your Mac data from harm and how to recover your data should your Mac’s hard drive go ...