Time Machine has been one of my favorite features about the Mac. It was the most anticipated feature for me when waiting for the release of Mac OS X 10.5. It has saved my behind a few times from disk failure with nary a single lost file. Apple describes Time Machine as follows:

Time Machine works with your Mac and an external hard drive. Just connect the drive and assign it to Time Machine and you’re a step closer to enjoying peace of mind. Time Machine will automatically back up your entire Mac, including system files, applications, accounts, preferences, music, photos, movies, and documents. But what makes Time Machine different from other backup applications is that it not only keeps a spare copy of every file, it remembers how your system looked on a given day — so you can revisit your Mac as it appeared in the past.

Recently I have been switching to backing all my computers up to my server and had questions about using sparse bundles and backing up over the network. Unable to find a complete set of instructions, I have decided to share what I have learned.

Backing up with sparse bundles

What is a sparse bundle? Its a type of disk image that can have a maximum size set, but only takes up as much space as it needs to on the physical disk. Time Machine is a notorious hog of disk space. It will utilize as much as it can for backing up your files, which can be nice. Sometimes though, it can be undesirable. The beauty about backing up to sparse bundles is that if you have a large disk you are backing up to, say 2 TB, and your drive on your computer is only 200 GB, you can make a sparse bundle that is 500 GB to back up to and basically reserve the remaining 1.5 TB of the backup disk for other uses.

So how do you set up sparse bundles? Well, the first step is to create one with Disk Utility.

1. Open Disk Utility
2. Select File > New Blank Disk Image
3. Set the file name to your computer name followed by an underscore and it’s primary mac address (eg: “macbook_00113bcd9e”)
4. Set the size to custom, then choose an appropriate size. It should be at least the size of your disk, and probably half again or twice as big.
5. You can set encryption on the file. This is so no others can access your data if your backup disk gets stolen, etc. 128 is probably good enough. It will be slower with 256 bit encryption.
6. Keep it partitioned as an “Apple Partition Map”
7. Select “Sparse Bundle Disk Image” as the Image Format

Now save it on whatever disk you want to use as your backup. Make sure you save it in the top-level directory of the drive. Time Machine can’t locate the sparse bundle unless its in the top-level directory.

Time Machine Error

I saw this error on my server. When I searched on Google, I couldn’t find any information about the cause or solution to the problem.

“Time Machine could not be configured. The built-in network interface could not be found.”

This error stems from the fact that Time Machine identifies the computer based on it’s built in network adapter’s mac address. Computers that have this error are either “hackintoshes” that have no built in ethernet adapter, or have damaged hardware and are using an external adapter or PCI card. In either case, I have no solution for the problem yet, but will update this post if I find it.

Scheduling

Time Machine is wonderful because of its incremental nature. It saves backups hourly. This can be a nuisance however when backing up over the network because there can be a noticeable slow down of the computer during backup. To remedy this problem, I found a program called TimeMachineScheduler that allows the interval between backups to be specified as well a times that Time Machine shouldn’t run.

I have a lot of friends that ask me about buying Macs, selling Macs, switching to Macs, and fixing Macs. Most of the time, these questions revolve around the MacBook, Apple’s most popular consumer computer to date. I decided if I address these things in one place, I can just send my friends here to get their questions answered.

Why buy a MacBook?

MacBooks are good little computers. They have been Apple’s number one selling computer for quite sometime now. They are popular especially in academia among both students and teachers. MacBooks come in multiple form factors, from ultra portable (MacBook Air) to affordable (MacBook) to powerful (MacBook Pro).

For those who are currently using Windows based PCs, Macs have a lot to offer. While both Windows and Mac OS X are very comparable in features, additional benefits are derived from Mac OS X by virtue of the fact that Apple creates both the hardware and software that you get when purchasing a Mac. This eliminates a lot of the headaches that some people experience with driver problems and updates. Additionally, with fewer viruses out there for the Mac, there is less risk of software problems. Macs also have Time Machine, a backup utility, that I feel is a must for an increasingly digital data reliant generation as we are. Hourly backups that require almost zero configuration take the headache and uncertainty out of backing up important files. These features combined with the applications and seamless experience that Mac OS X delivers, I feel that Macs are a great choice for any user, novice to expert.

The MacBook Air ($999), which was recently revamped, offers portability and speed. Although the processor is slower than on the other MacBook models, the built in SSD delivers a blazingly fast performance for users on the go. The battery life is superb, is ultra light, and has a high-res display.

The MacBook ($999) is the economical choice. While it isn’t as light as the MacBook Air, it is more fully featured by the fact that it has an optical drive (CD/DVD), and Ethernet port. It’s slightly thicker, and heavier. It also sports a more powerful CPU.

The MacBook Pro ($1199) is the big-daddy of the MacBooks. It is bigger, more robust, and has the option of using the latest processor technologies. The video cards are better, and the screens are larger and features a FireWire port for those who loathe USB. Features like back-lit keyboards are also standard on the MacBook Pros, and they have the ability to have more RAM.

Where to buy a MacBook?

People will tell you that you can’t get a deal on the Mac. While it is true that Macs have fixed pricing, there are ways to get a lower price. One of the best kept secrets of Apple’s online store is the refurbished section of the store. This is where the best deals can be found. They destroy the educational discounts by a long shot (unless the free iPod deal is going on…). MacBooks can be marked down to as low as $750 depending on the day. The great thing is that since these come from Apple, they have the entire year warranty with the ability to upgrade with Apple Care just as any new computer from Apple.

Selling a MacBook?

One additional plus of Macs is that their value is retained for longer periods of time. Even the original MacBooks from 2006 can sell for $350 or so dollars, which is about 1/4 their original price. Not bad for 4 years of depreciation.

Newer models can fetch as much as $800 depending on the configuration. A good way to gauge the selling value of your Mac is to use this site called Mac2Sell.

Selling Macs is easy. I never seem to run out of people looking for a bargain for these cute little computers; high-schoolers and college-goers especially.

Should I upgrade?

Many people (myself included) bought a MacBook some time ago when Apple first introduced them. Since that time, many things have been changed on the MacBook. Notably, the HDD sizes, RAM capabilities, processor, screen, battery, construction, and the addition of an SD Card reader.

Before deciding to upgrade, it may be worth your while to think about how you use your computer, and how you feel it serves your purposes. A lot of what people do these days is web-based, and not very processor intensive, or even RAM intensive. Sometimes, a simple upgrade can make the difference people are looking for.

Faster or larger hard drives can improve performance, or give the desired space for all your MP3s. Hard drives are plentiful and getting cheaper by the day.

RAM can make a big difference in performance, especially when running multiple apps at a time. Older machines can only be upgraded to 3 GB, however new MacBooks can be upgraded to 4 or 8 depending on the year. RAM for these older MacBooks is rather inexpensive.

The LED backlit screens available on the newer MacBooks result in lower settings with the backlight as well as an increased battery performance. If you like to work in the dark, it may be worth upgrading for the sake of your eyes.

The graphics cards on the original MacBooks are not meant for gaming in the least. The most recent string of MacBooks perform much better in the graphics department. If you are a gamer, it would probably be good to upgrade, however if you don’t do any 3D or gaming, it probably won’t affect you to have an underpowered video card.

People on the go will appreciate the vast upgrade you can experience in battery technology by purchasing the most recent MacBook. They last far more than the original MacBook’s 2-3 hours, and can be great for students and businessmen that travel.

MacBook construction has also improved over that past few years. The unibody design has been a welcomed improvement over the earlier plastic models that were prone to cracking and discoloring. The cracking is annoying, but it can be fixed by purchasing a replacement “top case” online for around 50 bucks. If you can use a screw driver, you can replace it in 10 to 15 minutes.

Last, but not least, the processor. Back in the day, processor speeds were guaranteed to double every 18 months. Recently, this improvement has stagnated somewhat. The original MacBooks were available in 1.8 and 2.0 GHz varieties, but only 32 bit. Since the introduction of 64 bit processors 6 months after the initial release of the MacBooks, not a ton has changed. The baseline model is still only 2.4 GHz, presenting only a small 400 MHz boost in speed. Of course, if you are thinking of getting a Pro, you can enjoy a much better speed bump especially when looking at the i5 and i7 processors.

In the end…

In the end, it depends what your computing needs are. I have been in this boat, and every time I think to myself, “I just need to get that new shiny computer cause its faster and thinner and better,” I just have to remind myself that I barely use my laptop as it is, and when I do, it usually for tasks that I could easily do on an iPad anyways. I think I’ll be holding onto my MacBook for a few more years, or possibly until it stops working. They are great little machines!