In: Categories » Computers and technology » MAC » Troubleshooting and backup resources
I wish I could promise you that by following the suggestions in this article, you'll never experience any problems with your Mac. You will lessen the likelihood and perhaps the severity of problems, but things still can and will go wrong. If, when an application crashes, your hard disk won't mount or smoke starts pouring out of your SuperDrive, you need more help than I can give you here. But allow me to suggest some places you might look for solutions.
Web sites:
- Apple's support site: Your first stop should be Apple's official support site, where you can search for FAQs, technical notes, and downloads that may address your problem (www.apple.com/support/).
- Apple's discussion forums: Another Mac user may have discovered, and solved, a similar problem. Connect with other users at these forums (http://discussions.apple.com/).
- MacFixIt: Check the MacFixIt site daily for information about newly identified problems and solutions for all sorts of Mac hardware and software (www.macfixit.com).
- MacInTouch: Keep current with Mac news and real-world reports from users around the world (www.macintouch.com).
- MacOSXHints: This site is geared more toward tips and tricks than troubleshooting, but it does contain solutions to many unusual problems as well (www.macosxhints.com).
- Software update sites: VersionTracker (www.versiontracker.com) and MacUpdate (www.macupdate.com) provide up-to-the-minute information on updates for thousands of applications, along with user comments.
Printed books:
- Mac OS X Help Line, Tiger Edition, by Ted Landau and Dan Frakes, contains a wealth of troubleshooting and repair information (www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321334299/; $50 retail, Amazon.com price $33).
Ebooks:
- Troubleshooting Mac OS X, by "Dr. Smoke" (Gregory A. Swain), is a 600-page ebook that goes into great detail about solving a wide variety of Mac problems (www.thexlab.com/book/troubleshootingmacosx.html; $20).
When all else fails:
- Visit the Genius Bar at a nearby Apple Store for free advice; Apple Stores also offer expert repair services. Be sure to call ahead (or visit the store's Web site; see www.apple.com/retail/) to make an appointment.
- If you're not near an Apple Store, search for an Apple Authorized Service Provider (www.apple.com/buy/locator/service.html).
Backup Software
This appendix includes further information on the backup software mentioned in this article. These lists are not exhaustive, and backup software is updated frequently. By the time you read this, any of these applications might have gained new features, possibly even putting it into an entirely different category. So, before making a purchase, check the developer's Web site for current features and prices. In many cases, you can download a free, time-limited demo to try the software out before making a purchase
Duplication+Archiving Software
Backup Simplicity 3.0 (www.qdea.com; $50)
Data Backup 2.1 (www.prosofteng.com; $59)
Déjà Vu 3.2 (propagandaprod.com; $25)
Personal Backup X4 (www.intego.com; $70)
Retrospect Desktop 6.1 (www.emcinsignia.com; downloadable, $119; boxed, $129; upgrade from Express, $55)
Retrospect Express (www.emcinsignia.com; free with selected third-party hard drives; also included in Allume's $99 CheckIt bundle, www.allume.com/mac/checkit/)
RsyncX 2.1 (http://archive.macosxlabs.org/rsyncx/; free)
Synchronize Pro X 5.0 (www.qdea.com; $100)
Synk Pro 6, Synk Standard, Synk Backup (www.decimus.net; $45, $35, and $25 respectively)
Tri-Backup 4.0 (www.tri-edre.com; $49)
Duplication Software
Applications in this group offer duplication (and, in some cases, synchronization) capabilities but not archiving. Because they are so similar in terms of this single feature, I don't provide a comparison table. With the exception of Clone'X and MimMac, all these applications offer scheduled duplication.
BounceBack Professional 7.0 (www.cmsproducts.com; $79)
Carbon Copy Cloner 2.3 (www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html; free; $5 donation suggested)
Clone'X 2.0 (www.tri-edre.com; $49)
CopyCatX III (www.SubRosaSoft.com; download only, $50; CD, $60)
FoldersSynchronizer 3.6 (www.softobe.com; $40)
MimMac 1.8 (www.ascendantsoft.com; $10)
SilverKeeper 1.1 (www.lacie.com/silverkeeper/; free)
QuickBack 3.0, part of SpeedTools Utilities (www.speedtools.com; $90)
SuperDuper! 2.1 (www.shirt-pocket.com; $28; free "clone-only" version available)
Xupport 3.0 (www.computer-support.ch/xupport/; $20)
Archiving Software
These programs offer archiving (and, in some cases, synchronization) features and scheduled backups, but they cannot make bootable duplicates. , "Archiving Software Feature Comparison," provides more detail about each application.
Apple Backup 3.1 (www.mac.com; free with $100 .Mac subscription)
Archive Assistant, part of StuffIt Deluxe 10.0 (www.stuffit.com; $80)
BackupSW 3.4 (visualversion.com/backupsw/; $9)
BRU LE 1.2 (www.bru.com/products/macosx/le/; $129)
ChronoSync 3.3 (www.econtechnologies.com; $30
Can be coaxed into making duplicates, but the publisher discourages this usage.
Dobry Backuper 1.5 (dobrysoft.com; $30)
NTI Shadow 3 (www.ntius.com; $30)
In addition to manual and scheduled backups, NTI Shadow can add files to an archive every single time they're saved.
SwitchBack 3.9 (www.glendower.co.nz; $30)
SyncupX 1.6 (http://freeridecoding.net/syncupx/; $20
Synchronization Software
The following utilities provide either one-way or two-way synchronization of files and folders. Because they offer neither duplicates nor archives in the sense discussed in this article, I do not categorize them as true backup software.
AASync 1.2 (www.aasync.com; two versions: one free, one $19)
iBackup 5.0 (www.grapefruit.ch/iBackup/; free)
iMsafe 2.0 (http://homepage.mac.com/sweetcocoa/; $19)
iShelter 1.0 (www.brattoo.com/propaganda/; $10)
Phew 1.0 (www.substancesoftware.com; free)
Synchronize X Plus 3.0 (www.qdea.com; $30)
zsCompare 3.0 (www.zizasoft.com; $35)
Photo-Cataloging Software
iView MediaPro (www.iview-multimedia.com; $160)
Extensis Portfolio (www.extensis.com; $200) Photo-Sharing Services
Flickr (www.flickr.com; free$25/year)
Fotki (www.fotki.com; free$50/year)
Kodak EasyShare Gallery (www.kodakgallery.com; free with annual purchase)
SmugMug (www.smugmug.com; $30100/year)
Snapfish (www.snapfish.com; free with annual purchase)
Internet Backup Services
These services include proprietary software. After subscribing and installing the software, you would be able to perform (limited) backups to a secure server over the Internet.
BackJack (www.backjack.com)
Datatrieve (www.datatrieve.co.uk)
Prolifix (www.prolifix.net)
Tuloy (www.tuloy.com)
Version Control Software
The tools listed here enable you to store unlimited versions of documents from almost any applicationin some cases, every time you save a file. Before attempting to use CVS (Concurrent Versions System) software, read "Version Control with CVS on Mac OS X," an introductory article on CVS at http://developer.apple.com/internet/opensource/cvsoverview.html.
MacCvs (http://cvsgui.sourceforge.net/; free)
MacCVSClient (www.heilancoo.net/MacCVSClient/; free; contributions accepted)
MacCVS Pro (www.maccvs.org; free)
Subversion (http://subversion.tigris.org/; free)
VOODOO Server (www.unisoftwareplus.com/products/voodooserver/; server license, $79; remote client license, $129)
darcs (http://darcs.darwinports.com/; free)
Other Software
DV Backup 1.4 (http://coolatoola.com/; $50; Lite version, $20)
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