There are many Apps available to make backups of your Mac files, but one, if not THE best is Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) from Bombich Software. This product has been around a long time in the Mac universe, having been introduced in January 2002. This product is not free (it costs $39.99), but a 30-day free trial copy is available from their web site. So why
would you want this App when you have Time Machine?
The biggest reason is that you can create a fully bootable backup of your current boot drive. CCC has a simple user interface that is easy to master. Clicking on the Advanced Settings button will offer more granular control for the experienced user. Backups can be scheduled to occur at times of your choice, and backup only those
directories you choose.
Once installed you can open CCC, then select the folder or drive to be backed up from the drop-down menu. Then you select the destination. A window to the left of the user interface provides a list of what is to be backed up. This list can be edited to customize the backup.
Pros
- Creates fully bootable drive
- Backups can be scheduled
- Backups are customizable
- 30-day trial
Cons
- $39.99 price
I recently added an SSD to my Mac Mini and used CCC to clone my existing drive to the new drive. It was quick and once it was completed, I was able to reboot from the new SSD. I highly recommend this product!
See my other Mac OS X articles
John's Notes 