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How To Configure Time Machine On Mac

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Open Time Machine preferences from the Time Machine menu in the menu bar. Or choose Apple menu  System Preferences, then click Time Machine. Click Select Backup Disk. Select your backup disk from the list of available disks. To use Time Machine on macOS with a QNAP NAS via SMB, follow these steps. Enable Time Machine support on the NAS. Go to Hybrid Backup Sync Backup Server Time Machine Time Machine Support. Select Enable Time Machine support.

  1. Time Machine On Mac
  2. What's A Time Machine

You've got a Western Digital Elementsexternal hard drive. Or you're thinking of getting one.

  • This tutorial will show you how to configure Time Machine for the first time. Time Machine makes backing up your Mac's files, effortless. If you haven't configured Time Machine on your Macbook or iMac yet, right now would be the perfect time to do so. Why should you use Time Machine? They say, 'Storage is cheap, your data not so much.'.
  • Guide: Setting up a Time Machine Share on your Unraid Server. Apple's Time Machine is a built-in backup feature for your Mac that will automatically backup all of your files, apps, music, photos, emails, documents, and system files.

Because of all that stuff you have on yourMac. The music you love. Those photo's of the kids with grandma. Thespreadsheets you run your business with.

And it would be the end if you lost it all. Or if anything happened to your Mac.

And that's where your WD Elements drivecomes in.

It's a reasonable priced bit of kit andnow you want to set it up for a Time Machine backup.


Before You Use Your WD Elements For Time Machine

The first thing you need to do after hooking it up to your iMac, MacBook Pro or Air is to format it.

When delivered your WD Elements portable drive is in something called NTFS format.

Your Maccan read the documents on an NTFS drive but can't use it for a Time Machinebackup. Not without formatting first.

When youformat WD elements for Time Machine be sure to format it as Mac OS Extended(Journaled) file system. And with apartition map as GUID.

If you've not done that yet go over to my document 'Format WD Elements for Mac. How? In 7 Quick Steps' – to learn how.

Got your WDElements portable formatted?

How To Configure Time Machine On Mac

Great nowwe can start.

Using WDElements for Time Machine Overview

Best mouse for mac air. Here is atop level view of what you're going to do.

1. Fromyour System Preferences menu on your Mac you start up Time Machine.

2. If thebig button for Time Machine is off turn it to On.

3. Selectyour WD Elements drive as your Time Machine backup drive.

4. And thenany time when you plug in your WD Elements drive into your Mac, Time Machinewill do a back up.

How To Use WD Elements For Backup On Your Mac

1. Log Into Your iMac, MacBook Pro Or MacBook Air.

And connectup your formatted WD Elements drive.

Make sureit's already formatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) file system. (see what Isaid above).

2. Have A Fully Charged Mac.

Or one plugged into external power. Tri catalog 7 3 1 – catalog your removable mediacom.

Plug inyour WD Elements drive.

3. Start Up System Preferences.

Has yourMac asked about using your WD Elements drive for Time Machine? If it has, say yes and jump down to step 4. https://coolrfil578.weebly.com/resample-1-1-5-an-intuitive-audio-editor.html.

If ithasn't. You can either find system preferences in your Mac's Dock. Or through aspotlight search.

Click onspotlight search and type in ‘System Preferences'. Double click to start systempreferences up.

Doubleclick on Time Machine in your System Preferences.

4. SetupTime Machine.

The first timeyou setup Time Machine on your WD Elements drive you'll need to turn the sliderbutton from OFF to ON.

This turnson Time Machine.

Click thecheck box for Time Machine to backup automatically.

This waywhenever you plug in your WD Elements drive, your Mac will start a Time Machinebackup.

And alsocheck the box to show Time Machine in the menu bar at the top of your Mac'sDesktop screen.

This makeslife so much easier later when you want to check the progress of your TimeMachine backup.

Then clickon ‘Select Disk'.

The yellowarrows in the above picture show you where to click.

5. SelectDisk.

The nextpop up window you'll see allows you to choose your WD Elements drive as yourTime Machine target.

You'll seethe name you gave your WD Elements drive when you formatted it. It'll be thereon the list. Click on it.

Next youclick on ‘Use Disk'

The yellowarrows in the picture show you where.

And you'redone. You have just set up your WDElements for a Time Machine backup.

YouTubeVideo Western Digital Time Machine Backup

Here is a 1 minute 37 second YouTube video for you by Western Digital. It shows you the linking up of a Western Digital drive to Time Machine.

How to Backup Your Mac With WD Storage and Time Machine

VideoCredit: WD

To Start A Time Machine Backup Yourself On Your WD Elements Portable Drive

Microsoft outlook 15 8 download free. Want tostart a backup right now?

Time Machine On Mac

To backupnow to your WD Elements drive.

What's A Time Machine

Look at thetop of your Mac's Desktop. And then look for the Time Machine Icon.

It looks abit like a clock with an anti clockwise arrow on it.

When youclick on it you'll see a menu.

Pick backupnow from the menu.

And awayTime Machine will go creating your backup.

Your First WD Elements Time Machine Backup

Your firstbackup may take a little while in preparation and in backing up.

Dependingon how much you have to backup this could all take a couple of hours or more.

Time Machine prepares by working out what needs backing up in this backup.

The firstbackup is of everything.

And thiscould take a while. But it all happens in the background and you can carry onusing your Mac while the backup happens.

Or youcould leave it overnight.

Just leaveyour Mac plugged into power and your WD Elements drive connected up.

And by themorning it'll be done.

Allfollowing backups to your WD Elements drive are of the things that changedsince your last backup. And so backups after that you'll find are much quicker.

What Will Your WD Elements Portable Backup On Your Mac?

Everything.Your operating system, your programs, your music, photos, movies. Time Machinewill backup anything that is on your Mac to your WD Elements drive.

Unless yougo into Time Machine and say there are certain folders you want excluded.

And when youbackup your iPhone, iPod or iPad to iTunes then they'll be backed up by TimeMachine too.

How Do I Know When My Mac's WD Elements Time Machine Backup Is Finished?

Click onthe Time Machine symbol at the top of your desktop.

I said checkingthis option would be useful for later.

It'll tellyou the progress of your backup. When it's complete. And the date of the lastbackup you made.

You can also check on your desktop. The icon for your WD Elements drive will turn green when your backup is complete (depending on your Mac's operation system version).

Remember To Eject Your WD Element Drive After Your Time Machine Backup

Just remember, as you would if you were using a USB stick that you need to eject your WD Elements drive from your Mac.

Do thiswhen your Time Machine backup is finished. You don't want to risk corruptingyour backup…

What Are Your Options When You Use Your WD Elements With Time Machine?

Either youuse your whole WD Elements portable drive for a Time Machine backup of yourMac.

Or if youhave partitioned your larger 1TB, 2TB, 3TB or 4TB WD Elements drive intosections. You can use a Mac OS Extended (Journaled) file system partition foryour Time Machine Backup.

To do thatyou simply choose the partition name you want to use. You do that on the TimeMachine pop up window where you choose your backup target.

How Much Space Do I Need On My WD Elements For A Time Machine Backup?

Ideallytwice the amount you're backing up.

If you have400GB of files, documents etc, you're using on your Mac's internal drive. Thenyou're going to need at least 800GB of space to backup to. Twice the amount ofspace you're using.

This is sothat you can grow into your WD backup drive over time.

Formatting the Western Digital portable takes up space on the drive.

This meansthat your 1TB WD Elements is going to have less than 1TB of space for you touse.

But foryour backup of your Mac's 400GB of used space a 1TB WD Elements drive would befine.

Can I Encrypt My Time Machine Backup On My WD Elements Drive?

Yes, youcan encrypt your Time Machine backup with Time Machine.

On thescreen where you pick your WD Elements backup drive. You'll see a check box toencrypt. Once you select it Time Machine will encrypt your WD Elements backup.

Last Words

And nowyou've learnt how to make a Time Machine backup with your WD Elementsdrive. With a backup you'll have taken acopy of your files, keeping them safe.

Bestpractice says you should have two backup's just in case one fails.

Film naruto the movie 9 road to ninja sub indo. So doconsider buying another Elements drive to backup to.

And whileyou're here you can have a look at my other articles all about your WD Elementsdrive.

OtherResources:

Apple Support: Backup your Mac with Time Machine






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