Backup not all it's cracked up to be?

All of the fancy stuff for file tracking is for files on the same disk. It's not possible to to track files on other disks this way. Copy an application to a removable drive, make an alias to that application on your boot drive. Now rename the application you copied to something else. Finally try to open the application through the alias you created.

Does it work?

No it doesn't.

Alias tracking works within the same volume, who backs up files within the same volume? So the KB article makes perfect sense when you know that and save the user a crap load of problems.

Check out SuperDuper! It's better than CarbonCloneCopy.

And it's the ONLY Mac backup software that copies everything perfectly:

http://blog.plasticsfuture.org/2006/04/23/mac-backup-software-harmful/

I use it all the time.. but have never had any great experiences with the actual backup itself.. kind of most a false protection...
and the .mac servers are super slow...

p.

I like the idea of .Mac, but what if you have lots of HD space available only via FTP, is there good app backup?

#22: Yea, they're over a year old but we're still on the same version of Backup, and the Apple kbase article I found is brand spanking new.

And yes, I actually *am* surprised that a "smart" backup program can't handle a little file juggling. Go move an application like iPhoto out of your main Apps folder and start it up. Works fine, right? Mac OS X has a lot of back-end stuff built into it *specifically* for the purposes of making mince meat out of moving files and applications around to anywhere we want. But then Backup chokes when it can't find a few disk images of backup files? They aren't even vital system files - they're just storage bins for backing files up to. It shouldn't matter in any way shape or form where users move those files, and it's a glaring error on Apple's part for botching something so simple and fundamental to the OS.

You do realize that all of the blog posts you linked to are over a year old?

And is it really shocking that a "smart" automated backup program would break when you move or rename files in the external location?

Funny, i just changed the HD in my iBook for a bigger one, and used Backup to save my home folder in the external hard disk. The restore was flawless, with everything back at their places without a single problem. Really.

Maybe i was just lucky.

For all of you who say Backup is great, why don't you try restoring your data...then tell me how much u love it. Take it from me and many others who have been burned, it SUCKS! You have now been warned.

i also use ChronoSync, and have had no problems with it (touch wood). one thing i *would* like is the ability to backup to a remote server using it though, as we live and work in the same place, and have to burn off multiple DVDs every once in a while to send offsite for fear of fire/burglary

I own, use and like Chronosync, although its interface is a little weired and it has its inconsistencies.
I once lost an important disc image during reinstall, which in my opinion CS simply did not syncronize. I tried countless times to recreate the problem, but every time it synced fine, so maybe I really messed up during setting up the sync...