10.5: Insure that Time Machine runs on FileVault accounts

Nov 28, '07 07:30:05AM

Contributed by: ikioi

This is not exactly a hint, but it is a very important thing to know. Luckily I realized it before it was too late. If you are using Filevault and Time Machine, you've probably already heard that Time Machine doesn't back up your FileVaulted home folder while you are logged in. What you may not know is that Time Machine also doesn't back it up while you are logged out! Time machine only backs up a Filevaulted home folder during the logout process for that user.

Why is this important to know? Some of you may be backing up your computer the way I was. If you are, then you are failing to back up your home folder, like I was. I have been following this incorrect procedure: (1) log out of my filevault user's account, (2) then attaching my Time Machine backup drive assuming Time Machine would back up the whole computer automatically overnight.

The problem is that the Time Machine drive was not attached while I was logging out of the FileVaulted user account, only afterwards. This means that my FileVaulted user's home folder was not being backed up; only the rest of my filesystem was. The backup of my FileVaulted user's home folder was stuck at a very old version (created the last time the Time machine drive was attached during logout.) 2br So, the proper procedure is:

  1. Attach the Time Machine backup drive.
  2. After the Time Machine backup drive shows up in Finder, then log out of your FileVault account and make sure the logout window specifically says that it's backing up the FileVault.
You can just leave the drive attached for automatic backups of everything else (everything outside your FileVault home folder), or you can log back in as an administrator, and tell Time Machine to "Back up now" if you want to make an immediate backup of everything else. For people with desktops, you could of course just leave your Time Machine drive attached. I have a laptop which I have to take to multiple locations, so it's not practical for me to keep my backup drive attached continually.

[robg adds: I thought it good to run this hint today as it goes hand-in-hand with this one.]

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