HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

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dix
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by dix »

This scare has me thinking about my backup scheme (or lack there of). Right now I'm still old-school: Regular clones of my boot drive and dragging current projects to a backup drive once or twice a day.

If I had Time Capsule implemented could I have avoided the scenario in this thread? Would going back in time to before the corruption occurred have side stepped the issue I had?

Also, I know this has been discussed elsewhere, but do you TC people backup all your drives via TC? Your boot, project and VI library drives?

Thx
14-inch MBP M1 Max (2021), 13.6.x, 64GB RAM, UAD Quad Tb Satellite, 4 displays ::: 2009 4,1 > 5,1 MacPro 12-core 3.33 ghz , 10.14.x, 96GB RAM, GeForce GTX 770 , NewerTech eSATA/USB3 PCIe Host Adapter, UAD-2 Quad, ::: 15-inch MBP (2015) 10.14.x, 16GB RAM ::: Lynx Aurora (n) USB ::: DP (latest version), Vienna Ensemble Pro danwool.com
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

The simplest and most cost effective IMO is to get a couple of 3 or 4 TB spinners in separate enclosures and have multiple TimeMachine backups of everything except maybe be less updates drives, like VIs or SFX drives. You can just close be those and not use up space on the TM spinners. At least that works well for me.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by cuttime »

dix wrote: If I had Time Capsule implemented could I have avoided the scenario in this thread? Would going back in time to before the corruption occurred have side stepped the issue I had?
In theory, yes. You could go back in time and find the uncorrupted .plist and just restore that, IF you know exactly what file you need to restore. Sometimes a broad shotgun approach is what is needed.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by dix »

Thanks!

So MLC, you have your entire rig set to backup via Time Machine? I'm not clear on your post. I think you're saying you can set TM to backup certain drives less. Is that right?

...the p.list was fine btw cuttime. Per my earlier post, I had to trash the entire com.motu.DigitalPerformer folder.
14-inch MBP M1 Max (2021), 13.6.x, 64GB RAM, UAD Quad Tb Satellite, 4 displays ::: 2009 4,1 > 5,1 MacPro 12-core 3.33 ghz , 10.14.x, 96GB RAM, GeForce GTX 770 , NewerTech eSATA/USB3 PCIe Host Adapter, UAD-2 Quad, ::: 15-inch MBP (2015) 10.14.x, 16GB RAM ::: Lynx Aurora (n) USB ::: DP (latest version), Vienna Ensemble Pro danwool.com
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by cuttime »

dix wrote: I think you're saying you can set TM to backup certain drives less. Is that right?
That's right. You can set TM to exclude custom items, whether they are drives or folders. I don't back up anything that I have on other media or can re-download. That mostly includes sample libraries.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by dix »

Is this because Time Machine uses resources during backups?
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by cuttime »

dix wrote:Is this because Time Machine uses resources during backups?
I do it mainly to save drive space. That first backup can take quite a while. Yes, it uses resources, but nothing that has been a showstopper for me. I suppose it could cause problems with an audio drive during backup, but I have never encountered that.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by mikehalloran »

dix wrote:Is this because Time Machine uses resources during backups?
No — or not enough to notice since OS 10.8.

The issue is disk space. Why use disk space to backup VIs that are readily available for download and/or are on physical media?

TM will back up everything unless you tell it to exclude something. That can be a drive, folder, directory, removable media etc.

I back up 6 Macs on three 3T Time Capsules. My wife's and daughter's portables via wireless; everything else via internet. If I added my VIs, recent downloads and installers, I would need something larger.

Via ethernet, all Time Capsules perform the same. There are a few differences between the older low profile and newer tower units. The towers support 802.11ac wireless which really is faster than gigabyte ethernet up to about 80 feet. The towers support 802.11a/b/n only. In addition, it's very easy to change drives in the flat ones; I will pay to have a larger drive installed in my towers when AppleCare runs out.

Two of my TM units are visible; another is in a hidden location.

Only the towers have WiFi enabled because of 802.11ac. My older TC and my UVerse modem have WiFi disabled.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by mikehalloran »

cuttime wrote:
dix wrote:Is this because Time Machine uses resources during backups?
I do it mainly to save drive space. That first backup can take quite a while. Yes, it uses resources, but nothing that has been a showstopper for me. I suppose it could cause problems with an audio drive during backup, but I have never encountered that.
If you plan to back up wirelessly, be connected via ethernet for the first one or it will take forever.

It is possible to disable Spotlight for Time Machine because it does add to that first backup time. Don't or you lose the ability to search your backups. You can still do entire restores but It becomes much harder or impossible to restore specific apps and files.

Mavericks had a TM restore bug that wasn't fixed till 10.9.5—unfortunately, I needed to do a full restore in 10.9.4, two weeks earlier. I could still restore apps and files as part of a clean install by going into TM and getting what I needed.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

There is virtually zero impact on performance during a Time Machine backup.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by dix »

Why use disk space to backup VIs that are readily available for download and/or are on physical media?
Because if something blows up in the middle of a deadline like I had last week I can get back up asap without re-downloading large libraries etc.

I currently have almost 6tb of stuff I need backed up. My boot drive is 500gb. I have around 1tb of active projects and almost 4tb of VIs and SFX. Does that mean I'd need two 3tb TCs if I wanted to have immediate access to all that, or would I need more? Is there a reason to not simply buy an enclosure and connect via firewire for Time Machine?

Thx!
14-inch MBP M1 Max (2021), 13.6.x, 64GB RAM, UAD Quad Tb Satellite, 4 displays ::: 2009 4,1 > 5,1 MacPro 12-core 3.33 ghz , 10.14.x, 96GB RAM, GeForce GTX 770 , NewerTech eSATA/USB3 PCIe Host Adapter, UAD-2 Quad, ::: 15-inch MBP (2015) 10.14.x, 16GB RAM ::: Lynx Aurora (n) USB ::: DP (latest version), Vienna Ensemble Pro danwool.com
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

Backing up VIs and other relatively "static" directories is critical in a studio working on deadlines. You have to be able to get up and running if a disk fails. Again, a Time Machine backup of such disks is a waste of backup disk space. Clone it and update the clone every time you add a VI.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by mikehalloran »

No need for cloning here. Just copy your VIs and libraries onto an external drive and redo the backup when you add another. There are no system or hidden files etc. that require restoration—just copy them back over.

Re Time Capsule...

Unless you need an 802.11ac WiFi base station, get a used low profile Time Capsule and throw an 8T drive in it. It's pretty easy to do. My friends in the industry all recommend the WD Red series. It is low powered but has a 3 year warranty and better bearings than the Caviar Blue 5400, the other recommendation.

Speed is not an issue. Low power = less heat and regular drives cook in that housing.

I have a used one sitting on my desk. PM me if interested.. I replaced the drive last week with a 6T Red which means it takes about 10 minutes to change it again (the first time takes longer). If you're in San Francisco per your signature, I'm about an hour away and I can show you how to make the change.

Because of my handicap, I won't touch the insides of a tower. The wires are too fragile and the connectors too small. Even though I know how, there are techs who do that for a living. You can also buy towers with 8T drives pre installed on eBay last I checked.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by dix »

Do Time Machine backups take up more space than if I dragged to an external drive? I'm not sure why making static drives part of the TM backup routine would be a waste of space.
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Re: HELP!: MacPro Meltdown. Deadline Looms [RESOLVED]

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

Not a waste of space... until the Time Machine drives start filling up. Then you start a new TMach backup and backup the VIs yet again... For me it just seems more efficient to keep a separate backup of "utility" drives that don't change often and reserve the primary function of the machine and software (in general) in a backup of it's own. It would make restoring faster, for one, it would also mean buying less spinners for the Time Machine backups. You may prefer the ONE BACKUP TO RULE THEM ALL approach, but again, for me in my situation, I don't see any real need to keep backing up VIs and SFX drives (my SFX drive is larger than my VI drive). I won't be adding any SFX to that disk ever again AFAIK, once I have a reliable backup I don't want to "consume" (AKA waste) drive space "re-backingup" that data when I need it for my important data that changes often.
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