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ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

tomverbeure.github.io

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Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#171

Post by sandreas »

microtonal wrote: post #134
sandreas wrote: post #42

I don't trust Time Machine any more. Years ago I wrote some shell scripts that help me mostly automate my complete system setup (with brew and friends). From time to time, I wipe my entire system and restore it with these scripts. Sometimes I have to adjust them, but mostly, they work without changes. For my data backups, I use restic. Big advantage is, that I can read my backups even when I don't have a macOS system…

People who want something similar may want to look at Arq [1]. Similar to restic, it provides incremental encrypted backups to most cloud providers (or a machine with SSH). But it is a Mac app, making it easy to configure and maintain. I never had issues with data corruption so far. Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with them, just a happy user for 9 years. [1] https://www.arqbackup.com

I'm more into Open Source, even if Paid solutions are easier and more reliable. But hanks for the suggestion.

Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#172

Post by Tsiklon »

sandreas wrote: post #42

I don't trust Time Machine any more. Years ago I wrote some shell scripts that help me mostly automate my complete system setup (with brew and friends). From time to time, I wipe my entire system and restore it with these scripts. Sometimes I have to adjust them, but mostly, they work without changes. For my data backups, I use restic. Big advantage is, that I can read my backups even when I don't have a macOS system…

Is your Time Machine target HFS+ on CoreStorage, APFS, or SMB?

Have you experienced the same corruption on the APFS version

Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#173

Post by EricE »

hparadiz wrote: post #127
__d wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2014 MacBook Pro, and the rubber around my screen is also failing. But, honestly, it's 9 years old and still going strong. Which is exceptional for a laptop used basically every day for those 9 years.

Yea I mean I'm not complaining. Was just curious. Don't see a lot of 2014s still being used. I wish I could send it to Apple for a refurb lol.

I sent my 2005 MacBook Pro in to get the GPU repaired and it came back with a new case - top and bottom - no charge! I was pleasantly surprised.

Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#174

Post by DavideNL »

smcleod wrote: post #156
DavideNL wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As far as i know, Backups can't run as "root" with Vorta... right? So it's a limited backup.

There’s no real need to back up root owned files on macOS though, applications are all owned by the user and have their data sandboxed and user container anyway. No files that you’d want to back up, should be owned by root.

I respectfully disagree... :-)

Simple example: `/Library/Keychains/`

There are many important folders, not accessible by standard users.

Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#175

Post by smcleod »

DavideNL wrote: post #174
smcleod wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s no real need to back up root owned files on macOS though, applications are all owned by the user and have their data sandboxed and user container anyway. No files that you’d want to back up, should be owned by root.

I respectfully disagree... :-) Simple example: `/Library/Keychains/` There are many important folders, not accessible by standard users.

Ah I see, yeah if you store your secrets in keychain that’s even more of a reason to ensure you have multiple backup locations too.

Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#176

Post by vGPU »

hparadiz wrote: post #100
vGPU wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Have a 14 MBP. Nice hardware. MacOS makes me want to scream and tear my hair out.

Is the rubber around your screen starting to peel and degrade? I have a 2014 and the rubber just comes off if I rub it with a finger.

No, it's an M1 14in not a 2014.

Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#177

Post by __d »

hparadiz wrote: post #127
__d wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2014 MacBook Pro, and the rubber around my screen is also failing. But, honestly, it's 9 years old and still going strong. Which is exceptional for a laptop used basically every day for those 9 years.

Yea I mean I'm not complaining. Was just curious. Don't see a lot of 2014s still being used. I wish I could send it to Apple for a refurb lol.

You quite likely can? Especially if you go to a non-Apple, but Apple-authorized repair shop -- they'll have access to the parts, and will likely be willing to do it.

It might be an integrated component though? ie. you might need to pay for a new screen, not just the rubber?

Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#178

Post by __d »

prmoustache wrote: post #151
__d wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2014 MacBook Pro, and the rubber around my screen is also failing. But, honestly, it's 9 years old and still going strong. Which is exceptional for a laptop used basically every day for those 9 years.

I don't know, I have an 11y old HP elitebook from 2011 and nothing aesthetic is failing. It has however seen a battery replacement and some memory and ssd upgrades. I think battery and hard drive should be the only thing we should expect to replace in a 10y lifespan.

Agreed. And in this case, the rubber failure is almost entirely aesthetic: it does keep the screen away from the lower chassis/keyboard when closed, but you don't need _all_ of it to do that.

In my case, there are a few spots where the rubber's shape is no longer smooth: small bits have worn away and/or broken off. There's a few small bits on the top, and the lower right-hand side feels quite rough.

But it won't stop me continuing to use this laptop as my main personal machine for a little while longer (until OCLP can't get me security patches any longer).

Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#179

Post by climb_stealth »

chmars wrote: post #110
climb_stealth wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hah, I think I hit a nerve there. I hear you. Overall I'm actually super happy with my Macbook. Luckily for the most part no one is forced to use the Apple eco system. CCC for system backups. Tresorit for backing individual directories with a bit more privacy and flexibility than Dropbox. I don't think it's self-sabotage to keep using apple software, but more a case of people not having been in the situation where th…

How do you use Tresorit for backup?

Personally I just use it for my documents and similar folders. It's not intended for full system backups. It's pretty much like Dropbox, but it's end-to-end encrypted so personally I feel better about trusting it with my documents.

Re: ThinMachine – A $25 thin client macOS Time Machine appliance

#180

Post by dreamcompiler »

sandreas wrote: post #42

I don't trust Time Machine any more. Years ago I wrote some shell scripts that help me mostly automate my complete system setup (with brew and friends). From time to time, I wipe my entire system and restore it with these scripts. Sometimes I have to adjust them, but mostly, they work without changes. For my data backups, I use restic. Big advantage is, that I can read my backups even when I don't have a macOS system…

There was a time when Time Machine was pretty good. But Apple became increasingly parochial about TB backups such that you cannot cull them even with root access. Any culling must be done with the TM app from the original machine that owned the files. This makes it impossible to be the sysadmin for your family's backups.

Now I use Carbon Copy Cloner, Syncthing, and Arq. My family's backups are quicker, more seamless and much easier to administer as a result.

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