MacMundi

As careful as you may be, there's always a possibility of data loss due to unexpected problems. To avoid such disasters, it's advisable to keep updated copies of all your critical files and system settings, which can be promptly restored in case of failure. There are many ways to do this on the Mac, but the easiest one is by using iBackup, a freeware application available for download at this link. After you have downloaded it and installed it, all you need is to follow these steps:

1- Open iBackup and choose the "Make" profile (it will probably be selected already).

2- On the list of predefined settings, check the ones you wish. You may, for example, copy only your music library, or only your documents, or check your username to backup all your personal data at once (documents, images, musics, movies, e-mail messages, etc). Don't worry if you notice a delay as you click the items on the list, cause this is normal if there are many files under that item category.

3- Click on the "Set" button (upper right corner of the window) to choose the location where the backup folder will be created. This can be any place with enough storage space, as long as the selected destination is not located inside the items marked for backup - for example: if you choose to backup all your personal data, you can not create the backup folder on the desktop, as the desktop itself will be included in the backup process. Anyway, the best idea is to keep the backup folder stored in a DVD disc or in an external hard disk.

4- Click on the "Backup now" button to start the copying process. Depending on the amount of files included, this may take up to an hour. When it's finished, if everything goes fine, iBackup will show a message of success. Note: if you repeat the same process later, the time required will be drastically reduced, as only the modified files will be copied.

If you need to restore your copied files in the case of data loss, the procedure is almost the same:

1- Open iBackup and choose the "Restore" profile.

2- Click on the "Set" button to locate the backup folder.

3- If you choose a valid backup folder, you'll see a list of the items available to restore. Select the ones you wish.

4- Click on the "Restore now" button to start the restoring process. Warning: this will replace all your current files with the ones in the backup folder, so make sure you know exactly what you're doing!