Apple Time Machine slammed

[Vertigo Acid]

Techworld is reporting that major external hard drive manufacturer LaCie say Apple's Time Machine, a much trumped up feature in OSX Leopard, barely passes inspection. When it comes to a backup solution, you would think that heavy beta testing would catch seemingly simple issues like problems with special characters in file names. People often blindly rely on backup programs, never checking for missing files or other problems until it is too late. Tucking away major issues in tech notes that few will see isn't the way to go about addressing the problem.

Heavily-trafficked threads on Apple's support forums contain a number of complaints about Time Machine, the most aggressively-touted addition to Mac OS X 10.5. The complaints, which include stalled backups, invisible backup sets and drives that refused to work with the program when connected via FireWire, have drawn scores of posters and thousands of views.

 

[Martyr]

time machine isnt even a backup really. someone people are going to get some surprises.

 

[idividebyzero]

It sucks for hackintoshes since a "full backup" doesnt back up darwin bootloader, theres not much point making a full backup if it doesnt boot after restoring.

 

[mastertard]

Man I hope they don't delete those threads on Apple's forums, like they do whenever people complain about mass iPod problems. Damn Commie Apple

 

[kmeson]

Not sure I give this article much credence:

Time Machine stores its backups as single files

That's a glaring inaccuracy. Time machine does not store it's backups as single files. John Siracusa at Ars Technica gives the lowdown. It's a cleaver solution leveraging tried and true features of the Unix file system.

I expect there to be problems, its the nature of people and software.

 

[MrWizard6600]

Man I hope they don't delete those threads on Apple's forums, like they do whenever people complain about mass iPod problems. Damn Commie Apple

really? Thats quite statement, you got proof? I'm not calling you a liar I'd just like to see some documented evidence...

Anyways, yeah I've been wondering about time machine problems. I was showing a new mac owner the abillities of time machine on leopard, by using a firewire drive I had and time machine just would not do it.

 

[Nemesis999]

I expect there to be problems, its the nature of people and software.

Problems like... a complete lack of beta testing?

It doesn't backup files with special characters. How retarded do you have to be to release a piece of software with a glaring flaw like that? More blatantly sub-par software from Apple. I wonder how long it will take those idiots that worship them to realize they simply release crappy service pack after crappy service pack with $100+ prices.

 

[matrix563]

i'm really digging the links to the articles in the op. thanks man

 

[kmeson]

It doesn't backup files with special characters.

Like I said I don't give the article much credence. I suppose you're referring to this quote:

In other words, a hard drive named "My_computer's drive" could cause problems because of the underscore, comma and space used in the name

That's absolutely incorrect as well.

The more I read this article the more I call BS. The author apparently doesn't know the difference between an apostrophe and a comma. Spaces are quite common in file names, several system folders and files contain them. Underscores and apostrophes are less common but work fine. IMO the author is a clueless reporter gossiping much like those on FOX.

I've tested characters that require escapes in Unix including comma, apostrophe, parenthesis, hash, caret, ampersand, exclamation, etc... All are present on my backup, and I have no problems restoring those files and folders.

I've only investigated claims from this article and my conclusion is it's FUD. I'm not certain it's possible but I submit that those who are having problems have directed Timemachine to use a less capable file system for backup than the source of their data. Indeed if this is possible it's a serious oversight. Perhaps this is what the article attempts to get across.

 

[c.d.e]

really? Thats quite statement, you got proof? I'm not calling you a liar I'd just like to see some documented evidence...

Anyways, yeah I've been wondering about time machine problems. I was showing a new mac owner the abillities of time machine on leopard, by using a firewire drive I had and time machine just would not do it.

Proof of disappearing threads on the Apple Discussion Forum? Happened to me. Go write a post on there, mention suing Apple, and watch it get deleted and you informed of violating the TOC, which if you read, does not mention saying your going to sue apple as a no-no. Then again, it doesn't mention it at all.

 

[Scroatdog]

really? Thats quite statement, you got proof? I'm not calling you a liar I'd just like to see some documented evidence...

It is a well-known fact that Apple deletes unpopular forum posts from its website. Anything that would put the company in a negative light gets the axe. Before the iMac freezing issue gained a lot of traction, several forum users complained (on other forums) that Apple was deleting their posts.