{"id":6539,"date":"2017-05-26T10:14:34","date_gmt":"2017-05-26T10:14:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.www.remosoftware.com\/info\/?p=6539"},"modified":"2024-03-01T09:50:20","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T09:50:20","slug":"multiple-macs-back-single-time-machine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.remosoftware.com\/info\/multiple-macs-back-single-time-machine","title":{"rendered":"How To Use Time Machine With Multiple Macs?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Apple\u2019s built-in backup feature, Time Machine, makes taking backups extremely feasible. The Time Machine copies files, folders, and data, including system files, applications, and personal data from your MacBook or iMac. It stores them on any external storage device, such as an external hard drive.  In this way, you can restore your backup copies of files taken using the Time Machine if you ever lose or permanently delete files from your Mac. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you use multiple Mac systems for work or personal use and instead of using multiple external hard drives to take backup, you want to use a single drive to backup multiple Macs. Then, this article shows you how to backup multiple Macs on a single Time Machine drive. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Backup<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

2 Methods to Backup Multiple Macs to a Time Machine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Method 1: Manually Backup Multiple Macs on a Single Time Machine<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Backup of multiple Macs to a Time Machine drive can be done manually by connecting the Time Machine drive to one Mac and taking the backup, then connecting the drive to another Mac and again taking the backup using the Time Machine.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how you can take Time Machine backup from multiple Mac computers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1:<\/strong> Connect the external Time Machine hard drive<\/strong> to one Mac, open the Time Machine preferences<\/strong>, and select the connected drive as your backup.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2:<\/strong> Click on the \u201cBack up Now<\/strong>\u201d option to start the backup. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3:<\/strong> Once the backup is completed. Disconnect the drive and connect it to the other Mac system.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4:<\/strong> Open the Time Machine preferences<\/strong> on another Mac and select the same connected drive as your backup disk.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5:<\/strong> Click the \u201cBack up Now<\/strong>\u201d option to start the backup again. Once the backup is completed, disconnect the drive.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have safely taken multiple Time Machine backups from different Macs on a single drive.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method 2: Backup Multiple Macs on a Single Time Machine By Connecting the Shared Time Machine Disk Over a Network<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, connect the hard drive you want to act as a Time Machine focal point. This should be a desktop connected to your home network through Ethernet. Wi-Fi is also good, but the number of backup files moving across even the fastest and latest Wi-Fi will slow down other network connectivity.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, your external hard drives should be formatted accordingly for Time Machine. Here, \u2018formatted accordingly for Time Machine\u2019 means the hard drives or volumes should have Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) or Server Message Block (SBM) file service for network drive sharing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, you have to configure Time Machine to utilize this external drive. For that, you have to enable file sharing on your Mac. In the system preference pane, open Sharing and checkmark \u2018File Sharing.\u2019 Now click the \u2018Options\u2019 tab and ensure that AFP or SBM is enabled.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the below-mentioned steps on every Mac that you intend to back up to the target Mac external drive:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1:<\/b> Open <\/span>Finder<\/b>, select <\/span>Go,<\/b> and then <\/span>Network<\/b> or hit <\/span>Command + Shift + K<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2:<\/b> In the <\/span>Network<\/b> window, double-click the <\/span>Mac.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3:<\/b> Enter the login ID and password from another Mac if prompted. If the information is already stored, a list of folders and drives will be displayed.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4:<\/b> Now, to mount the Time Machine in the Finder, double-click on it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5:<\/b> Once the Time Machine preference pane opens, click \u2018<\/span>Select Backup Disk<\/b>\u2019 and select the network-mounted volume.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6:<\/b> Repeat the same for other Machines as well.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note:<\/strong> If one of your device is a MacBook Pro and you are facing trouble accessing the hard drive, don\u2019t worry! It\u2019s easy to recover data from a MacBook Pro<\/a> hard drive with the help of third-party recovery software such as Remo Mac File Recovery Software<\/a>. It is recommended to have multiple backups of a single hard drive.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If, in case, you don\u2019t see the designated Mac in Step 2 as a server, you can use an alternative method. On the Mac you designated for Time Machine, Open the \u2018Sharing\u2019 preference pane, choose \u2018File Sharing,\u2019 and note what it says. It will be something like this:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOther users can access shared folders on this computer, and administrators all volumes at smb:\/\/10.0.1.101 or afp:\/\/10.0.1.101.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, on the other Mac, perform these steps in its place: steps 1& 2: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n