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    Backup during MacBook Repair

    My MacBook has to go to Apple repair to have the keyboard replaced. I am advised that there is a chance that my data and applications might be erased. I backup with Time Machine to an external hard drive, and use Dropbox with ReunionTouch. So I think my family file should be safe in Dropbox. But I’m not sure. And what about the Application itself? I wonder if someone could advise please. I can’t work out if third party applications are also backed up with Time Machine. And then there is iCloud and iCloud Drive, which I could also use. As far as I can see however, it is only Apple applications that are synced with iCloud.

    #2
    If you have a current TimeMachine backup you should be covered.

    It's possible you'll lose the registration information for some of the apps you have, but the backup will contain all the applications that can be restored to your Mac if it comes back with all the data missing. If any apps ask you to register when you first start them up use the Registration information you already have for those apps.

    Roger
    Roger Moffat
    http://lisaandroger.com/genealogy/
    http://genealogy.clanmoffat.org/

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      #3
      Thank you for that Roger.. never thought of the registration details.. and I’ve no idea where they might be! But I’ll do a search .. I will have it somewhere

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        #4
        Replacing a keyboard on a laptop, regardless of brand, requires pretty much a total disassembly of the device. Specifically, the hard drive or SSD will be disconnected during disassembly and reconnected as it is put back together. As a former IT desktop manager and long time Mac guru, I have probably seen or been in charge of several dozen keyboard replacements. I can only recall two disasters occurring during this operation and neither was related to the keyboard replacement. e.g. Some other part broke. Yes, of course, make sure you have good backup but the odds are in your favor.
        Bob White, Mac Nut Since 1985, Reunion Nut Since 1991
        Jenanyan, Barnes, White, Duncan, Dunning, Luce, Hedge and more
        iMac/MacBookAir M1 - iPhonePro/iPadPro - Reunion13 & RT

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          #5
          Thanks Bob
          Gosh, didn’t realise it was so major.. five or six of my keys have worn quite badly.. and it’s still under warranty.. I wasn’t going to bother but the keys are repeating now.
          Still, that’s good news.
          I only have an iPad and ReunionTouch whilst the MacBook is away,.. it’s made me realise an iMac might be the next purchase!

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            #6
            I have a similar issue - about to change from a 2013 iMac to a 2019 one. And will upgrade Reunion at the same time. My old one has got messed up with some rogue VPN thing and I continually get redirected to random pages when online.
            I use Time Machine but am not very good with it - i've never restaored anything from it so I've made specific backups on USB sticks of my family files. I try to do these once a month. Left over habit from floppy disk days. Works for me :-)
            Rupert Cuddon-Large ; Lives in Jersey
            Using R12 on iMac 2013, running Catalina; RTouch on iPad
            Researching Large; Cuddon; Fletcher; Ford; Gadsdon; Reynolds and Christian

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              #7
              Hi Rupert.. yes. I'v never had to hand over my entire laptop before. So I am worried about that. There's a lot of stuff on it that is private, but I think I can put them in a locked document/folder. Which I haven't tried yet.
              The redirection thing you are experiencing happened to me when my laptop was new. I tried a virus software cleaner which worked once, then it came back again. So I rang Apple. Apparently some malware is able to get out of your trash, so even if you find it, you need to empty the trash after you bin the malware. I think you check your applications folder and bin anything you don't recognise. But don't quote me. I use MacAfee malware scanner now, and that seems to work well.

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                #8
                Actually, it's Malwarebytes I use, not McAfee.. It's free.

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                  #9
                  Folders can be password protected using the Disk Utility app that is on every Mac. Rather than trying to type a long monologue, I found a site with a good explanation and lots of screenshots.

                  My thought is that you can temporarily move the sensitive and personal files and folders into one folder, password protect that folder, then return everything to normal after you get your laptop back. Anyway, here is the link: https://setapp.com/how-to/password-p...-folder-on-mac
                  Bob White, Mac Nut Since 1985, Reunion Nut Since 1991
                  Jenanyan, Barnes, White, Duncan, Dunning, Luce, Hedge and more
                  iMac/MacBookAir M1 - iPhonePro/iPadPro - Reunion13 & RT

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                    #10
                    Brilliant, thank you Bob. I thought I should be able to put everything into a folder. Just haven’t had time to look into it. My job for tomorrow. Thanks again. I’ll follow up your link.
                    jane

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                      #11
                      Thats a good link Bob, thank you. SetApp could help me tidy up my mac. And I like the idea of colour tagging files mentioned there. I have files all over the place and 24,000 photos which badly need editing. I've often wondered whether those USB stick photo editing gizmos which I often see advertised on Facebook are any good ?
                      Straying from Jan'e original topic maybe but I'm wrestling with the best way to set up my "new" iMac. I'm changing from a 2013 one to a 2019 one. I want to transfer my important and favourite files, photos and Apps including Reunion but am reluctant just to use Migration Assistant as this may take a lot of rubbish into the new mac. I think I have malware on the older machine. I have in mind backing up all my important files and folders ONLY and transferring those to the new mac. For Reunion, my present Family File is in R11 . Is it best to set up R13 in the new miMac as an empty App, then to import the back up. Or should I let Reunion do the file transfer as per Leisters help videos ?
                      Sorry if this is very basic stuff, but I am really keen to do the changeover as neatly as possible and hopefully leaving the malware behind once and for all. Any and all advice much appreciated please
                      Rupert Cuddon-Large ; Lives in Jersey
                      Using R12 on iMac 2013, running Catalina; RTouch on iPad
                      Researching Large; Cuddon; Fletcher; Ford; Gadsdon; Reynolds and Christian

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                        #12
                        My usual SOP has been to do a housecleaning before major OS updates or going to a newer Mac. Since Migration Assistant came out several years ago, I then let it do the heavy lifting. It's not perfect but I am satisfied with the results. The major advantage of the Assistant is that it brings your app settings over. This means mostly avoiding playing with settings on the new machine to get where you were. If you use Safari and let Safari track all those logins and passwords, that comes along and eliminates (mostly) the pain of re-entering logins and passwords. Note: Before starting migration, I make sure Time Machine is up to date on backups and also do copies of my very important files, such as Reunion and research files, to an external HD, for insurance.

                        Run MalwareBytes on the old machine and clean up. Houseclean the old machine. Then let Migration Assistant do the rest for you.
                        Bob White, Mac Nut Since 1985, Reunion Nut Since 1991
                        Jenanyan, Barnes, White, Duncan, Dunning, Luce, Hedge and more
                        iMac/MacBookAir M1 - iPhonePro/iPadPro - Reunion13 & RT

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                          #13
                          Bob.. I currently use Time Machine with an external hard drive, connected pretty much all the time. So when you say ‘also do copies of my very important files, such as Reunion and research files, to an external HD, for insurance’ do you mean another hard drive on top of that?

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                            #14
                            Yes, a second external device. It can be another external hard drive or a USB stick. I use another external hard drive which I only connect to the computer when doing these "insurance" copies. I also copy my family file to my iCloud Files once or twice a month. One can never have too many backups.
                            Bob White, Mac Nut Since 1985, Reunion Nut Since 1991
                            Jenanyan, Barnes, White, Duncan, Dunning, Luce, Hedge and more
                            iMac/MacBookAir M1 - iPhonePro/iPadPro - Reunion13 & RT

                            Comment


                              #15
                              OK thanks for that. I might have thought two external drives was overkill.. until my laptop died suddenly. Luckily that was only a cable malfunction. But it made me sit up and focus.

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