OSX backup

[General Disarray]

I noticed over the last few days my system getting slower and slower, suddenly mail hung and then the whole system hung and there were massive IO spikes, repair disk failed and only disk warrior would work, but repair disk completely broke the OSX install so i couldn't get in to install disk warrior... i also didn't have both leopard disks

Thankfully has i have a project due tomorrow time machine got me back up and running with a just about working system (time machine backup for a full system i heard isnt too great)

This is the second time this has happened to me, does anyone know a better backup solution as it seems OSX only lasts a few months before it goes bad.

Also i lost my leopard disks, if snow leopard is coming out soon can i just get those or will it be more like an upgrade

Finally, does anyone know an easy way to install all apps etc over to a new install

Thanks

[giga Veteran]

Sounds like your have hardware problems if that's happening. (hdd, ram)

Call Apple to get a replacement Leopard disc. You can just drag over apps to a new system that weren't installed using an installer.

[General Disarray]

I don't think its hardware caused, the issue was "invalid node error", i didn't find any information about hardware causing it.

Also i think apple charges about $30 for replacement disks so if snow leopard is coming out i would rather just wait and get those disks but i don't know if i can use snow leopard to install OSX or i need the leopard disks too.

[giga Veteran]

I don't think its hardware caused, the issue was "invalid node error", i didn't find any information about hardware causing it.

Also i think apple charges about $30 for replacement disks so if snow leopard is coming out i would rather just wait and get those disks but i don't know if i can use snow leopard to install OSX or i need the leopard disks too.

Yeah, the problems you're describing sounds a lot like hard drive failure to be honest. Failed disk repairs, i/o spikes, etc.

Run a hardware test. Run some Onyx scripts.

Snow Leopard won't come till next Summer.

[betasp]

This is the second time this has happened to me, does anyone know a better backup solution as it seems OSX only lasts a few months before it goes bad.

Also i lost my leopard disks, if snow leopard is coming out soon can i just get those or will it be more like an upgrade

Finally, does anyone know an easy way to install all apps etc over to a new install

1. I have run OSX install for literally years doing SD and HD video editing. Something is not right with your setup.

2. Superduper

3. Browse backup drive and drag-drop.

[offroadaaron]

ask apple for the disc again they might issue another set to you at a lower cost.

[General Disarray]

well i was thinking hardware problem, but that doesn't make sense to me

why would a hardware problem just exist until i restore osx to an earlier time or with a blank install :s

it appears to be an error with the "catalogue file" whatever that is, possibly its an app i'm running but i'mrunning nothing unusual... but im scared to reboot now :p

who would i ring at apple for replacement disks, customer care or tech support?

thanks

[Cadium]

Call AppleCare Technical Support and they should be able to issue you replacement disks. I would recommend keeping an image of these disks on an external hard drive in case you need them in the future.

As for the issue at hand, it sounds like somehow the data on the disk is slowly becoming corrupted to the point that things begin to fail. Try erasing the disk in Disk Utility from the Mac OS X Install DVD and make sure you select "Zero disk" which should mark any bad sectors on the disk (if I am wrong on this, please feel free to correct me).

[General Disarray]

ok thanks i will call them and see what they say

I got my time machine backup running well, everything working as normal again and everything responding really fast without a complete reinstall, also i now have superduper and timemachine both making backups :)

the only problem i have is that i cant get coversutra working, on my account it crashes and if i make a new account it doesnt... tried ending all processes, no luck. Unfortunately the support on that app is incredibly slow but apart from that its running great now :)

[giga Veteran]

Delete the coversutra preference file.

[General Disarray]

does it have one? i cant find it

[giga Veteran]

[General Disarray]

thanks, but no luck, still crashes

[sn00pie]

Kind of off topic but phew, I thought I had messed up my Mac for good today. I installed Little Snitch and then removed it and when I restarted it wouldn't go past the blue screen. So after trying everything, trying to boot in safe mode, here I am after doing a Archive and Install of Leopard. But oddly enough it didn't place my files in a folder or anything, my Mac is the same as it was before...

Edit: Does anyone know if there is a way to prevent a certain application from accessing the internet? I tried Little Snitch and that freeware called something-worm and it almost killed my Mac. As stated above ^ :p I'm going to use AppZapper from now on.

Edited September 10, 2008 by sn00pie

[General Disarray]

cant you use system preferences > firewall?

you can block access for specific applications there