Why is SD! taking so long?

[Nick]

Originally Posted by dnanian

To delete the SD! backup, I'd create an empty source image, then use "Backup - all files" with "Smart Update" to copy from that image's volume (disk) to the Time Machine drive. That'll leave the TM backups alone, and remove everything else.

"create an empty source image"? Huh?

[dnanian]

Use disk utility to create an empty image. That'll mount as a "disk". Use that as the source.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by dnanian

Use disk utility to create an empty image. That'll mount as a "disk". Use that as the source.

SD! currently is backing up to the "correct" drive. After it finishes, I'll be able to copy the an "empty" disk image to the TM drive.

My only question: The minimum size image I can create is 10.5 MB. I assume that's "empty enough," correct?

[dnanian]

Any size is fine, as long as it's empty. Of course, once copied you can eject and delete the image file.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by dnanian

Any size is fine, as long as it's empty. Of course, once copied you can eject and delete the image file.

What do you mean? After I have SD! copy it to the drive, doesn't "it" reside there, and then don't I have to delete it via the Finder?

[dnanian]

The image file? No. That's the blank source you created. Once you've used it as a source (the whole point is that it's empty), you can delete and delete the image file you created.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by dnanian

The image file? No. That's the blank source you created. Once you've used it as a source (the whole point is that it's empty), you can delete and delete the image file you created.

So, I tell SD! to "back it up" to the drive via a Smart Update. SD! looks into the image file, and doesn't "see" any actual files. So, it replaces everything it had previously backed up to the drive with "no files," returning the drive to its original state, as if SD! never touched it to begin with.

The size of the actual image file itself is a non-issue—it's analogous to the size of an actual source HD that I am copying files from. And SD! doesn't care if this "new" source drive is different from the original one it used to create the previous backup.

Do I have it right?

[dnanian]

Exactly. You're backing up "nothing", so Smart Update removes what's there, except for what it says it won't: Time Machine stuff.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by dnanian

Exactly. You're backing up "nothing", so Smart Update removes what's there, except for what it says it won't: Time Machine stuff.

I began to initiate it, and the SD! dialog seems to say as much.

I haven't yet initiated it though...TM is doing its thing, but, for some reason, it's near the end and "hanging." It was at 7.9 out of 8.0 GB for a while, but when it reached 8 GB, it then indicated it was at 8 GB out of 8.01 GB. It then became 8.02 GB out of 8.02 GB, and it's been there for a while.


(BTW: Once I get it going, how long should it take? IOW, since I'm backing up "nothing," does it finish very, very quickly? Or does it take a while for it to go through a routine to check every SD! file on the target drive?)

[Nick]

Originally Posted by dnanian

The image file? No. That's the blank source you created. Once you've used it as a source (the whole point is that it's empty), you can delete and delete the image file you created.

OK...it's done.

You said I can delete the image file (that's now obvious to me). But you said it this way:

"you can delete and delete the image file"

1. Was that "delete and delete" just a typo, or is there something else (for example, some sort of "hidden" file) I need to delete?

and

2. Is the drive in the exact same state it was before I mistakenly created the SD! backup on it, or are there some remnants of the original SD! backup still on the drive? (For example, the SD! dialog—which didn't show any "progress" while it was backing up "nothing"—says it "restored Spotlight state" on the drive. Does that "restoration" involve anything that SD! leaves behind?)

[dnanian]

I meant 'eject and delete'. Sorry: was replying on a phone.

Yes, it should be in the same state it was in.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by dnanian

I meant 'eject and delete'. Sorry: was replying on a phone.

Yes, it should be in the same state it was in.

Thanks a lot, Dave. You really are a life saver. (Now, if only you had all the answers , then maybe I could get that other (750 GB) external drive working again!)