Smart Update slower for initial backup?

[brijazz]

I'm doing my first backup of my 750GB MacBook drive, to an encrypted sparseimage on an external USB 2.0 drive. It's going sloooowly (118GB copied after 4 hours).

I'm so used to picking "Smart Update" when making backups that I chose it as my backup option here, even though it's an initial backup. Is it possible that this is causing the slow backup operation? Or is this just the expected pace of an initial backup to an encrypted image (it's been ages since I did anything other than a Smart Update to an unencrypted volume)?

Thanks!

[dnanian]

First backup...USB2. It'll take a while.

[brijazz]

First backup...USB2. It'll take a while.

Alright, thanks :) I've become so used to snappy Smart Updates that it's a little jarring to be at hour 17... but it's nearly done.

[dnanian]

Subsequent Smart Updates should perform as you're expecting...remember, we can't make the drive run faster, smart or not. :)