Conducting SD! backups while tasks are active

[taliesinsoft]

In a Usenet discussion the question has been raised as to just what SuperDuper! does if a backup is occurring while the user is engaged in another task which may be updating files. My own "comfort factor" is to have my SuperDuper! runs scheduled to run in the middle of the night when I'm not using the computer.

[dnanian]

We copy whatever's on disk at the time. As you know, we suggest people quit programs that have active files, and don't "work" while backing up.

[Papa Art]

Originally Posted by taliesinsoft

My own "comfort factor" is to have my SuperDuper! runs scheduled to run in the middle of the night when I'm not using the computer.

Similarly, I've set up Energy Saver to schedule a 4:00 AM awakening followed by a 4:05 AM SuperDuper! smart backup. But how can I tell whether, in fact, this actually has occurred? (I see no evidence of it in the SD! log.) Thanks!

[dnanian]

You should wake at 4:04 for a 4:05 backup.

Remember that your scheduled copies are not in the "main window" log. You have to look at the log in the Scheduled Copies window. You can also install Growl (http://www.growl.info) and set it up to notify you on successful or failed backups (scheduled or manual).

[Papa Art]

Thanks -- I'll give the suggested one-minute-after-awaking method a try; I was allowing the five minutes for Time Machine to do its thing first.

My SC window log button is gray/dead so there must not have been any backups made; but will the SD! main window still be showing after a scheduled backup is made (as it is after a manual backup)?

[dnanian]

No, a successful scheduled backup leaves SD! in the state it was in when the schedule fired. If SD! was running it'll be left running. If not, we'll quit (unless there was an error).

[Papa Art]

OK; good to know (along with which log to access after reopening SD!). Thanks!