SD and the unlocking the account

[has55]

I have search many of the apple support posting and noticed time machine is used with one EXT. HD and super duper ( outweighing CCC ) seem to be the favorite for the other ext. disks. After reading the literature online about SD, it seems that it can only backup if your computer is awake, you're are signed into your account and the screen is unlock. This would mean you have disable your password to your account, so SD could launch. Is this really what the mac user are doing? Are do most user of SD don't use passwords for their account? Would appreciate some advice.

Austin

[dnanian]

You don't have to disable your password, no: you can run it when you're at the Mac, and then lock your screen, if you'd like.

[has55]

thank you for your reply.

Basically, I would need to run it manually, If I keep my password on, is this correct?

When you wrote "and then lock your screen, if you'd like. " What does that mean? Is this the same as preventing someone from using my desktop by using a password?

Last question: When you say, you can schedule energy saver to wake up your computer 1 min before SD launches and your account must be in front. I have 3 accounts ( admin, my personal account, my wife's account ), is there a way for my account to come to the front if I disable fast switching and remove my password, so SD will work, after the energy panel wakes up my computer?

Austin

[dnanian]

No, you just have to ensure you don't log out and don't lock the screen with a password protected wake if you put the Mac to sleep. Using a password for your Mac isn't a problem: password protecting a "wake" is.

So, you can use a password protected screen saver to protect your Mac, but just ensure that your Mac doesn't go to sleep.

And, no: there's no way to "force" an account to the front if you have three accounts and only one is scheduled... sorry.

[fjordaan]

Hi Dave,

Can I suggest you add this to your FAQs? Namely: you cannot use scheduled backups with Apple's "Require password to wake computer from sleep or screen saver" system preference. (Which as far as I know is a very common setting.) Scheduled backups almost by definition take place when you're not at the computer to unlock it.

When you refer to a "password protected screen saver" above, I assume you mean a 3rd party screen saver rather than a built-in Apple one. Because making them password protected requires the above system preference.

Do you agree?

francois

[dnanian]

I believe this is in the User's Guide in the Scheduling section.