Download TimeMachineEditor for Mac - Change the one-hour interval of Time Machine backups. MacUpdate Mac Software Downloads

TimeMachineEditor... Change the one-hour interval of Time Machine backups. You can change the interval or decide to make daily, weekly and monthly backups.

TimeMachineEditor does not modify existing system files at all. Instead it handles its own scheduling to trigger Time Machine backups when you want them to occur.

Version 2.5.3:

Fix minor interface issue
Japanese localization

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Suggest something else:

PEANUTBUTTER TME schedule not sticking in 10.6.2. Two completely different systems are backing up at odd hours, not even close to the set schedule. Could be related to the drive mounting.
(Version 2.5.3)

PHILIPPE-MAC Thank you for the simple but useful tool
(Version 2.5.2)

CARLOS-SZ Nice concept and implementation. Is it possible to add a confirmation before starting a backup? Like a message box asking whether you want or not to start a time machine backup. Sometimes I do not want to be interrupted at all. In addition, I would also like to see a list of applications that would prevent a backup from starting, e.g. if Parallels is running the backup would not start at all.
(Version 2.5)

ENDUSERGUY As a former Unix/SunOS/Solaris System Admin, I am addicted to backups. Unix is the power behind the MacOS X systems, and although very stable, people still manage to damage and otherwise destroy files. Backups of your stuff, as George Carlin would call it (RIP), is more important than you know until you destroy something yourself. With that in mind, I'm always looking for backup options.

Since the release of Leopard, Time Machine is the answer for the every-day, average user of Macs. However, Apple has a BAD habit of making too many decisions in your behalf. Time Machine lacks flexibility in backup scheduling. It's once per hour, manual (hidden in the Menu Bar menu) or nothing at all. Enter TimeMachineEditor.

TimeMachineEditor gives you the options the Time Machine should have had in the first place. Hey, this is free, trying to make life a smoother sail for you. You can always turn it off, but all Time Machine users should give this a try.

*I am in no way connected to anything directly or indirectly associated with TimeMachineEditor. I'm only a very satisfied user a=of a great little utility. I also use iDrive and CCC. I sleep very well.
(Version 2.5)

BUBBA12345 There is no need for this. Turn Time Machine off and run this script from cron whenever you want an backup run.

http://pastie.org/615608
(Version 2.5)

Replies:

Oct 9 2009

TIMESOFTWARE The difference is that TimeMachineEditor does it correctly.

cron has been superseded by launchd and you don't need to (and shouldn't) modify the AutoBackup property directly.
(Version 2.5)

Oct 19 2009

MACNERD1984 Well, we're not all gurus. Some of us have got better things to do than fuddle about in the Terminal when we want to back up. This app is exactly what I need - Powerful, simple and easy to use.
(Version 2.5)

Dec 14 2009

LOUNGE DELUXE And above all, this excellent tool is free! Terminal substitutes can certainly be interesting but not in case of excellent freeware.
(Version 2.5.2)

FREEDMAN I shut off the TME switch and trashed the program using AppZapper, but Time Machine still backs up according to the TME schedule that was implemented before I trashed the program. Anyone know what other file(s) may need to be trashed other than the app and the pref files in TME to allow Snow Leopard to once again control Time Machine's schedule? Unfortunately. the developer's site does not have contact information to reach the developer for any answers.
(Version 2.5)

Replies:

Oct 9 2009

TIMESOFTWARE Read the last question of the FAQ and there is contact information of the web site.

http://timesoftware.free.fr/timemachineeditor/
(Version 2.5)

FRANKOF New version changes everything - the program does no longer set a system parameter to tell TM when to back up, but installs a f*cking daemon that runs in the background and requires to manually shut off time machine (which will also be visible as inactive in the menu bar). All the advantages of the earlier program are now gone. Why should I rely on a background daemon for my valuable backups? Not be able to see TM active? Not have a reliable and visible indicator of when the last and next backup occur/ed?

Frankly, this version stinks.
(Version 2.5)

Replies:

Oct 4 2009

WANDERER Well it wasn't working before, maybe this will get TM to do what we want, personally a daily backup is enough for me, not hourly. If it works I'll put up with the daemon.
(Version 2.5)

Oct 4 2009

FRANKOF It is not only the daemon - it is also the requirement to stop the built-in TM mechanism (which is well integrated into the system and shows its status in the menu bar) and rely on this daemon for backups. Why should I do this? Why run a background process that kicks in every now and then, just to do something the system can do better? This is a major PITA, and is especially bad as the program used to be perfect for what it should do.

I don't know, maybe the developer did not find a way to come up with a real solution in Snow Leopard - but putting a background process instead of a well-integrated system component is definitely not the way to go. Either the developer finds a way to change the settings without using a daemon, or I will not be using this program any more. And many sensible people won't.
(Version 2.5)

-2

Oct 4 2009

WANDERER It's free software, you have no right to complain about the way the author decided to implement it. I'm no expert but I'm sure he's done the best under the circumstances.
(Version 2.5)

Oct 4 2009

FRANKOF I do appreciate free software. In fact I very often donate to developers of free software when a program is useful. I also reserve the right to say when I don't like something, regardless of whether the software is free or not. Developers should be grateful for people speaking out the truth. And in this case, the simple truth is: putting in a daemon s*cks.
(Version 2.5)

-1

Oct 4 2009

TIMESOFTWARE FRANKOF, requiring to turn Time Machine OFF was the only sensible solution to solve the issues on Snow Leopard. The built-in mechanism of Time Machine relies on doing hourly backups in several places which would have been impossible to workaround without doing really nasty hacks to your system that you really don't want.

Now you shouldn't be alarmed at all about this daemon since this is exactly the way the built-in mechanism works. TimeMachineEditor used to modify the system daemons configuration files, now the system daemons are disabled and TimeMachineEditor uses its own configuration file. And note that the daemon is the backupd-helper process from Apple and it is only launched at schedule time (nothing is running all the time in the background).

Believe me, this was the best solution.
(Version 2.5)

BUBBAMAC Worked fantastic in Leopard, but having issues in Snow Leopard. Intent is to backup every morning at 3am, but it seems as if every time I connect my machine to the charger, TimeMachine tries to backup. I feel sure this will be corrected soon (I've tried disabling the 'backup when disks connected' and toggling both on/off the 'backup while on battery power' options). Not sure what I'd so without this software since TimeMachine causes my CPU/Memory/Fan to spike everytime it kicks in.
(Version 2.2)

Replies:

Sep 14 2009

HAZELNUTGB I to am having the same type of problem ever since I installed Snow Leopard.

It will back up at different times, none of which are the correct times.

I sure hope they can solve the problem.
(Version 2.2)

Sep 24 2009

TIMESOFTWARE These are known issues.

I'm working on it.
(Version 2.2)

WANDERER Absolutely brilliant, Apple should build this in but in the mean time, thanks to the developer.
(Version 2.1)

IAMINSANE Great utility. Works exactly as it says, providing utility Apple should have included. For me, hourly backups are annoying and don't fit my usage patterns. I use TME to set backups twice a day (3am and 1pm).

Reminder: when installing an OS update time machine will revert back to hourly backups. Just fire up TME and it will ask if you want to restore your previous settings. Nice!

Big thanks to the developer.
(Version 2.1)