iPodBackup

Name: iPodBackup
Rating: 4.6538 (5 reviews)

1.5.4

17 July 2005

Backup home folder to an iPod.

Overview

iPodBackup is a shell script-turned-application (via Platypus) that backs up your home folder to your iPod using the open source backup utility rsync. Combine it with Do Something When to have fully automated incremental backups to your iPod, for free!

You can customize a list of items to be excluded by simply dragging-and-dropping them onto the app. By default, the Music folder, as well as certain cache folders are skipped, in order to prevent duplicating your music and because caches are a kind of stupid thing to backup.

Please see the iPodBackup info page for more usage info, as well as a detailed guide describing how I made the app.

A note for first-time users: The first backup can take quite a while, especially if you use an encrypted disk image! Subsequent backups will be much faster, as only files that have changed will be copied over.

What's new in iPodBackup

Growl notification support
Better handling of disk image mounting problems

iPodBackup Screenshots

20 iPodBackup Reviews

See all

When I first used this program, I was very excited. It has a simple interface, backups can be easily automated (using DoSomethingWhen) and it's free. However, after using this app for about a week and a half, for some reason I checked my backup. Because I use DSW to automatically run iPodBackup, I was backing up my home folder everyday. However, when I checked my backup disk image, none of the changes (added files, deleted files, etc.) had been recorded on the backup since my first backup. I tried trashing the backup file on my iPod and starting fresh, but this time I acted like it backed everything up, but created an empty disk image. I reinstalled the program (also trashed the prefs, exceptions file, and log), tried using the default settings, but still no luck. I'm running 10.3.9. Any help would be greatly appreciated. This application has a lot of potential; work through the bugs and it'd be great.

Version 1.5.3

2 answer(s)

Amake

12 July 2005

I received one email from this person, but never got a response to my reply. I'm happy to try to address your issue, but I need more information.

Version 1.5.3

Amake

07 August 2005

I still haven't heard back from this individual, but I believe his or her issue has been addressed in version 1.5.4, for whatever it's worth.

Version 1.5.4

What better use for your iPod's free space than a backup of your home folder ? iPodBackup wraps a simple graphical user interface over the rsync command-line file synchronization tool. Things work as expected, features and user preferences have been added with each version update. iPodBackup is perfect if you are looking for a simple, hassle-free backup tool. As a side note, it integrates perfectly with Mac OS X's disk image functionality, letting you back up your data to encrypted disk images.

Version 1.5.1

This is an awesome program...I've never bothered backing up before but this is just way too easy. I've never bothered rating a program before, either...it's just that good! Thanks! :)

Version 1.4.2

This is wonderful! The text-file configuration may scare some people, but it's simple and it does the job. If you just need to back up your home folder to your iPod, it's perfect.

Version 1.4

This program hasn't worked for me since I tried it out the first time. Ironically, the only version that worked was one of the first, less mature, versions that was released. I've tried the last five releases and the same thing always happens. A folder is created on my 4G iPod then the program shuts down, leaving only a 36 MB file inside that folder. Since the first time I used iPodbackup, I've installed all the OSX Panther upgrades as they came out and switched from a G4 TiBook to an Aluminum G4. I wished I could make it work, it's a great idea and the first version I used worked flawlessly.

Version 1.4

1 answer(s)

Amake

16 February 2005

Please email me the log file to ipodbackup {at} mac {dot} com

Version 1.4

Works great. Super simple to understand. Tried it out after a horrible experience with Intego Personal Backup (don't pay for that). This also lead me down the path to look at RSyncX for syncing my iBook with my G5 (Home directory only). Only major addition I would pay to see ... drag and drop for exclusions rather than manually editing plain test file. I have no problems, but my wife had a bunch of trial and errors, emphasis on the errors. This app is a bargain at twice the price :-D I have recommended it anyone that has an iPod and thinks that backups are a PITA.

Version 1.3.2

1 answer(s)

Anonymous

02 February 2005

I'm interested by your idea for drag-and-drop exclusions. Could you tell me more what you have in mind? Email me at ipodbackup \at\ mac \dot\ com

Version 1.3.2

Great piece of software. Really awesome. With spanish localization and under GPL license since version 1.3 good job amake

Version 1.3

never been able to download the app nor connect to the site... gulps. would need a mirror somewhere.

Version 1.3

1 answer(s)

Anonymous

15 January 2005

All the links work just fine for me, and the thousands of people who have downloaded iPodBackup so far, so I don't know what to tell you. In case it's a DNS problem, try this URL: http://homepage.mac.com/amake/software/ipodbackup.html

Version 1.3

Awesome program! Developer is very helpful; when I had problems with 'exploding logs' in 1.1.5, he tried to help me with the problems I was having, and has updated the program to allow for crash reports now. Does it's job quickly and efficiently. Should be used by every iPod user (never too many backups!).

Version 1.3b