Tip: Using Time Machine and Parallels

When using Time Machine, you should disable backing up of your Parallels folder. Why? Because Time Machine backs up files of any size that have changed, meaning that if you make even a single character change in your Parallels Virtual machine, Time Machine will back up the ENTIRE thing, which can mean gigabytes of data and an enormous amount of disk consumption and activity.

The better way to handle your Parallels data?

In Time Machines Preferences, choose your Parallels folder for exclusion.

Then, in Parallels itself, choose to enable Snap Shots. On occasion (perhaps daily) make a fresh snap shot, so if you do experience data issues you can revert back.

Then, using a pre-defined time frame, backup your Parallels folder to your external drive.

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  • After excluding Parallels from Time Machine you could back up your VM to an external drive as you suggest.

    Or alternatively, you could make a separate folder which still *is* covered by Time Machine and periodically save a Parallels snapshot there. That way Time Machine wouldn't get bogged down with hourly backups of your VM but would still get your daily/weekly/whatever snapshots and you wouldn't need the hassle of a separate drive just for Parallels.

    Right?
  • Thanks for this. I was inspired by it, and worked out that I could symlink the 'Snapshots' folder within the .pvm package to my time machine volume. Setup Parallels to take hourly snapshots, and I keep my disc space and all is well! When the volume is disconnected, Parallels gives you an error message and doesn't try to create the snapshot, but no other adverse effects, so to do this do the following:
    - Suspend the VM and close Parallels
    - Open Terminal
    - cd {your parallels folder}
    - cd {your VM.pvm package}
    - mv Snapshots {your TM volume under /Volumes}/Snapshots/{name of VM}
    - ln -s {your TM volume under /Volumes}/{name of VM} Snapshots
  • George
    Very useful and valuable tip. Thanks for sharing that information. Better than all of us finding out the hard way.

    Could you answer a related question for me? Is it a reasonable thing to do to have a file folder on the Mac internal HD with Time Machine used inside of it, for quick recovery and accessability (since it really isn't intended to be a backup program per se) and then have an external drive that is for the exclusive purpose of having a reliable backup disk?
    OR
    Is it smarter to spend the extra $$ and get TWO external drives; one dedicated to Time Machine and one to the backup program?

    I would very much appreciate your views on this.

    Thanks a lot for your help and sharing your tips.

    George
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