Apple/Setting up Macintosh Time Machine

[jekyll]

 Apple / Setting up Macintosh Time Machine    on: April 29, 2010, 03:17:52 PM
Being a newbie to Mac, and trying to set up Time Machine to back up files, etc, I am floundering.  When I click on the time machine icon, I get a window that says "a storage location for Time Machine backups isn't set up.  So I click on the option to choose a storage location.  Then  I get a window that shows an "off/on" switch and "choose backup disk."  The switch is in the off position.  There are 2 choices, switch it to the "on" position or click on "choose backup disk."  With both selections I am taken to another window that is blank except for a section to click on at the bottom that says "set up time capsule."  When I click on that another window pops up that says "searching for airport wireless devices."  Then it is unable to find wireless devices because I have none.  A vicious circle.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Do you have an external drive to use as your Time Machine backup?

[jekyll]

Yes.  I have also found that if I click on TM in the top of the screen it shows Time Machine Not Configured, (but is not highlighted which tells me it is configured), Browse other TM disks and when I do this I go to another window that says "these disks contain TM backups.  Choose the disk you want to use with TM.  There is a blank screen, no choices,  Open TM system preferences.  Opening system preferences takes me back to the original problem. 
Also when I click and hold on TM in the dashboard choices are TM preferences, Back up now, (a few days ago I clicked on Back up now and I got another message that said I have not backed up my files for 147 days, lately it says TM error, no backup volume has been selected, to select a backup volume open System Preferences and choose TM, the Mac was purchased in Oct of 09), Browse other TM disks, Remove from Dock, Show TM.  That's the latest.   

[computerhelpmaryland]

Yes.  I have also found that if I click on TM in the top of the screen it shows Time Machine Not Configured, (but is not highlighted which tells me it is configured), Browse other TM disks and when I do this I go to another window that says "these disks contain TM backups.  Choose the disk you want to use with TM.  There is a blank screen, no choices,  Open TM system preferences.  Opening system preferences takes me back to the original problem. 
Also when I click and hold on TM in the dashboard choices are TM preferences, Back up now, (a few days ago I clicked on Back up now and I got another message that said I have not backed up my files for 147 days, lately it says TM error, no backup volume has been selected, to select a backup volume open System Preferences and choose TM, the Mac was purchased in Oct of 09), Browse other TM disks, Remove from Dock, Show TM.  That's the latest.   

If you do NOT have a TIME CAPSULE then I assume you have a wired router/wireless router? What kind of router do you have? If you do not have a time capsule then you will need an external hard drive to use as your backups. So once you get a USB external hard drive just plug it in to your computer then click time machine on and choose the new hard drive as your backup.