Can I rely on my timemachine backup to restore devonthink when my MacBook Pro is sent for repair?

DEVONthink Scenarios
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Hi there, my MacBook pro’s motherboard needs to be changed and I was informed by apple that to do a time machine backup.

Can I assume that will the said backup restore my devonthink to its original state once my laptop is wiped?

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Yes, the restore should work; if it doesn’t fail
When I installed a new Mac; migration assistant started and did a complete restore

I have redundant backups, in case of failure
I use two backup processes; Time Machine and Arq
For a one-off backup; use Devonthink > File > Export > Database Archive

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Yes. I will echo @DTLow 's advice though. I would do what he suggests with a Database Archive to a thumb drive or something too. It is all I have ever needed. I have everything of any importance in DEVONthink 3.

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This is not the time to start doing backups.
You should start your backups right after opening and booting a Mac, then remain diligent in your backups.

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@BLUEFROG is wise.

I would do archives of all databases. Being a nervous fellow, I would make two archives of each database on two different storage devices. Might as well make an archive on your local Mac disk, too, where Time Machine can get a backup.

If the databases are shared with other devices through a sync store, I think I would:

  • Restore the repaired Mac without opening Devonthink.
  • Delete the DT databases (yikes!) because you can always re-restore them if needed.
  • Open Devonthink and import the databases from the sync store.

That would keep Devonthink from coping with syncing an out of date database - which should work, but why test it.

I hasten to add what Bluefrog and others will say - sync stores aren’t backups. Your Time Machine and zip archives are your backups.

Every week I run the check file integrity and verify/optimize scripts on all my DT databases, about 50 of them, and archive to a new directory. I keep about 12 of those directories, or about three months worth of archives.

It’s all a waste of time - so far. I never need backups - until I do.

Another thing worth doing, if you’re paranoid. Select all the records in your DT database and export the metadata to a TSV file, which you should save outside of Devonthink.

Then you can at least compare the file population to your future restore to make sure all files are at least present.

Or just wing it with Time Machine. That’s probably fine, too. You do have two Time Machine devices, right? :slight_smile:

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Only one.

Thank you all for your kind advice.

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