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Frequently asked questions about scheduled tasks |
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Does CCC have to be running for a scheduled task to run?
No. Once you have scheduled a backup task, you can quit CCC because a "helper" application will be running quietly in the background, waiting to start your task. Scheduled tasks also load automatically when you restart your computer, so you don't have to launch CCC again unless you want to change how your task is scheduled.
What happens if no one is logged in when the scheduled task runs?
The scheduled task will run whether someone is logged in to the machine or not. If no one is logged in to the machine, CCC will run in the background without a user interface. CCC logs information to /Library/Logs/CCC.log, you can use that log file to monitor CCC progress (e.g. logged in remotely via SSH).
How is system sleep handled?
If a backup task is scheduled to run while your computer is sleeping, CCC will run that task immediately upon wake (CCC waits 20 seconds to allow your machine to establish network connectivity and spin up hard drives). If you would like your computer to wake up to run the scheduled task, schedule a wake event in the Energy Saver Preference Pane in the System Preferences application. Schedule the wake event for the same time or slightly after your backup task's scheduled execution time to avoid the machine going back to sleep before the backup task is scheduled to run.
What if the backup drive is not available when the scheduled task runs?
If your backup hard drive is unavailable when the task is scheduled to occur (perhaps you're listening to tunes on your iPod at the time), CCC will report an error that the drive is not available and ask you to skip or defer the task. If you choose to skip the task, CCC will immediately run the backup when you reattach your hard drive. If you do not attach the hard drive to your computer before the next scheduled run time, CCC will prompt you again that the hard drive is missing.
How do scheduled tasks "work"
Carbon Copy Cloner Scheduled tasks are managed by launchd. Each scheduled task exists in the form of a property list file stored in /Library/LaunchDaemons. When these LaunchDaemons are loaded, an instance of "ccc_helper.app" is launched and configured with the scheduled task settings. While the Scheduler interface in CCC should be the primary means of configuring scheduled tasks, you can effectively deschedule a scheduled task by removing its configuration plist and rebooting your Macintosh.