How to setup Mac Time Machine using a USB drive connected over a LAN via VirtualHere as an "External drive connected to your Mac"?
I don't want this USB drive to be treated as a "Network-attached storage (NAS) device that supports Time Machine over SMB"
Details here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202784
Also, how to setup
Also, how to setup VirtualHere?
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Yes that should be fine. What NAS do you have? What MacOS version to do you have?
You normally just install virtualhere from the Nas APP store. E.g for a Synology its in their DSM -> Package Center, for QNAP its in QTS->App Store etc
You need to be using MacOS Monterrey
Can VirtualHere be setup
Can VirtualHere be setup using any USB Server host for it to work with Time Machine as a local drive? e.g. Windows as the USB Server? Or does it have to be a NAS as the USB Server?
When you say, "You need to be using MacOS Monterrey" do you mean the client? Can the client be running Big Sur?
Also, I'm a little confused.
Also, I'm a little confused. How can a USB drive plug into a NAS / Windows / Raspberry Pi and be used as a local external drive for Mac Time Machine? I don't think those OSs can read/write to a Mac format drive?
"Time Machine can’t back up to iPhone, iPad, or iPod or to a disk formatted for Windows. If you connect a disk formatted for Windows, it can be reformatted (permanently removing all data) to a Mac format and used as a backup disk."
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Plug the usb disk into e.g a Raspberry Pi or your NAS (or windows) that is running virtualhere server.
Run the virtualhere client on your Mac (you need monterey, when i say that thats what i mean, no Big Sur client) and then right click on the Disk and select Use then just use it like a directly attached disk.
Ok, thanks for the quick
Ok, thanks for the quick replies and clarification.
To be totally sure: An external USB drive formatted as APFS (encrypted) can be plugged into a NAS / Windows / Raspberry Pi and VirtualHere will let a Mac (running Monterrey) read/write to that drive? And use that drive like a locally mounted USB drive for Time Machine backups?
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Yes, i would suggest a pi4
Wow! Pretty cool tech you
Wow! Pretty cool tech you have here!
Why do you suggest pi4 over the other VirtualHere Server options? Is it something specific to my use case?
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It provides the best support for usb 3
Interesting. What do you mean
Interesting. What do you mean by that?
All of the devices I mentioned have USB 3 ports.
And it looks like people are reporting issues with the Pi 4 USB 3: https://forums.raspberrypi.com/viewtopic.php?t=275174
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Windows wont support bulk streaming, and some NAS's are buggy with bulk streaming so thats why i recommend the pi4.
Your Harddisk should use bulk streaming for best performance and the pi4 supports this fine.
Would other Linux distros
Would other Linux distros also be good?
The Pi 4 looks relatively expensive compared to only a few months ago right now.
Would other Linux distros or
Would other Linux distros or Android also be good?
The Pi 4 looks relatively expensive compared to only a few months ago right now.
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Yes
Thank you!
Thank you!