Can you use your Time Machine on another computer?

[tggivens]

I have a 27' iMac desktop and a 13' Macbook Pro.

The Macbook Pro was purchased in fall of 2009 and I haven't backed it up with my Time Machine since 2011 or so.

I'm doing a lot of video work on my 27' and was wondering if I could just switch over my Time Machine to the desktop from the laptop.

 

[rkaufmann87]

I have a 27' iMac desktop and a 13' Macbook Pro.

The Macbook Pro was purchased in fall of 2009 and I haven't backed it up with my Time Machine since 2011 or so.

I'm doing a lot of video work on my 27' and was wondering if I could just switch over my Time Machine to the desktop from the laptop.

If you don't mind losing all of your MBP's TM backup sure, simply reformat the EHD, connect it to the iMac and then turn TM on (System Preferences - Time Machine) and it will begin backing up. Is that what you are trying to do?

 

[scottsjack]

I have a 27' iMac desktop and a 13' Macbook Pro.

The Macbook Pro was purchased in fall of 2009 and I haven't backed it up with my Time Machine since 2011 or so.

I'm doing a lot of video work on my 27' and was wondering if I could just switch over my Time Machine to the desktop from the laptop.

Yes. You can even backup both computers on Time Machine or delete the current backup and start over.

My four-year-old 2TB TC backed up my just-sold Mac Pro. Now it is backing up my Dad's MBP. My current 3TB current-gen TC was backing up my mini, MBP and MP. With the MP gone I deleted that file and now it's backing up just the mini and the MBP. Additionally both machines also make a second back up via USB or FW. Those external drives have been used for various tasks for quite awhile.