External HD Backup Issue (me being stupid)

[Tyler23]

edit: External HD *Backup* Issue

So, long story short.

I have a WD External HDD (My Passport Studio) that I bought a few months ago and have been using to backup my MBP.

Well, today I found there's a software update for it, so I went ahead and started doing that..Now, to backup, I've always just Time Machine do it's thing, never realizing I could actually open up WD's Software on my computer. So, today, I did that, and was amazed. I found that none of the files were categorized, and it didn't have a drive to select in case I wanted to restore my computer. However, it did have all my files on it (it must've, it's been backed up so many times).

Now i'm performing the update from WD's Software, but i'm not sure what to do..I guess now i'll have double copies of all of my files on my External. So my question is, how do I delete what was backed up before today? (all of the info that wasn't organized), and is that even a smart idea?

Here's a screenshot:


The "Additional Files" are what were there before..underneath you can see where the files should have been going to be organized..

edit: Now it's only saying it needs to backup 58 GB..I guess that means whatever time machine was doing wasn't completely wrong?

I feel so stupid right now..If anyone actually reads this, understands it, and can offer anything..they're a saint.

 

[miles01110]

Just reformat the drive and don't bother trying to sort it out. Start fresh.

 

[Tyler23]

Hmm..I'm gonna go ahead and ask two more (slightly stupid) questions.

1)..How exactly do I do that?

2) So, should I just turn time machine off and manual update my External? What I've been doing up 'til now is just plugging in the external and letting time machine do the backup.

Also..I don't know if I need anything that I've previously backed up but no longer have on my computer's HD, but..what if I do down the road?

 

[Tyler23]

Okay..one more question and then I'm good..

Out of the categories shown in the screenshot..where are applications? I thought they'd have their separate category, but they don't. Would Apps be under System, or are they not backed up?

 

[Tumbleweed666]

Seems to me that if you use the WD backup stuff that's entirely separate to TM, in the same way that you might use TM but also do separate Super Duper or CCC backups to a disk as well.
So unless you wish to ditch TM and use the WD stuff instead, I'd just forget about it and carry on as you were with TM.


Anyway, that's how I read the situation from your description, you found some new backup software you didn't know you had and almost feel you "should" use it. Just because the WD comes with some backup software doesn't mean you have to use it.

 

[MacTribe]

Format the external using disk utility, found in the Applications/Utilities folder

Once formatted, set Time Machine to use that disk. It will keep everything organised automatically. Dont bother with the WD app.