Hidden Files - Time Machine Blues

[chefwong]

I got a new MBP to replace my old MBP.
I ended up manually delete some of my older TM backups via Finder for my old MBP in order to let TM machine.

I deleted the files. Emptied trash.
Came back to office today, noticed files were still in trash.
Tried force delete and no dice.
So I used my handy trash utility....cocktail, and used that to empty trash.
Trash shows empty but I still only have like 600 megs on my TM backup drive.


Is there a way I can view hidden files and what to you suppose is chewing up space on my TM hard drive..

 

[robgendreau]

Did you use the Finder or Time Machine to delete the files?

TM keeps track of the changes in files, so you may have only deleted the changes, not the files themselves.

To properly delete backup files you should enter TM and use the little gear icon and "delete backup" or "delete all backups." The latter is what will delete the whole file and not just the incremental changes.

You can use Cocktail to reveal invisible files in the Finder. But remember they are invisible for a reason.

If you want to manually mess around with TM, you might also try Back in Time; it allows more control than the Mac Pref Pane.