How do you create a totally fresh TM backup?

[komatsu]

How do you create a totally fresh TM backup?

I notice that having loads of TM backups on your external backup disk can result in a Time Machine backup restoration process that can take hours.

But how can you do a completely fresh backup on the same external backup disk?

 

[glenthompson]

Erase the disk with Disk Utility and start a new Time Machine backup.

 

[komatsu]

Erase the disk with Disk Utility and start a new Time Machine backup.

And what if you want to keep those historic backups AND use the same disk?

 

[glenthompson]

Disks are cheap. Buy a new one. After 2-3 years of using a drive with Time Machine I put it away and start on a new one.

 

[BrianBaughn]

You could attempt to add another partition to your existing TM hard drive but keep in mind such a process always has a possibility of losing data.

Also, for a quick, complete system recovery I'd recommend using cloning software with the clone being on an SSD.

 

[Fishrrman]

If you want to keep the old backups, disconnect the drive and put it into the closet.
Then... buy a NEW drive and start over.

Not much more to it than that.

I don't use tm. I've NEVER used it.
I use CarbonCopyCloner -- superior solution.

 

[komatsu]

You could attempt to add another partition to your existing TM hard drive but keep in mind such a process always has a possibility of losing data.

Also, for a quick, complete system recovery I'd recommend using cloning software with the clone being on an SSD.

Interesting what you say about SSD.

Apart from speed, do they just work more reliably with TM?

 

[komatsu]

If you want to keep the old backups, disconnect the drive and put it into the closet.
Then... buy a NEW drive and start over.

Not much more to it than that.

I don't use tm. I've NEVER used it.
I use CarbonCopyCloner -- superior solution.

Great solid advice as always.

I am really getting sick of TM esp. messages like "73 hours to complete this backup" for a 1TB healthy disk...FFS

 

[BrianBaughn]

Interesting what you say about SSD.

Apart from speed, do they just work more reliably with TM?

I don't know. I was talking about a clone on an SSD.

TM is slick when you want to use it like a time machine and look into folders as they were on a past date. For restoring an entire system after a hard drive issue it is not as quick, easy or accurate as a clone.

I use CCC and it runs backups on two drives early every morning. Other drives get backed up every so often.

 

[glenthompson]

Interesting what you say about SSD.

Apart from speed, do they just work more reliably with TM?

Not tm, a clone using Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper. If you have a machine failure you can boot the external SSD on another Mac and be back up and running. When my 2011 MBP GPU died, I took the clone and booted it on my wife’s old iMac. Back up and running in a couple of hours. CCC has saved my butt twice. Once with the aforementioned GPU failure and once with a botched OS upgrade.