Manually add files on a Time Machine external hdd

[CharlesPond]

Hi everyone, I just bought a new Macbook pro 14 after 5-6 years of using windows. Before that I always used macintosh systems and I always could manually add files inside my external hdd with time machine (outside of the backup folder ofc). Now with my new mac I was trying to do the same but seems like I can’t anymore add my files on the time machine hdd… anyone could explain me why and if there a way to do it?

 

[HDFan]

How are you adding the files? I just dragged/dropped some files to a TM disk from the finder at the root level. Stay away from the Backups.bacupdb folder.

 

[CharlesPond]

I just try to drag from desktop to the tm hdd but staying outside of the backups.bacipdb folder. As I try to drag file near the pointer appears a deny mark and I can’t neither create an empty folder inside the hdd…

 

[Weaselboy]

I think this started with Big Sur, but when you select a disk for use with Time Machine it is designated as a Time Machine disk and made read only.

You could try reformatting the drive and making two partitions, then use one for TM and the other for storage like you mentioned.

 

[0128672]

View attachment 1908092

I think this started with Big Sur, but when you select a disk for use with Time Machine it is designated as a Time Machine disk and made read only.

You could try reformatting the drive and making two partitions, then use one for TM and the other for storage like you mentioned.

You don't have to reformat it to add a volume (instead of a partition) to the APFS container. I've got 3 volumes on my one of my TM drives to use for manually copying files over. You can start with the partition steps but then choose volume.

 

[Weaselboy]

Yep... fair enough. I just thought it might be easier to reformat.