Moving to new Mac using a Time Machine backup - Is the virtual Windows UTM partition usable afterwards?

[Hergesheimer]

Hello,

We will soon revceive our new M2 MacMini. I want to use a Time Machine backup to move over. I have a Windows virtual partition working fine on my old M1 Mac. My question: Will the virtual machine work after installing the Time Machine backup?

Many thanks.

 

[posguy99]

You're not including the VM in your Time Machine backups, are you?

 

[Hergesheimer]

You're not including the VM in your Time Machine backups, are you?

Thanks posguy99. Not knowingly . What I also occasionally do is a Carbon Copy Cloner backup. ? Thanks a lot.

 

[genexx]

You could check:

Right click on your VM in UTM and show in Finder

• Path is something like: /Users/UserName/Library/Containers/UTM/Data/Documents
• Open the TM Backup HD and press ( Apple + Shift + . ) to show hidden files ( shows Folder Library in Users )
• Navigate to the Path on TM Backup, but keep in mind that it does not always save when it is not changed.
• Anyway i sync the UTM Folder mentioned via CCC in addition.
• It is on my TM Backups as well, as it stores the User Folder.
• I have copied the UTM´s with drag and drop but keep in Mind if you Copy a VM from Intel to M1 or M2 it will run as a Emulated one and is therefore slow.
• If you are moving from Intel to Apple Silikon M1 M2 you should install Arm Versions for Windows 11 and Ubuntu from scratch.
• If you stay on the same Plattform you should have no Problems

 

[Hergesheimer]

Thanks a lot genexx. I saw the UTM folders also in the Time Machine backup. One more question: How do you backup the Windows partition with CCC? Is it included in a normal CCC backup session or do I have to do separately? Thanks again.

 

[genexx]

I do CCC Folder Backup for some of the more Important Folders to my big WD 12TB:

• Pictures
• HiDrive
• UTM Folder

From Time to Time i made a full Backup via CCC as image, but as TM is working very well i do not do it anymore.
I have no Windows Partition as i am only using VM for Windows and on M2 there is no Bootcamp.
There are several Articles on the Net for a backup of the Bootcamp Partition:

How to Backup Boot Camp Partition on Mac

www.uubyte.com

 

[maflynn]

Thanks posguy99. Not knowingly

Just to put a finer point on this. Given the nature of Vms, if you don't exclude them, they end up in each hourly snapshot, and will easily fill up your backup volume.

 

[genexx]

Just to put a finer point on this. Given the nature of Vms, if you don't exclude them, they end up in each hourly snapshot, and will easily fill up your backup volume.

If you do minimal edits in the VM the hd file changes and it does backup the full file as new, correct.

For me i have no Problem with that as i do not backup hourly and have a triple Size Backup SSD.
You can exclude from TM and backup with CCC, or even manually, but i do not change the VM´s that often also.

 

[maflynn]

If you do minimal edits in the VM the hd file changes and it does backup the full file as new, correct.

Just starting the VM is enough to trigger the backup

 

[posguy99]

One more question: How do you backup the Windows partition with CCC? Is it included in a normal CCC backup session or do I have to do separately? Thanks again.

It needs pointing out that you are confused. The VM is not a separate partition, it is a file on the disk. Unless you are specifically taking steps to exclude it (whether knowingly or not), it is being included in Time Machine and in CCC.

 

[Hergesheimer]

It needs pointing out that you are confused. The VM is not a separate partition, it is a file on the disk. Unless you are specifically taking steps to exclude it (whether knowingly or not), it is being included in Time Machine and in CCC.

Thanks a lot for making clear! It is always included in both backups. Thanks a lot pisguy99!